Maharashtra Government

Obviously, some are unhappy: Ajit Pawar on Maharashtra portfolio allocation

Acknowledging the high number of ministers and the restrictions in assigning portfolios to each of them, Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said on Sunday that some members are obviously not happy. A day after portfolios were allocated by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Pawar said the work on pending projects would begin soon. The NCP chief led a road show in his constituency, Baramati, and attended felicitation programmes. "As the number of ministers is high, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had to give each minister a portfolio. Obviously, some are happy and some are not," Pawar said at an event. He pointed out that the state Cabinet includes only six ministers of state, while the rest 36 are cabinet ministers. Pawar, who retained the Finance ministry, said he would take charge of the office on Monday. The Deputy CM further said the work on multiple projects had to be stopped temporarily after the model code of conduct kicked in for the November 20 Maharashtra assembly ...

SC asks HC, Maharashtra govt to ensure accused appear before trial courts

The Supreme Court has asked the Bombay High Court and the Maharashtra government to evolve a mechanism to ensure that accused are produced before trial judges either physically or virtually on every date so that the trial is not prolonged. The apex court, while dealing with an appeal challenging the Bombay High Court order denying bail to an accused, said a "sorry state of affairs" was being depicted as the trial proceedings in the case was being prolonged due to non-production of appellant before the trial judge either physically or virtually. A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan was informed that this was not a solitary case but in many cases, such a difficulty arises. "We, therefore, direct the registrar general of the high court of judicature at Bombay, secretary, Home, state of Maharashtra and secretary, Law and Justice, state of Maharashtra to sit together and evolve a mechanism to ensure that the accused are produced before the trial judge either physically or ..

Maha portfolios: Fadnavis keeps home, Shinde gets urban development

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday allocated portfolios to his council of ministers, retaining the crucial Home department with him. Fadnavis will also handle Energy, Law and Judiciary, General Administration Department and Information and Publicity departments, an official statement said here. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has been allocated Urban Development, Housing and Public Works Department (public enterprises). Ajit Pawar, another deputy CM, got Finance and Planning, State Excise. The portfolios were allocated after the weeklong winter session of the state Legislature ended here earlier in the day. As many as 39 ministers had been sworn in on December 15, before the start of the session, while Fadnavis and his two deputies had taken the oath of office on December 5. The Mahayuti alliance of the BJP, NCP and Shiv Sena swept the November 20 assembly elections, winning 230 of 288 seats. Portfolios allocated to BJP ministers are -- Chandrashekhar

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

Fadnavis' allegation on Bharat Jodo Yatra shows Centre's failure: Aaditya

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Friday claimed Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's allegation made in the context of the Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra showed the Centre's failure in not knowing about terrorists operating in the country. Fadnavis had on Thursday alleged that some organisations, which were declared as the frontal organisations of urban Naxals by the Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra and the Manmohan Singh government at the Centre, participated in the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Talking to reporters on the Vidhan Bhavan premises, Thackeray said the attack on the Congress's office in Mumbai came about after Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remark on Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha (BJYM) workers on Thursday vandalised a Congress office in Mumbai, claiming the grand old party had always insulted Ambedkar. A massive political row erupted on Wednesday after the Congress and other opposition parties launched an all-out attack on S

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

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

Bhujbal hits out at Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel for ignoring senior leaders

Overlooked for a berth in the new Mahayuti ministry, NCP heavyweight Chhagan Bhujbal on Tuesday openly criticised party chief and Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and other leaders, including Praful Patel, for "sidelining" senior members and taking decisions without consultation. Speaking to reporters in Nashik, his home district in north Maharashtra, Bhujbal said he met his supporters to explain his omission from the Devendra Fadnavis-led cabinet which was expanded on December 15 in Nagpur with the induction of 39 members. The 77-year-old MLA from Yeola in Nashik district, who was a cabinet member in the previous Mahayuti government, did not find a place in the new ministry. "People are still confused. I got elected by my people and I need to tell them the reasons behind my omission from the cabinet. I explained everything to them. They told me they will stand firmly behind me and requested me not to leave the assembly. I assured them that I will not abandon them," Bhujbal said. .

