Maharashtra

Maha farmers to drive second green revolution with green energy: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Tuesday that adopting green energy will allow farmers in the state to lead the second green revolution soon. He said solar-powered villages are being developed across the state to ensure electricity is available to farmers during the daytime. "Adoption of green energy will pave the way for Maharashtra's farmers to lead the second green revolution in the near future," the chief minister said. Fadnavis inaugurated projects at Umbratha in Washim district and Narangwadi in Dharashiv district under the Chief Minister's Solar Agriculture Feeder Project 2.0 via video conferencing. He said the Solar Agriculture Feeder Scheme would provide farmers with sustainable and free electricity during the day. Currently, 16,000 MW of electricity is supplied to agriculturists in Maharashtra. Fadnavis said the initiative to shift all feeders (a power line that transmits electricity from a substation or generating station to distribution points) to s

Transfer of Rs 1,500 aid under Ladki Bahin scheme resumes in Maharashtra

The disbursement of monthly instalments to beneficiaries of the Maharashtra government's Ladki Bahin scheme resumed from Tuesday after a break due to the model code of conduct, state minister Aditi Tatkare said. The instalments will be disbursed in phases, the women and child development minister said. The state assembly elections were held last month, due to which the model code was in place till the completion of the poll process. The Mukhyamanti Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, launched earlier this year to provide a monthly assistance of Rs 1,500 to eligible women, is believed to have contributed to the BJP-led Mahayuti's victory in the state assembly polls. Talking to PTI, Tatkare said there are 2.34 crore beneficiaries under the scheme as of now. "The direct benefit transfer (DBT) of the instalment has begun from today. Rs 1,500 will be transferred and after four days we will get to know how many beneficiaries were given the amount. The number of beneficiaries will increase as per

Switzerland-based TIL to invest Rs 20,000 crore in Vadhvan Port project

Terminal Investment Limited Sarl (TIL) invests in, develops, and manages container terminals across the globe

Filmmaker Shyam Benegal passes away at 90 after prolonged illness

He breathed his last at 6.30 pm at Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai

Rahul to meet family of deceased Suryawnashi in Maharashtra's Parbhani

The Maharashtra Police are making efforts to strengthen the security arrangements ahead of Gandhi's visit

Sharad Pawar urges Maharashtra CM to address Beed, Parbhani cases

: NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar on Sunday had a telephonic conversation with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis about the murder of a sarpanch in Beed and the death of a man following violence in Parbhani. Pawar on Saturday visited the families of Santosh Deshmukh, the slain sarpanch, and Somnath Suryawanshi, who allegedly died in judicial custody after his arrest in connection with the violence in Parbhani. The NCP (SP) chief attended the Bhimthadi Jatra at the College of Agriculture in the city on Sunday. While at the event, he called the chief minister, urging him to take note of the Beed and Parbhani cases. Fadnavis on Friday announced judicial probes into the Parbhani violence and the sarpanch's murder and financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh each to the kin of Deshmukh and Suryawanshi. Talking to reporters here, Pawar said, "I had a word with the chief minister about the places I visited yesterday. I told him that the situation was serious and asked him to take not

Fadnavis presents blueprint for comprehensive development of Maharashtra

Additionally, a blueprint for a developed, balanced, and comprehensive Maharashtra was outlined, informed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

News updates: GST Council has deferred decisions on tax rates on food delivery platforms, says FM

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CAG report highlights manpower shortage across Maha's health institutions

The shortage of manpower at every level of healthcare institutions under the Maharashtra Health Department and over overburdening of infrastructure are the main concerns flagged by the CAG in its audit report. The Comptroller and Auditor General noted that providing adequate and quality healthcare services to a large population requires a robust healthcare infrastructure and services. This performance audit report for 2023-2024 was tabled in the legislative assembly on Saturday. The shortage of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff was 22 per cent, 35 per cent and 29 per cent, respectively in primary and secondary healthcare under the state Health Department. The shortage of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff was 23 per cent, 19 per cent and 16 per cent respectively in primary and secondary healthcare for women hospitals. The shortage is 42 per cent in the cadre of the specialist doctors. The CAG stated that the overall shortage of doctors, nurses, and paramedics in the Health

Portfolio allocation can happen today or tomorrow: Maharashtra CM

Maharashtra Minister Bharat Gogawale on Saturday said that the allocation of portfolios in the Mahayuti government is expected during the day. The Winter Session of the state assembly, which began on December 16, will conclude on Saturday. Talking to reporters here, Gogawale said, "The allocation of portfolios is expected today. Leaders of all three alliance partners met on Friday, and we had a breakfast meeting with the chief minister this morning." Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar were sworn in on December 5, and 39 ministers were inducted ahead of the Winter Session on December 15 at Raj Bhavan in Nagpur. However, portfolio allocation in the Mahayuti government is yet to take place. The Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party, secured a landslide victory in the November 20 assembly polls by winning 230 out of 288 seats. The Shiv Sena leader asserted that there was no difference of opinion among Mahayu

Two Naxalites with cumulative bounty of Rs 8 lakh surrender in Gadchiroli

Two Naxalites carrying a cumulative bounty of Rs 8 lakh surrendered before the security forces in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district, police said on Saturday. Ramasu Poyam alias Narsingh (55), a resident of Gadchiroli, and Ramesh Kunjam alias Govind (25), a native of Narayanpur in neighbouring Chhattisgarh, surrendered before the Gadchiroli police and the Central Reserve Police Force on Friday, police stated in a release. Poyam, who carried a bounty of Rs 6 lakh, was recruited as a member of the Tipagadh LOS in 1992 and served as the area committee member (ACM) in Kutul and Nelnar LOS since 2010, it said. According to the police, Poyam has 12 cases to his name, including six encounters, five murders and an offence of dacoity. Kunjam, who had a Rs 2 lakh bounty, joined as a militia member in 2019. He was recruited as a member of the Chetna Natya Manch (CNM) in 2020 and became a member of the Kutul LOS in 2021, they said. The duo has surrendered due to the Gadchiroli police's aggress

