Page 12 - Maharashtra

Is BJP behind allegations against ministers of CM Shinde, asks Uddhav

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday wondered whether the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is behind the allegations being levelled against ministers belonging to the Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The BJP shares power with the Shinde faction in the state. Addressing party workers, Thackeray also took a dig at pictures of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray being used on posters by CM Shinde and MLAs of his camp, saying they were clicked by him (Uddhav). They don't even have the brains to use pictures and they are governing the state, Thackeray said in a jibe directed at Shinde. Such bubbles (the rebel MLAs of Shiv Sena) don't stay for long, they just need a pin to burst, he said, referring to Shinde and MLAs loyal to him. Thackeray, an MLC, alleged some ministers indulged in scams. Every day there are scams. There has to be some morality. I sacked a minister. So have all the scamsters switched sides to hide their scams? the former chief

Uddhav says state govt should ask SC to declare disputed border area as UT

Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackrey on Tuesday said the state government should request the Supreme Court that all disputed regions be declared as a Union Territory as long as the Maharashtra-Karnataka border issue is pending before it. Speaking to reporters here, Thackeray congratulated the Maharashtra government after both houses of the state legislature passed resolutions on the border dispute. "We will support every measure that is in Maharashtra's interest, he said. Both houses unanimously passed the resolution moved by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde which said the state will "legally pursue" the inclusion in Maharashtra of 865 Marathi-speaking villages which are presently part of Karnataka. On the Shinde government's announcement that it will implement welfare schemes for the Marathi-speaking people in border areas of the southern state, Thackeray asked whether the Karnataka government, which does not even allow leaders from Maharashtra to enter, would allow ...

K'taka CM Bommai condemns Maha's legislature resolution on border row

Terming Maharashtra Legislature's resolution on the border issue as "irresponsible and against federal structure," Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday once again asserted that not even inch of the state's land will be ceded. He also expressed confidence about getting justice in the Supreme Court, as Karnataka's stand on the issue is both legal and constitutional. "We strongly condemn Maharashtra's resolution, it has been so long since the State Reorganisation Act 1956 came in, and people on both sides are living peacefully. Maharashtra has the practice of making such statements and resolutions for the sake of their politics," Bommai said. Speaking to reporters here, he said Karnataka is firm and clear on its stand that it will not cede even an inch of land, and that his government is committed to protect the interest of Kannadigas on the other side of the border. "Look at the difference between our resolution and theirs, we are saying that we will not cede our land

Oppn is going to target Maharashtra cabinet, not just few ministers: Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday said the opposition would be cornering the entire Maharashtra cabinet over corruption and not just one or two ministers. He feels sympathy for deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who has to defend his "corrupt" colleagues, Raut said, speaking to reporters here. The opposition is not going to target only a couple of ministers in the Eknath Shinde-Fadnavis cabinet but the entire cabinet is going to be in trouble. I am sympathetic to Fadnavis because he has to defend those who are mired in corruption, the Rajya Sabha MP said. Earlier, Raut's comment that his party "would drop a couple of bomb-shells" during the ongoing winter session had gone viral. The opposition Sena (UBT), NCP and Congress targeted agriculture minister Abdul Sattar after the Bombay High Court last week issued him a notice over the transfer of 37 acres of common village land to a private person in Washim district. A similar allegation was also levelled against ...

Maharashtra to be more inclusive of Marathi-speaking folks on K'taka border

The Maharashtra Legislature here on Tuesday adopted a resolution unanimously expressing full solidarity with the Marathi-speaking people living on the Karnataka border villages.

Maharashtra opposition leader seeks resignation of ministers Sattar, Samant

Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council Ambadas Danve on Tuesday demanded the resignation of state ministers Abdul Sattar and Uday Samant over alleged irregularities in land allotment and a few mega projects. Speaking to reporters outside the Vidhan Bhavan complex, Danve said the Bombay High Court has reprimanded Agriculture Minister Sattar over the allotment of land reserved for public gairan' (grazing) in Washim and asked him to pay a penalty of Rs 50,000, which proves he is in the "wrong". Danve claimed Sattar was involved in two other land related cases in Ratnagiri and Sambhaji Nagar. He is a "habitual offender" in such cases, Danve alleged. Danve also accused state Industries Minister Uday Samant of irregularities in some mega projects, without elaborating. We will demand the resignation of these ministers in both the Houses, he said.

