Page 100 - Maharashtra

15 mn benefited from 'shasan aplya dari' drive, CM's Relief Fund: Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said 1.5 crore people in the state have benefitted from the 'shasan aplya dari' (government at your doorstep) drive and CM's Relief Fund. He was speaking at a function connected to the 'shasan aplya dari' initiative at Parbhani, more than 500 kilometres from here, in the state's Marathwada region. "More than 1.5 crore people have benefited from shasan aplya dari initiative and Chief Minister's Relief Fund. The state has so far distributed 22,000 tractors and 22,50 rotavators (rotary tillers) to farmers. Around 4 lakh people have received Rs 1,351 crore under various schemes," Shinde said. Speaking at the event, he took a swipe at Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray by saying his government's work had galvanised some people who ran the administration from home to go "offline" (on the ground) instead of staying "offline". Some people routinely said the state government would fall but it has only got stronger with Ajit Pawar joini

Maha minister orders special audit of work done on Mumbai-Goa Highway

Maharashtra Minister Ravindra Chavan on Sunday said he has ordered a special audit of the work done on the Mumbai-Goa Highway in the last 12 years and reason for the delay in the project. The PWD minister's announcement has come a day after he got stuck in traffic for more than two hours on the highway while inspecting the ongoing repair work on the route. The Navi Mumbai traffic police has banned the movement of heavy vehicles on Mumbai-Goa highway from Sunday till the end of the Ganesh festival to be held next month. Talking to reporters after an event in Dombivili town, Chavan said Rs 4,500 crore have been disbursed for the project, but under some pretext the work has been delayed. A special audit will be conducted on the work done on the project over the last 12 years, he said. The work on the highway will be completed by end of this year, Chavan said, adding that a lane of the highway will be opened for people from Konkan who are travelling for the upcoming Ganesh ...

3 dead in blaze in hotel that civic officials had flagged fire safety norms

Three persons died in a fire that broke out on Sunday afternoon in a hotel in Santacruz East in Mumbai that civic officials said had been issued a notice for failure to adhere to fire safety norms and had even been taken to court over it. The blaze broke out on the third floor of the ground-plus-four Galaxy Hotel in Prabhat Colony at 1:10pm and gutted the electric wiring, power installations,air-conditioning, curtains, mattresses, wood furniture in a couple of rooms and common areas like the duct, staircase and lobby, a fire brigade official said. "Three persons identified as Rupal Kanji (25), Kishan (28) and Kantilal Gordhan Vara (48) were declared brought dead by hospital authorities. Alfa Vakhariya (19) and Manjula Vakhariya (49) are injured and are under treatment," he said. "The fire gutted wiring, furniture, air conditioning. mattresses in room number 103 and 203, while it also destroyed clothes for laundry, room blankets in the staircase and lobby as well as wiring in the ...

Congress' Milind Deora hails 'evolving chemistry' of INDIA partners

Ahead of the crucial meeting of the INDIA bloc in Mumbai, Congress leader Milind Deora on Sunday said seat sharing for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls among alliance partners is more or less finalised in many states with only a few states requiring more time. Deora, who is closely involved in the organising of the meeting, hailed the "evolving chemistry" between Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) partners and said the best example of that was in Maharashtra. In an interview with PTI ahead of the INDIA bloc meeting on August 31-September 1, the Congress leader from Maharashtra also asserted that there are "no problems" within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising the Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction). His remarks come close on the heels of a "split" in the NCP with Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP MLAs joining the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state on July ...

