Page 2 - Maharashtra Government

Maharashtra govt forms SIT to probe 'delayed' birth, death certificates

The Maharashtra government has set up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the issuance of birth and death certificates on "delayed" applications in an attempt to check the rise in Bangladeshi immigrants, an official said on Saturday. The SIT led by Inspector General Datta Karale will probe the issuance of birth and death certificates on delayed applications, the official from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) told PTI. Delayed applications are those that are made at least a year after the birth or death of a person. The issue of Bangladeshis entering India and residing in the country illegally has gained prominence after the police arrested Shariful Islam Shehzad Mohammad Rohilla Amin Fakir, a 30-year-old Bangladeshi national, for the knife attack on actor Saif Ali Khan in Mumbai. Confirming the development, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule told PTI that the probe will cover certificates that were already issued and applications received. The government's decision

SC pulls up Maha govt for not allocating funds for solid waste management

Irked over non-implementation of rules, the Supreme Court on Friday pulled up the Maharashtra government for failing to allocate funds for solid waste treatment plants in the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation and said the state was duty-bound to protect the environment. A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan expressed strong disapproval of Maharashtra's previous stand that there were no funds available for essential projects. It directed the state to submit a detailed affidavit specifying the time the funds would be released and the number of civic bodies in Maharashtra complying with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. The affidavit would be filed by February 21. On January 15, the bench was dissatisfied over the stand of the Urban Development Department of Mumbai claiming they lacked funds for the plants and asked the principal secretary to appear through video-conferencing and explain the stand before it on January 24. "A very strange stand has been taken

Blackstone to invest $11 bn in Maharashtra to develop infra, data centers

Blackstone signed three agreements with the Maharashtra govt at the World Economic Forum in Davos. It plans to develop office complexes, hotels, malls, and warehouses in the Mumbai 3.0 region

Reliance to invest Rs 3.05 trillion in Maharashtra, creating 300k jobs

The Maharashtra government signed over 50 MoUs with prominent companies at the ongoing World Economic Forum, including the Tata Group, Ceat, Essar Renewables, and Bharat Forge

Irregularities found in crop insurance scheme: Maharashtra agri minister

Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate has admitted irregularities in the implementation of the Re 1 crop insurance scheme for farmers, noting places of worship were shown as agricultural lands to claim benefits. More than four lakh crop insurance applications, some filed even by those residing outside Maharashtra, have been rejected, Kokate on Tuesday said, adding a "bogus industry" has come to light which involves non-eligible people seeking benefits of the scheme. The minister, however, asserted that no money has been actually lost as funds were not transferred by the government into the bank accounts linked to bogus applications. Speaking to the media here, Kokate said instances of malpractice in the scheme have been identified in several aspects, including cases where mosques, temples and vacant lands were falsely declared as agricultural lands to claim benefits. "I have instructed district collectors to take immediate action," he said. The crop insurance scheme was

Maharashtra CM Fadnavis orders to make forts encroachment-free by May 31

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a crackdown on encroachments at forts across the state, aiming to remove illegal structures by May 31, an official said on Tuesday. The district collectors have been asked to prepare fort-wise lists of encroachments by January 31, the official said. The chief minister has said that to ensure a systematic approach, district-level committees under the chairmanship of collectors will be formed, and these will oversee the phased removal of encroachments from February 1 to May 31. He said the government will also set up vigilance committees to prevent future encroachments. "Public demand for decisive action had been growing, and the government has responded accordingly," Fadnavis said. Maharashtra is home to 47 forts that are centrally protected, 62 state-protected, and approximately 300 unprotected forts. The initiative aims to preserve the historical and aesthetic significance of these cultural landmarks. On Monday, the state