Maharashtra minister abuses, beats 2 men in viral video; NCP demands action

Adding to woes of ruling Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena-BJP, a video of a state minister abusing, threatening and assaulting persons has come to fore and gone viral on social media

2022 saw political slugfests in Maha courtrooms, cases on alleged Maoists

Political turmoil in Maharashtra spilled over to the courts in 2022 with the arrests of leaders like Sanjay Raut, Nawab Malik and independent MP from Amravati Navneet Rana in different cases and subsequent legal battles over their bail applications. The courts also dealt with litigation related to the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case of 2017 with some of the accused getting relief. In February, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former minister in the then Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government Nawab Malik moved the Bombay High Court, seeking to quash an alleged money laundering case registered against him by the Enforcement Directorate. The ED case is related to a land deal in Mumbai in which associates of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim were involved. Malik's plea is still pending. In March, the ED arrested Malik in the case and subsequently a special court for the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cases rejected his bail applications. Malik has now moved the High

CM Shinde to move resolution over Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will move a resolution in the State Assembly on Tuesday over the border dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra, said Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

Deepak Kesarkar introduces Maharashtra Lokayukta Bill 2022 in Assembly

According to the Bill, the Lokayukta will have to seek the approval of the assembly before initiating any inquiry against the chief minister and bringing a motion before the session of the house

Maharashtra government to develop tourism circuit in Nanded: Minister

The Maharashtra government will develop a tourism circuit in Nanded district by connecting its popular travel destinations, state Tourism Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha said here on Sunday. Work in this direction will commence in the next three months, he told reporters. The minister was in Nanded to visit the Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Gurdwara. "There are popular tourist spots in Nanded, including temples, gurdwaras and forts. A circuit will be planned to connect these places that are located within the radius of 100 km. Facilities for tourists will be created," Lodha said. A committee of local stakeholders will be set up in Nanded and it will meet every month. The Hottal Festival in the district will be celebrated on a grander scale henceforth, he said. The tourism ministry is also planning to form a tourist facilitation centre in Nanded, Lodha added.

Bombay HC issues notice to minister Abdul Sattar over land dispute order

The Bombay High Court has issued a notice to Maharashtra minister Abdul Sattar for ordering 'regularisation' of the possession of land reserved for public 'gairan' (grazing) in favour of a private person in the face of a civil court order. There shall be an interim stay to the effect and operation of the order passed on June 17, 2022 by Sattar until further orders, the HC's Nagpur bench said while issuing the notice on December 22. The details were available on Saturday. The bench was hearing a petition filed by social activist Shyam Deole and another person against the order Sattar had passed in June 2022 when he was the revenue minister. As per the petition, a public utility land meant for grazing measuring 37 acres was 'regularised' in favour of a private person. This was done even after the claim of this private person had been rejected by the civil appellate court, said the petitioner who was represented by advocate Sunil Manohar. The HC held that prima facie (on the face of

Measles tally in Mumbai rises to 514; cases in Maharashtra at 1,162

Mumbai on Saturday reported two measles cases, which took the infection tally to 514, while the death toll stood unchanged at nine, a civic official said. The city also has five suspected cases, where it is yet to be confirmed if measles was the cause of death, he added. Thirty-seven children were admitted in hospitals during the day and an equal number were discharged, a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation release said. Of the 335 beds earmarked for the treatment of the infection, only 114 were occupied, it added. Of the 2,60,739 children in the 9-month to 5-year age group in 78 health posts, 77,827 children have been given additional doses of Measles-Rubella special dose, the release said. Of the 5,293 children in the 6-month to 9-month age segment in 21 health posts, where the number cases in the sub 9-month group is more than 10 per cent of lab confirmed case, 1,940 were administered 'zero dose' of MR vaccine. Meanwhile, the measles tally in Maharashtra was 1,162 as on Friday,

NHRC notice to Maha govt, 8 district collectors over rise in child marriage

The National Human Rights Commission has sent notices to the Maharashtra government and collectors of eight districts in the state's Marathwada region over reported rising instances of child marriage, a senior official said on Friday. The Commission has observed that the contents of the article about the plight of the victims of child marriages, if true, amount to a violation of human rights relating to their life, liberty, dignity, and equality of the poor people, especially the women in the region. The NHRC in a statement said it has taken "suo motu cognisance of a newspaper article highlighting the malpractice of child marriage prevailing in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra due to which a large number of women are forced to lead a miserable life. The article has documented the plight of some child marriage victims in the region". Accordingly, the Commission has issued notices to the chief secretary of Maharashtra and the district collectors of Jalna, Aurangabad, Parbhani, ...