73 farmers commit suicide in Maharashtra's Chandrapur from Jan to July 2023

As many as 73 farmers have committed suicide in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district from January to July this year, including 13 last month, as per the district administration data. From 2001 to 2023, 1,148 farmers have ended their lives in the district, including 446 in the last five years, according to the data. A committee comprising the district collector, zilla parishad chief executive officer and superintendent of police had declared 745 farmers, who committed suicide between 2001 and 2022, as eligible for government compensation and 329 deceased cultivators as ineligible, as per the district administration. The district administration had sent a proposal to the government for providing compensation to the kin of the deceased farmers and 48 cases are pending from December 2022, the data said. "We are following guidelines updated in 2006 for providing the compensation amount of Rs 1 lakh to the kin of farmers who commit suicide," a senior official from the collectorate said. In

Mumbai roads will be free of potholes in two-and-a-half years: CM Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has claimed Mumbai roads will be free of potholes in the next two to two-and-a-half years. Speaking at an event on Saturday, Shinde also took a swipe at the rival Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray, saying had the work of concretisation of city roads been completed, lives would not have been lost to accidents. "In two to two-and-a-half years, Mumbai will be free of potholes and all roads will be concretised," the CM said. He was speaking at a party event where former Shiv Sena MLA Tukaram Kate, who owed allegiance to the Thackeray faction, joined the Shinde-led Shiv Sena along with a former corporator of the Thackeray faction and six former corporators of Congress. "Earlier, tar roads were built every rainy season and people were forced to travel in potholes," Shinde said. The undivided Shiv Sena, led by first Bal Thackeray and later his son Uddhav Thackeray, controlled the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for 25 years from

Maha CM to hold meet to find relief for onion farmers' woes: Mahajan

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde would soon hold a meeting so as to provide permanent relief to onion farmers, Rural Development Minister Girish Mahajan has said. Farmers in the district have been protesting the Union government's decision to hike the export duty on onions to 40 per cent, saying that it hinders exports and pushes the prices in the domestic markets down. Chief minister Shinde and deputy chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar will hold a meeting soon to provide permanent relief to onion farmers. At present, 40 onion purchase centres of NAFED are operational in Nashik district and instructions have been given to increase the number by ten, Mahajan said on Friday night. He was speaking at a meeting with district collector Jalaj Sharma, district agriculture officer Vivek Sonawane, other officials and representatives of farmers and traders. The state government has announced a Rs 350 per quintal subsidy for onions. It will be distributed in two phases a

Mumbai reports 17 Covid-19 cases, cases climb in double digits for 4th day

Mumbai on Friday reported 17 COVID-19 cases, the fourth consecutive day when the addition to the tally has been more than 10, a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation official said. It took the tally in the metropolis to 11,64,261, while the death toll remained unchanged at 19,776, he said. On Wednesday, the city had reported 12 cases, the civic official added. The recovery count increased by nine in the last 24 hours to touch 11,44,404, leaving the metropolis with an active caseload of 81, he said. The recovery rate is 98.3 per cent and the overall growth rate of cases between August 18 and 24 was 0.0008 per cent, as per civic data. So far, 1,89,22,586 coronavirus tests have been conducted in Mumbai, including 243 in the last 24 hours. The caseload doubling time is 83,327 days, as per official data.

Lack of rain may bring down sugar production in Maha, Karnataka: Official

Lack of rainfall may bring down sugar production in Maharashtra and Karnataka, an official from the National Federation of Co-operative Sugar Factories Limited said on Thursday. In order to meet domestic demand, there could even be a ban on exports, National Federation of Co-operative Sugar Factories Limited chairman Jaiprakash Dandegaonkar told PTI. "The expected sugar production for the year was 330 lakh tonnes but there could be a dip, while the carry over stock in the country is 65 lakh tonnes. The demand nationwide is 275 lakh tonnes and 50 lakh tonnes will be diverted for ethanol production," he said. "So to meet the domestic demand of 275 lakh tonnes, a ban may be imposed on sugar exports this year. India doesn't export sugar regularly. In the last two years, a global shortage of sugar saw India exporting 60 lakh tonnes," he explained. However, Dandegaonkar asserted that ethanol production target will be met despite dip in sugar production.