Mahayuti's appointment of guardian ministers shows rift in alliance: Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Monday alleged that the Mahayuti government's handling of the appointment of guardian minister was a sign of internal discord in the alliance. The state government on Saturday announced guardian ministers for 36 districts of the state, but a day later, issued an order to stay the appointments for Nashik and Raigad. NCP's Aditi Tatkare was appointed as the guardian minister for Raigad, while BJP leader Girish Mahajan was given the responsibility of Nashik. Talking to reporters, Raut said, "The government is failing to manage its internal conflicts. (Deputy Chief Minister) Eknath Shinde's anger over the allocation of guardian ministers is clear, and his authority is being questioned." The Rajya Sabha MP was reacting to reports of Eknath Shinde's dissatisfaction over the appointments for Raigad and Nashik. He also hinted that state Industries Minister and Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant might be groomed as a possible replacement for Shinde. Accordi

National Startup Day: Fadnavis inks MoU with SIDBI to create 100 cr fund

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India) to establish a Rs 100 crore fund."We have signed an MOU with SIDBI. Earlier, funds which were managed at Mumbai. Now, a 30 crore fund will be available at every divisional centre," he said.He was speaking at the National Startup Day program under the Department of Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship & Innovation organised by Maharashtra State Innovation Society in Mumbai.The event was themed 'Empowering Innovation, Elevating Maharashtra'. The event saw participation from 1,000 start-ups in technology, agriculture, service industries, pharmaceuticals, and tourism from across the nation.He further said that more than 300 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and startups, who have successfully created their space in the defence manufacturing sector, were created by the Maharashtra government."In Maharashtra, we were ...

Maharashtra to establish Innovation City similar to GIFT City: CM Fadnavis

He added that the state is planning to finalise a new startup policy in the next two months, which would be opened to the public for consultation and comments

Form panel to consider phasing out petrol, diesel vehicles: HC to Maha govt

The Bombay High Court has directed the Maharashtra government to form a panel to explore the feasibility of phasing out diesel and petrol vehicles, saying automobiles choking Mumbai's roads are a major contributor to the city's worsening air quality. A division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Girish Kulkarni directed the government to form a committee of experts and civil administrators within a fortnight to consider whether it will be feasible to phase out diesel- and petrol-based vehicles from Mumbai's roads and permit only those running on CNG or electricity. The order was passed on a public interest litigation that the HC had taken up on its own in 2023 over the city's poor Air Quality Index (AQI). The court had heard the matter on January 9. In its detailed order made available on Wednesday, the bench said vehicular pollution was a major contributor to worsening air quality in the city. The roads in Mumbai Metropolitan Region are choked with vehicles and dens

INDIA bloc disintegrating as it doesn't have ideology: BJP's Bawankule

Maharashtra Minister and state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Monday claimed the INDIA bloc was disintegrating as it has no ideology and policy for the nation's development. Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Bawankule said the INDIA bloc was broken and scattered, and in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena (UBT) was against the Congress. "The INDIA bloc doesn't have any policy for the nation's development. They came together for power, and now, without power, all leaders of the alliance have scattered away. And in Maharashtra as well, you can see Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar are against the Congress because they don't have an ideology," he said. The state revenue minister said the Mahayuti alliance of the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP has an ideology and progressive vision and will always remain united. Bawankule said the final decision about assigning guardian ministers would be taken by January 15-16, and the chief minister and deputy chief ministers convened two

Sharad Pawar discusses Beed, Parbhani situation with CM Devendra Fadnavis

NCP (SP) head Sharad Pawar has said he has spoken to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on efforts to normalise the social tension gripping Beed and Parbhani after the murder of a sarpanch and death of a Dalit youth in judicial custody. United efforts are required to restore normalcy and resolve issues in Beed and Parbhani, Pawar said on Saturday. The brutal murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, on December 9 has triggered a slugfest between the ruling and opposition parties as one of the persons held in a related extortion case is a close associate of state minister Dhananjay Munde. The incident has led to widespread protests in the state and also given rise to fears of a caste conflict since Deshmukh was a Maratha and some of those held hail from the Vanjari community. Somnath Suryavanshi, who was arrested following violence in Parbhani on December 10 after a replica of the Constitution was vandalised, died on December 15 after h

No one has to worry, says Maharashtra Health Minister Abitkar on HMPV

Our health department is working efficiently in this matter, no one has to worry, Prakash Abitkar said