Detention centre to be built in Mumbai for illegal B'deshis: CM Fadnavis

Earlier Thane police's anti-human trafficking cell arrested a Bangladeshi couple living illegally in Kalyan

Orders placed for machines to bore undersea tunnel for bullet train: Govt

The orders for three tunnel boring machines to carry out about 21 km under sea tunneling for the Bullet Train project have been placed, the government informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply on Friday while updating the status of infrastructure projects in Maharashtra. Construction works on the flagship high speed bullet train project have gathered momentum in Maharashtra. Now 100% land acquisition has been completed. Works of bridges, aqueducts etc. have been taken up, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. Meanwhile, all preparatory works required for the working of TBMs (tunnel boring machines) such as construction of shafts etc. have also been taken up, he added. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut wanted to know whether the government has reduced funding for new railway lines in Maharashtra in recent years, the critical rail projects which have been delayed due to reduction in funding and the steps taken by the government to mitigate potential delays in railway projects to ensu

Mumbai boat accident: Naval driver lost control during trials, say police

The driver of the Naval craft, which rammed into a ferry off the Mumbai coast, lost control over the vessel during its engine trials, leading to the fatal crash mid-sea, an injured Navy staffer has told the police, an official said on Friday. The police, probing the accident, recorded the statement of the injured Navy staffer, who was on the speeding craft, which collided with the ferry 'Neel Kamal' on way to the Elephanta Island, a popular tourist destination, from the Gateway of India on late Wednesday afternoon. Fourteen persons, including four on the Naval speedboat, were killed in the collision which caused the ferry carrying more than 100 passengers to sink in the Arabian Sea. A team from the Colaba Police Station, which is investigating the case, recorded the statement of the injured Navy staffer, Karmaveer Yadav, who is undergoing treatment at a hospital, said the official. According to Yadav, the Naval craft was undergoing engine trials in the sea when the driver lost ...

Craft-ferry crash: Death toll rises to 14; Navy orders Board of Inquiry

The Navy said Search and Rescue (SAR) efforts had continued through the night of December 18 - 19 in the vicinity of the accident. Two persons from the ferry are still reported to be missing

BJP's Shinde files nomination for Maha's Legislative Council Chairperson

Bharatiya Janata Party's Member of Legislative Council in Maharashtra, Ram Shinde on Wednesday filed his nomination for the election of the Council's Chairperson.The election for the Chairperson's post is scheduled to be held on December 19.The MLC filed his nomination in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Ministers Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Chandrakant Dada Patil, Uday Samant and Jaykumar Rawal were present at Vidhan Bhavan, Nagpur.The official account of the Maharashtra CM posted about the nomination on X, and showed the leaders present congratulating Shinde on the nomination."I sincerely thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Home Minister of the country, Amit Shah, the National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party, J P Nadda Ji, the Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, BJP State President Chandrashekhar Bawankule as well as all the leaders of NDA and ...

Inquiry will be done, action taken: Uday Samant on Mumbai boat accident

Indian Navy and Coast Guard are continuing search and rescue operations for missing persons

MSRTC to add 3,500 new buses to its fleet in 2025, reduce wait time

The Maharashtra State Road and Transport Corporation will induct 3,500 new buses in its dwindling fleet in 2025 and check issues like breakdown of vehicles and long wait time for passengers, an official said. Addressing a press conference in Nagpur on Wednesday, MSRTC Chairman Bharat Gogawale said they have decided to purchase 2,200 buses for their own fleet, besides hiring 1,300 buses on lease. "These 3,500 buses will begin joining the fleet in January, alleviating issues such as buses breaking down on road or passengers having to wait for long periods," Gogawale said. Currently, the state-run transport body's fleet is facing a significant shortage as the number of its buses has come down to 14,000 from 18,000 before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2018, he said. Gogawale said due to the pandemic and other factors, the MSRTC was not able to purchase new buses in recent years. Hence, the shortage made it difficult for the corporation to provide additional bus services to meet the growing

Mumbai boat accident: CM Fadnavis announces ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Navy explained that the collision occurred when an Indian Navy craft lost control during engine trials in Mumbai Harbour due to an engine malfunction

Expecting 20% recovery or Rs 6,000 cr dues under GST amnesty: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday said the government expected a recovery of 20 per cent of the outstanding tax or Rs 6,000 crore from the dues under an amnesty scheme related to state GST demands. The amnesty scheme, introduced on November 1, is expected to receive 1.14 lakh applications for the waiver of penalty and interest accumulated from 2017-18 to 2019-20, he said. "The scheme will be in force till March 31, 2025, for the recovery of the outstanding Rs 54,000 crore, including Rs 27,000 crore towards the disputed tax and the rest in penalty and accumulated interest," Pawar said in the legislative assembly. He said the state government expects to recover 20 per cent of the outstanding tax or Rs 6,000 crore. Pawar said businessmen and industries participating in the amnesty scheme would benefit Rs 6,000 crore. "The scheme offers a waiver in penalty and interest on the outstanding tax amount," he added. Pawar said the GST Department sent out 80,000 let