Suzlon gets order of 31.5 MW wind power project in Maharashtra, Karnataka

Suzlon will install 15 units of S120 - 140m wind turbine generators (WTGs) with a hybrid lattice tubular (HLT) tower and a rated capacity of 2.1 MW each in Maharashtra and Karnataka

Maharashtra govt issues order on free of cost treatment at public hospitals

Health services, including treatment, in all government hospitals in Maharashtra falling under the public health department's jurisdiction have been made available free of cost for patients, the state government said on Wednesday. Medical tests, treatment and all other services provided on public-private partnership, excluding blood supply, are available free of cost to patients from August 15, said a government resolution (GR). The decision to provide free treatment and other health services at all government hospitals in Maharashtra was taken by the state cabinet in its meeting on August 3.

Onion auctions to resume at APMCs in Nashik from Aug 24: Traders' rep

Onion auctions at all APMCs in Maharashtra's Nashik district, closed for three days now, will resume from Thursday as traders protesting the imposition of 40 per cent export duty on the key kitchen staple have decided to withdraw the agitation, a traders' representative here said on Wednesday. The decision was taken in a meeting of the representatives of traders-exporters and farmers with Union minister Dr Bharati Pawar here on Wednesday. After the meeting, Pawar also said a representative of the traders in Nashik informed in the meeting that they are withdrawing the decision of closure of onion auctions at the Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) and the operations there will start tomorrow. "About the 40 per cent export duty, we will request the Union government to rethink and take a positive decision on the issue," she said. Pawar, the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, is the member of Parliament from Dindori in Nashik. Onion auctions at most of th

Govt restarts onion procurement at Rs 2,410/qtl in Maha, MP: Piyush Goyal

The government on Tuesday restarted onion procurement at Rs 2,410 per quintal in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh for its buffer stock, to protect the interest of farmers amid export curbs imposed to arrest the rising retail prices of the key kitchen commodity ahead of festival season. On August 19, the government imposed a 40 per cent export duty on onions to restrict outward shipments and boost local availability amid apprehension about the Kharif output. Briefing media, the Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal said, while imposing export duty on onion, the government simultaneously decided to procure an additional 2 lakh tonnes of onion from farmers for the buffer stock. "This was done to protect the interest of farmers. This will give better prices to the farmers," Goyal said. Cooperatives National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Limited (NCCF) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) are undertaking procurement in

Won't make any difference if people don't eat onions: Maha minister

Amid protests by farmers and traders against the imposition of export duty of 40 per cent on onions by the Union government, Maharashtra minister Dada Bhuse on Monday claimed it would make no difference if people did not consume the kitchen staple for two to four months. The Union government on August 19 imposed 40 per cent duty on the export of onions to increase domestic availability amid signs of increasing prices and in view of the upcoming festival season. The export duty, which is the first time ever on onion, was imposed by the Finance Ministry through a Customs notification and will be in force till December 31. "When you use a vehicle worth Rs 10 lakh, you can buy produce at the higher rate by Rs 10 or Rs 20 than the retail rate. Those who cannot afford to buy onion, it would make no difference if they do not eat it for 2-4 months," the state PWD minister said. He, however, also said the decision to impose export duty should have been taken with proper ...

Casagrand to invest Rs 8,000 cr to develop projects in Maha over next 3 yrs

Chennai-based Casagrand on Monday said it plans to invest Rs 8,000 crore to develop realty projects in Maharashtra over the next three years. The company said it plans to develop 20 million square feet in Mumbai and Pune as part of its expansion plan. It, however, did not share any specific detail on the plans. The announcement comes close on the heels of Bengaluru-based Prestige Group entering the Mumbai real estate market by launching or announcing projects. The nearly two-decade-old company claimed it is among South India's top three builders, and has initiated an aggressive expansion plan. The company is set to deliver over 140 projects and 40,000 homes in Chennai, Bengaluru, Coimbatore and Hyderabad in 2023, according to a statement. Its founder and managing director Arun Mn said it has delivered 123 projects on time, and it is targeting to increase the sales value to Rs 7,200 crore in FY24 as against Rs 4,200 crore in FY23. He further said that it is sending 1,400 employees