States to conduct mock drills next week to review Covid preparedness

Specific focus on oxygen plants, ventilators, logistics and human resources; aim is to check whether the equipment is in running condition, or needs refurbishment

Maharashtra govt issues notice to wardens of 28 hostels for poor facilities

Wardens of 28 government hostels have been served show cause notices and will face inquiries over various complaints about poor facilities, the Maharashtra government informed the state Legislative Council on Friday. A special squad of the social welfare department had conducted random checks at 54 government hostels in the state, Minister for Social Justice Sanjay Rathod said. Rathod was responding to a Calling Attention Motion moved by Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Manisha Kayande, and BJP MLCs Prasad Lad, Nagorao Ganar and Ramesh Patil. The social welfare department had conducted a 'samvad' programme on July 27 and 28, during which officials themselves stayed in hostels and interacted with students living there, the minister said. Officials found that some wardens were not living in the hostels. Apart from this, some hostels also lacked clean drinking water and hot water, libraries, proper food, cleanliness among a host of other facilities, he said. After some of the complaints we

Maharashtra will pass resolution on border dispute next week: Minister

Maharashtra minister Shamburaj Desai on Friday said the state government will next week bring a resolution on the border dispute with Karnataka, which will be "10 times more effective" than the one passed by the neighbouring state. The Excise Minister said the resolution will be passed by the state legislature on Monday. Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution on the border row with Maharashtra, resolving to protect the state's interests and not to cede an inch of land to its neighbour. The resolution which also condemned the border dispute "created" by Maharashtra and moved by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, was adopted by a voice vote. Talking to reporters at the legislature complex in Nagpur, Desai said, "The state government will bring a detailed resolution on the Maharashtra-Karnataka border issue, which will be 10 times more effective than the one passed by Karnataka. It will be passed in the legislature on Monday." "I only want to say that

Maharashtra to test international passengers for Covid-19; masks advised

The Maharashtra health department on Thursday night said 2 per cent of the international passengers arriving at the state's airports will be tested randomly amid concern of a possible spike in COVID-19 cases due to detection of the BF.7 sub-variant of Omicron which is said to be driving the latest surge in infections in neighbouring China. The state government has not made masks mandatory for people, but has advised their use by elderly persons and high-risk populations, including those with comorbidities (having existing illnesses), the health department said in a statement. A state task force has been formed to guide the government for expert inputs, while district authorities have been asked to review the situation at their own level through existing committees. District administrations and civic bodies have been asked to ramp up testing and every positive RT-PCR swab sample should be sent for genome sequencing to detect any new variant, the health department added. Genomic ...

Mahindra Lifespace acquires over 9 acres of land in Mumbai for Rs 365 crore

Realty firm Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd has completed the acquisition of a 9.24-acre land parcel in Mumbai from Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd for Rs 365 crore. In February this year, Mahindra Lifespace had announced that it would purchase the land in Kandivali, Mumbai from Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd for the development of a housing project. Mahindra & Mahindra is the promoter and holding company of Mahindra Lifespace Developers. The aggregate consideration for this land deal is Rs 365 crore (subject to actual land area survey, deduction of TDS and applicable taxes), to be paid in tranches and interest of 7 per cent per annum payable during the interim period of payment on unpaid principal balance from the sale date. The transaction is at arm's length, it had said. In a regulatory filing on Thursday, Mahindra Lifespace said the "company and M&M Ltd, on Thursday have consummated the said transaction by executing a deed of conveyance for the said property." Mumbai-based ...

BoM raises Rs 880 crore through bonds; issue subscribed more than 4 times

State-owned Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) on Thursday said it has raised Rs 880 crore through Basel III-compliant Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bonds. The issue, including green shoe option of Rs 680 crore, was subscribed more than four times against base size of Rs 200 crore, the bank said in a statement. The fund raised through the AT1 bonds will support the business growth of the bank, it added. The AT1 instrument with a coupon rate of 8.74 per cent is perpetual in nature.