NCP workers hit streets against Bhujbal's exclusion from Maha Cabinet

Supporters of NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal in Pune staged protests on Tuesday over his exclusion from the Maharashtra cabinet alleging insult to OBCs. An agitation was also held outside the bungalow of Deputy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar in Baramati. Former ministers Bhujbal and Dilip Walse Patil of the NCP and Sudhir Mungantiwar and Vijaykumar Gavit of the BJP were among the prominent leaders who didn't make it to the state cabinet expanded on Sunday. "Despite being the senior-most leader in NCP, Bhujbal was denied a cabinet berth which is an insult to the OBC community. If you had decided to allot cabinet posts to the senior leaders, then why did the same parameter not apply to Bhujbal?" asked one of the protesters who participated in a demonstration outside the district collectorate in Pune. NCP workers wore black clothes and slammed Ajit Pawar. A protester demanded Ajit Pawar make an announcement assigning the deputy chief minister's post to Bhujbal after 2.5 years. Another prot

Upset about exclusion from Maha cabinet; will decide future course: Bhujbal

Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Monday expressed his disappointment at not being included in the new Mahayuti government and said he would decide his future course after talking to people from his constituency. Thirty-nine legislators from Mahayuti allies, the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, were sworn in on Sunday in the first cabinet expansion of the Devendra Fadnavis-led government. Ten former ministers were dropped from the cabinet, and 16 new faces have been introduced. Former ministers Bhujbal and Dilip Walse Patil of NCP and Mungantiwar and Vijaykumar Gavit of BJP were some of the prominent leaders excluded from the new cabinet. Talking to reporters, Bhujbal said he was upset at not being included in the new cabinet. Asked about his future course, the legislator from the Yeola constituency in Nashik district said, "Let me see. Let me think it over. I will talk to my constituency and discuss with the Samata Parishad.' After the cabinet expansion on

Maharashtra govt tables supplementary demands for Ladki Bahin scheme

The Maharashtra government on Monday tabled supplementary demands of Rs 33,788.40 crore, with a provision of Rs 1,400 crore for the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme. Minister Uday Samant tabled these supplementary demands, which are additional funds sought by the government over the budgetary allocations. In the last budget, the state government announced Rs 46,000 crore annually to provide a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 to eligible women in the age group of 21 to 60 years under the Ladki Bahin scheme. More than 2.5 crore women have received the monthly instalments. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier said that the increase in the monthly instalments from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,100 will be budgeted and implemented. Similarly, a provision of Rs 36 crore has been made for a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot Fort in Malvan taluka of Sindhudurg district. Earlier this year, a 35-foot statue of the Maratha warrior king collapsed at the fort on August 26, just mont

Three-time Shiv Sena MLA denied cabinet berth, resigned from party post

MLA Narendra Bhondekar is excluded from the recent cabinet expansion. He also failed to meet party leaders like Eknath Shinde, Uday Samant, and Shrikant Shinde before the cabinet berth allocations

Opposition stages protest against using EVM on Vidhan Bhawan steps

Opposition members staged a demonstration on the steps of the Maharashtra Vidhan Bhawan here on Monday and raised slogans against the use of EVMs in elections. The protest was held on the opening day of the winter session of the state legislature in Nagpur. Leader of opposition in the state legislative council Ambadas Danve led the demonstration of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders, who called for "saving" the Constitution and democracy and opposed the use of EVMs. They raised slogans like "EVM Hatao Desh Bachao", "EVM Hatao Constitution Bachao" and "EVM Hatao Democracy Bachao". Danve was joined by Congress legislators Vijay Wadettiwar, Nitin Raut, Bhai Jagtap and Vikas Thakre, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Bhaskar Jadhav, Varun Desai and Sachin Ahir, and NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad. Talking to reporters, Danve claimed the Electronic Voting Machines were "dangerous" for democracy and that people were opposing the use of EVMs in elections. "We think the EVMs should be remov