'Technical glitch' in TCS system delays recruitment exam, probe ordered

A top bureaucrat in Maharashtra's revenue department will conduct an inquiry into the reason behind a technical glitch in the TCS server that caused a two-hour delay in start of recruitment examination for "talathis" on Monday in the state, causing inconvenience to candidates, said a Cabinet minister. IT major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), responsible for conducting the online test, in a statement in the morning said, As per the technical team, there was a central hardware issue which has impacted the exam start time (9 am which was pushed to 11 am) in all the exam centres for talathi (revenue department officials) recruitment exam 2023 today. Maharashtra Revenue Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil announced a high-level probe into the matter and expressed regret over inconvenience caused to candidates appearing for the exam. Talking to reporters here, he said, The additional chief secretary of the revenue department will conduct an inquiry into the reason behind the Tata ...

Farmers protest in Nashik, want Centre to scrap export duty on onions

Farmers protested in several places in Nashik district in Maharashtra on Monday against the Union government's decision to impose export duty of 40 per cent on onions till December 31, which they claimed will curb their chances of getting good prices for the kitchen staple. The protests included a sit-in agitation on Nashik-Aurangabad highway in which farmers wore garlands made of onions and shouted slogans against the Centre's decision. Activists of the Late Sharad Joshi Shetkari Sanghatana also staged a rasta-roko (traffic stoppage) in front of Yeola APMC on Manmad-Yeola highway and sought rollback of the export duty decision. The protest, which lasted for around 30 minutes, led to traffic queues on the arterial road, officials said. Farmers said they were already distressed with natural calamities and the decision to impose export duty would further dent their chances of earning well from their produce. "Already there is a drought like situation. Now, when we were starting to g

Electricity usage by EVs in Maha rises to 14.44 mn units in July: MSEDCL

The power usage for electric vehicles (EVs) rose more than three-fold from 4.56 million units in September last year to 14.44 million units in July 2023, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited said on Monday. State-run MSEDCL, also called Mahavitaran, is the nodal agency for providing charging stations for EVs, as well as other works like helping the private sector come up with such infrastructure, and assisting the government in policies regarding the sector, an official release said. Quoting MSEDCL CMD Lokesh Chandra, the release said the power usage for EVs in Maharashtra was 4.56 million units in September 2022, which rose to 6.10 million units in March and further to 14.44 million units in July this year. The sale of power for EVs took place from 3,214 public and private charging stations statewide, it said, adding that the sale of EVs in Maharashtra increased from 4,643 in 2018 to 1,89,698 in 2022 and 2,98,838 as on March 31 this year. Two-wheelers ...

Fire destroys powerloom factory in Maharashtra's Thane, no casualty

A major fire broke out in a powerloom factory in Maharashtra's Thane district in the early hours of Monday, a fire brigade official said. No one was injured in the blaze, the fire official from Bhiwandi Nizampur Municipal Corporation said, adding the stock of raw material, finished goods and the machinery were completely destroyed. The blaze erupted at around 3.15 am in the powerloom unit located in Khoni village on the outskirts of Bhiwandi town, he said. Two fire engines were rushed to the spot. Local disaster cell representatives also reached the spot. The blaze was brought under control at around 8.30 am, the official said. The cause of the fire is under investigation, he added.

CM Shinde presents Ratan Tata with 'Udyog Ratna', calls him an institution

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday hailed industrialist Ratan Tata, the first-ever recipient of the 'Udyog Ratna' award instituted by the state government, as an "institution". Shinde also said industries in Maharashtra are the main strength of the growth engine. He was speaking at the Udyog Puraskar 2023 distribution ceremony here where he praised Ratan Tata. The 'Udyog Ratna' award was presented to the 85-year-old chairman emeritus of Tata Sons by Shinde and Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar at the industrialist's home in south Mumbai on Saturday. On Sunday, Adar Poonawalla of Serum Institute was honoured with the Udyog Mitra award while the Udyogini award was given to Gauri Kirloskar. The best Marathi businessman award was bestowed upon Vilas Shinde, the MD of Sahyadri Farmers' Producers Company. None of us have seen God, but it is believed that God is everywhere. We have selected a 'dev manoos' (Godly person) like Ratan Tata for the (first ever) Udyog