Page 38 - Maharashtra

Exam centres with mass copying cases will be barred permanently: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said examination centres where mass copying for classes 10 and 12 board exams is reported will be barred permanently. Meanwhile, 42 cases of copying were reported on the first day of the HSC examination for class 12, according to the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE). Fadnavis directed officials to monitor sensitive examination centres through drones and video cameras. He directed the sacking of school employees or teachers if they were involved in facilitating copying. This decision was taken in the state cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Fadnavis also interacted with all district collectors and police officials and took stock of the preparation for exams. The chief minister said district collectors should form special squads which should reach examination centres an hour before the exam starts and wait until the answer sheets are submitted to the custodian. Fadnavis said it is the join

Guillain-Barre Syndrome: 167 cases detected, 7 deaths so far in Maharashtra

Further, as per officials, seven deaths have been reported, of which one was confirmed as GBS, while six remain suspected

Centre extends soyabean procurement in Maharashtra, Telangana for farmers

The Centre has extended procurement of soyabean in Maharashtra by 24 days and Telangana by 15 days, beyond normal purchase period of 90 days, to protect farmers' interest. Groundnut procurement in Gujarat has been extended by six days, and in Karnataka by 25 days. According to an official statement, the government approved the procurement of soyabean under the price support scheme (PSS) in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Telangana for Kharif 2024-25. A quantity of 19.99 lakh tonnes of soyabean has been procured till February 9, 2025 benefitting 8,46,251 farmers. "Minister of agriculture and farmers' welfare Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan has approved the proposal to extend the period of procurement in Maharashtra by 24 days and in Telangana by 15 days beyond the normal procurement period of 90 days keeping the interest of farmers of the state," the statement said. Similarly, the government approved the procurement of groundnut under the PS

Shinde announces health initiatives, including chemotherapy centres

The Maharashtra government will set up day care chemotherapy centres in six cities to improve cancer care, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Sunday. These will come up at Thane, Solapur, Ahilyanagar, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nanded, and Wardha, Shinde said. This initiative includes launch of eight cancer mobile vans, 102 ambulances, seven advanced life support ambulances, two CT (computed tomography) machines and 80 digital handheld X-ray machines to cater to underserved areas, he said. "Some two crore women across Maharashtra would receive comprehensive health check-ups under a new programme that covers tests for blood pressure, diabetes, haemoglobin etc. The mobile health check-up units will ensure women in even the most rural areas receive proper medical attention," Shinde said. "Like the Chief Minister's Medical Assistance Cell, which has helped 51,000 patients by providing Rs. 460 crore in financial assistance over the past two years, a 'Deputy Chief Minister's ...

Tally of nerve disorder GBS rises to 180 in Pune; Mumbai records first case

The tally of suspected Guillain-Barr syndrome (GBS) cases in the Pune region has reached 180, with the detection of seven cases, while a 64-year-old woman became the first patient diagnosed with the nerve disorder in Mumbai, officials said. The seven cases in Pune comprise four fresh cases and three from previous days, an official from the health department said on Friday. "Of the 180 suspected cases, 146 have been diagnosed with GBS. At least 35 patients are from Pune Municipal Corporation, 88 from newly added villages in the PMC area, 25 from the Pimpri Chinchwad civic limits, 24 from Pune Rural and eight from other districts. While 79 patients have been discharged, 58 are in ICU and 22 on ventilator support," a health department release said. The number of deaths in the region stood at six, it added. Mumbai reported its first case of GBS on Friday after a 64-year-old woman was diagnosed with the rare nerve disorder, civic officials said. Talking to PTI, Brihanmumbai Municipal .

Half of Rs 3 trn investment MoU with Maharashtra to happen in Vidarbha: JSW

Jindal highlighted that of the Rs 3 trillion investment the group committed to Maharashtra through the recent memorandum of understanding

'Will reply with facts': EC after Rahul Gandhi's Maharashtra voters claim

Rahul Gandhi claimed that a total of 39 lakh voters were added between Lok Sabha and state assembly elections

Tally of GBS fatalities in Pune climbs to 6 after death of 63-year-old man

The number of suspected Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) deaths in Maharashtra's Pune district has risen to six after a 63-year-old man died, a health official has said. The man was admitted to a hospital in the Sinhgad Road area after he complained of fever, loose motions and weakness in the lower limb and was diagnosed with GBS, the official said on Thursday. "His condition deteriorated on Wednesday and he died of acute ischemic stroke," the Pune Municipal Corporation health official said. He added that of the six deaths, five are suspected GBS deaths, while one is a confirmed fatality from the rare nerve disorder. With the detection of three new cases, the number of suspected GBS cases in Pune rose to 173, a Maharashtra health department release said. "Of these, 140 have been diagnosed with GBS. Of the 173, a total of 34 patients are from Pune Municipal Corporation limits, 87 from newly added villages in PMC area, 22 from Pimpri Chinchwad civic limits, 22 from rural parts of the .