Mahayuti allies to do 'performance audit' of ministers, says Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said the Mahayuti allies have agreed to conduct a "performance audit" of ministers during their tenure. While Fadnavis has not mentioned any timeline, Deputy CM and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde said the ministers of his party will get two-and-a-half years and those who perform will progress. Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar said "non-performers" can be replaced in two-and-a-half-months also. Fadnavis along with his deputies addressed a press conference on Sunday in Nagpur where 39 legislators of Mahayuti took oath as ministers as part of the cabinet expansion, ahead of the winter session of the state legislature set to begin on Monday. The BJP secured 19 ministerial berths by virtue of being the largest party among allies. The Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) were allotted 11 and 9 berths, respectively. While 33 legislators were sworn in as cabinet ministers, six took oath as ..

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Left out in Cabinet expansion will get a chance later, says Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday said the ruling Mahayuti will also give a chance to other legislators, who have not found a place in the current ministry, during this government's tenure. "We will give an opportunity to others also for two-and-a-half years," NCP leader Pawar said addressing a gathering of his party workers in Nagpur before the cabinet expansion. Everybody wants to become a minister and deserves an opportunity, but the ministerial berths are limited, he pointed out. The 10-day-old BJP-led Mahayuti alliance ministry in Maharashtra was expanded here on Sunday, with 39 ministers being sworn in, taking its strength to 42. In the expansion, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) got 19 ministerial berths, followed by 11 to Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and 9 for Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Among the prominent leaders left out of the ministry include NCP's Chhagan Bhujbal and Dilip Walse Patil and BJP's Sudhir Mungantiwar. While 33 ...

India fastest growing economy under PM; Maha to be its backbone: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said India has become the fastest-growing economy in the world under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi which he said encompasses speed, transparency and inclusivity. Addressing the World Hindu Economic Forum here, Fadnavis said "Modi's Hindu growth rate model" will show a new direction to the world while it becomes the fastest-growing economy. Hindu rate of growth points to India's slow economic growth between the 1950s and 1980s. Maharashtra too aspires to be a part of this growth story and be a trillion dollar economy by 2028, he said. Besides pushing for infrastructure growth, Fadnavis said, the government is working in the field of green energy and water conservation in the state. He called technology inclusive and said it plays an important role in development. Fadnavis said PM Modi believes in sustainable development and has worked towards cultural and social progress apart from focussing on economics. He .

BEST bus crash: CM Fadanvis announces Rs 5 lakhs ex-gratia to deceased kin

Death toll in the Kurla rose to 7 on Tuesday and the number of injured people increases to 49, according to Fire Department officials

Mumbai's infrastructure revamp takes centre stage as new govt takes charge

BJP-led govt has pledged to develop a metro network of 1,000 km across different cities of state

BJP's Rahul Narwekar elected unopposed as speaker of Maharashtra Assembly

BJP MLA Rahul Narwekar was on Monday elected unopposed as the speaker of the 15th Maharashtra legislative assembly. Narwekar filed his nomination papers on Sunday and was elected unopposed as the opposition alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) decided not to put up a contest. The BJP leader, who was the speaker in the 14th assembly for two and a half years, was re-elected from the Colaba assembly seat in Mumbai in the November 20 assembly elections. The speaker's election will be followed by a floor test to prove the new government's strength. Governor CP Radhakrishnan will then address the joint session of both Houses of the state legislature. During his tenure as Maharashtra assembly speaker, Narwekar had ruled that the party led by Eknath Shinde was the legitimate and real Shiv Sena after a split in the Bal Thackeray-founded party. He also held that the faction under Ajit Pawar was the real Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which was founded by Sharad Pawar. In the recently conclu