Pune civic body seals 30 water supply plants in wake of GBS outbreak

The Pune Municipal Corporation has sealed 19 private RO plants in Nanded village area, the epicentre of the Guillain-Barr Syndrome (GBS) outbreak, after tests confirmed water from these facilities was unfit for drinking, officials said. Four fresh cases of suspected GBS, a nerve disorder, were reported in Pune district on Wednesday, taking the overall tally in Maharashtra to 170, they said. The now-sealed privately owned reverse-osmosis (RO) plants, located in Dhayari-Nanded area, supplied bottled water to a large number of people in the vicinity. Following the crackdown, the Pune Municipal Corporation's (PMC) water supply department announced plans to formulate standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent the distribution of contaminated water in the area. During the investigation of water samples collected from some privately run RO plants, it was found that water from 19 such RO plants operating in the Nanded and adjoining area was unfit for drinking. Accordingly, all these 1

More than 250 fall ill in Kolhapur village due to suspected food poisoning

More than 250 persons fell ill due to suspected food poisoning after attending a village fair in western Maharashtra's Kolhapur district, police said on Wednesday. About 50 persons were undergoing treatment at hospital at Shirol at present and the condition of all of them was said to be stable, said an official of Kurundwad police station. A fair had been organised at Shivnakwadi village on Tuesday where 'kheer', a sweet preparation made from milk, was served as 'prasad', he said. "People started complaining of diarrhoea, nausea and fever since today morning. So far, 255 people have fallen sick due to suspected food poisoning. Most of them are claiming that they had 'kheer' at the fair. But there were food stalls too," the police official said. More than 50 persons were undergoing treatment at the hospital and the rest were discharged, he said, adding that all the admitted patients were stable. "Food samples from the fair have been sent to the forensic laboratory to ascertain if i

Why should Mumbaikars fund Dharavi land grab, questions Aaditya Thackery

He further pointed out that the Deonar land was already grabbed by the Adani Group, despite objections from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)

Why is CM Fadnavis not concerned about Maratha children: Manoj Jarange

Quota activist Manoj Jarange on Wednesday asked why Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who cares so much for his daughter does not show similar concern for the Maratha children and grant them reservation. Jarange, who has undertaken several hunger strikes demanding quota in education and government jobs for the Maratha community, was referring to Fadnavis's statement on Tuesday that he had postponed shifting to the chief minister's official residence in Mumbai until his daughter's Class 10 exams get over. Speaking to reporters here, Jarange said, "We saw a father's love for his daughter yesterday....if he has so much concern for his daughter, why doesn't he care for the children from the Maratha community? "For your daughter's sake, you are not shifting to another bungalow just 500 metres away....then why can't you see the plight of our kids who hang themselves if they get less marks in exams? Why doesn't the CM give them the reservation which is their right," Jarange added. He also

After bird flu outbreak, Maha village, nearby areas declared 'alert zone'

The Chandrapur district administration in Maharashtra has declared Mangli village and areas falling within a radius of 10km from it as an 'alert zone' to prevent the spread of bird flu, official sources said on Tuesday. The collector and chairman of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Monday issued an order in this regard, outlining steps to prevent the spread of bird flu, they said. According to the sources, after the death of poultry birds in Mangli village under Brahmapuri tehsil on January 25, samples were collected by the Animal Husbandry Department and sent to the State Level Animal Disease Investigation Laboratory and Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Pune and Bhopal, respectively. The samples came positive for bird flu (avian influenza H5N1). After receiving of reports, the Chandrapur collector and chairman of the DDMA declared Mangli village and areas within a radius of 10km from it as an 'alert

Fadnavis dismisses claim of not shifting to CM house due to superstition

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday dismissed claims of not shifting to the official CM residence in south Mumbai due to superstition, and said he would move in after his daughter's board exams get over. His clarification comes hours after Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut that buffaloes sacrificed in Guwahati during Eknath Shinde's visit to the Kamakhya temple were buried on the premises of 'Varsha', the official residence of the chief minister, so that the CM's post should not go to anybody else other than Shinde. Shinde became the chief minister of the state in June 2022 after he rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray and joined hands with the BJP. He remained the CM till November 2024. But after the assembly polls, Fadnavis took over as the chief minister for the third time. Fadnavis currently stays at 'Sagar' bungalow despite taking charge as chief minister in the first week of December. Dismissing Raut's claims, Fadnavis said, "I will move into 'Varsha' bungalow .

Lack of chlorine detected in water supplied to GBS patients' houses in Pune

A survey of water quality conducted in and around Nanded village, the epicentre of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) in Pune city, has found that there was lack chlorine in the drinking water supplied to the households of 26 patients of this nerve disorder, officials said. On Tuesday, three fresh cases of GBS were reported in the city, taking the overall tally to 166, they said. Officials of the Rapid Response Team (RRT), formed to probe the outbreak of the GBS cases in Nanded and adjoining localities on Sinhagad Road area, there are a total of 77 GBS patients in Nanded. Of them, the households of 62 patients were visited to take the samples of the drinking water. The findings of the house-to-house survey about lack of chlorine in drinking water was discussed in the meeting of the RRT. Experts have now urged the water supply department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to take immediate action to maintain chlorine level of 0.2 PPM (parts per million) in the household water supply

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Activist alleges Rs 88 cr 'scam' in agriculture dept under Dhananjay Munde

Activist Anjali Damania on Tuesday alleged a Rs 88 crore 'scam' in the agriculture department when NCP leader Dhananjay Munde held the portfolio in the previous Mahayuti coalition government in Maharashtra. Despite the Union government's 2016 directive to transfer money directly to farmers' bank accounts under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), the agriculture department purchased equipment and fertilisers for distribution to farmers at inflated rates, she claimed. Reaction from Munde's office to the allegations was awaited. The NCP leader, now minister for Food and Civil Supplies, is already under fire over the arrest of his aide Walmik Karad in an extortion case related to the murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in Beed district. Shiv Sena minister Sanjay Shirsat told reporters that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will "certainly take notice" of the allegations and order an inquiry. Speaking at a press conference here, Damania presented documents related to the alleged scam. "These

BMC allocates Rs 1,000 cr for BEST bus services in FY 2025-26 budget

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has in its budget for the financial year 2025-26 allocated Rs 1,000 crore for the civic bus services BEST, acknowledging its financial challenges. The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking, the second-largest public transport system in the metropolis after suburban trains, operates a fleet of around 3,000 buses, serving more than 30 lakh commuters daily. In the budget document presented on Tuesday, the BMC stated that despite its own financial commitments, it has made the provision considering BEST's financial position. "Although BMC itself has a huge requirement of funds towards its ongoing projects and other important objectives, a total provision of Rs 1000 crore is proposed in 2025-26 as a grant to BEST undertaking considering its financial position," the document stated. As per the budget documents, the funds will be used for infrastructure development, capital equipment purchases, loan repayments, wet lease

Ladki Bahin scheme to continue in Maharashtra without interruption: Shinde

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has said the Ladki Bahin scheme will continue without interruption, reaffirming the Mahayuti government's commitment to the welfare of women. The Ladki Bahin scheme is widely credited to have contributed to the BJP-led coalition's big win in the state assembly polls in November 2024. Women are provided a monthly assistance of Rs 1,500 under the scheme. The Shiv Sena headed by Shinde and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP are constituents of the ruling Mahayuti. Addressing a gathering at an event in Thane city on Monday night, Shinde said, "The Mahayuti government would never allow the Ladki Bahin scheme to be discontinued." He reiterated the government's commitment to social welfare programmes. "Our responsibility has increased as we have been given another chance to serve the people," said Shinde, who holds charge of the housing and urban development departments. He addressed concerns related to pending housing projects across Mumbai, Thane,

Ready to help reconcile two Senas, but hearts need to meet first: Shirsat

Maharashtra Shiv Sena minister Sanjay Shirsat has said he is ready to facilitate reconciliation between his party and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) but hearts must meet first. The Shiv Sena spokesperson, in an interview with a Marathi channel on Saturday, said he and many of his party colleagues share cordial ties with the Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders even today. Shirsat said he is pained by the split in the Bal Thackeray-founded Shiv Sena, which is now headed by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Asked if he was ready to facilitate any efforts towards rapprochement if he gets an opportunity, Shirsat said, I will do it, but hearts need to meet first. Leaders of the two parties still meet each other warmly, he said. But the distance has become such that if it's not bridged now, it will be difficult to mend ties later, Shirsat said. Asked whether Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, the son of former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, could facilitate a patch-up,