Beed sarpanch murder: Leaders demand Dhananjay Munde's removal from cabinet

A delegation of leaders on Monday met Maharashtra governor C P Radhakrishnan and demanded the removal of Minister Dhananjay Munde from the state cabinet, to ensure a fair probe into the murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. Leaders, including BJP MLA Suresh Dhas, submitted a memorandum to the governor at Raj Bhavan, urging him to take decisive action to uphold the rule of law and public confidence in the justice system. Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9, apparently because he tried to thwart an attempt to extort money from an energy firm operating a windmill project. Police have so far arrested seven persons in connection with the murder case. Walmik Karad, an associate of Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde, has been arrested in the extortion case. The leaders have demanded Munde's resignation, a murder case against Karad, strict action against negligent police officials, and measures to

Munde shouldn't hold portfolio until chargesheet filed, says BJP MLA

BJP MLA Suresh Dhas on Friday said NCP leader Dhananjay Munde should remain in the Maharashtra cabinet as a minister without portfolio till a chargesheet is filed in the murder case of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. The opposition parties have been demanding that Munde, whose close associate Walmik Karad has been arrested in an extortion case related to the murder, be removed from the cabinet. However, Munde, who holds the food and civil supplies portfolio, on Thursday clarified that there would be no influence from his side as a minister in the probe into these cases. Addressing a press conference in Beed, Dhas questioned the inclusion of some members in the special investigation team (SIT) probing the murder and extortion cases. "There is a member who was transferred from Gadchiroli by one of the accused, Walmik Karad. This person should not show devotion to his 'master'. Some people have connections with him (Karad). I have no objection to senior officials, but I have issues with ..

Savitribai Phule Jayanti 2025: Know everything about Women's Education Day

Every year on January 3, people celebrate Savitribai Phule Jayanti. In honour of her great work towards women's education, the day is observed as Women's Education Day

PM Modi lauds Maha govt's efforts for development in Maoist-affected areas

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday lauded the Maharashtra government's efforts to ensure all-round development in the state's remote and Maoist-affected areas. The prime minister's comments came a day after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited Gadchiroli, a district affected by left wing extremism, and asserted that the dominance of Naxalites in remote areas of the district was ending. A number of Naxal cadres laid down their arms during his visit, with Fadnavis also unveiling several development initiatives. Modi said on X, "I laud the Maharashtra Government's efforts to ensure all-round development in remote and Maoist-affected areas. This will certainly boost 'Ease of Living' and pave the way for even more progress. A special congratulations to my sisters and brothers of Gadchiroli and the surrounding areas!" He was responding to a post by Fadnavis on his government's efforts to eliminate the violent movement from the region.

Sarpanch murder: Dhananjay, Pankaja should resign, says activist Damania

Social activist Anjali Damania has demanded that Maharashtra ministers Pankaja Munde and Dhananjay Munde resign till a probe is underway into the brutal murder of a village sarpanch in Beed district. Talking to a news channel on Monday, Damania claimed that Munde cousins very well know Walmik Karad, an accused in an extortion case linked to the sarpanch's murder. BJP leader Pankaja Munde is the state environment and climate change minister, while her cousin Dhananjay Munde, a leader of the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), holds charge of the food, civil supplies and consumer protection department. According to police, Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh was abducted and killed on December 9 allegedly for opposing an extortion bid by some individuals who had demanded money from a windmill company in Beed district. Four persons have been arrested so far in connection with the murder. Opposition parties and a BJP MLA have accused Dhananjay Munde of having clos

CM Fadnavis asks transport department to use AI for road safety measures

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has asked the state transport department officials to increase the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in order to minimise road accidents. Fadnavis also directed them to enforce policies for scrapping all vehicles above 15 years of age, a release issued by the Chief Minister's Office on Monday said. The Maharashtra government has signed an agreement with Google, it said, adding the CM asked the transport department to increase the use of AI to strengthen the sector's security and sustainability, using the agreement. The CM reviewed the next 100-day action plans for the transport, ports and the state airport authority departments in a meeting at the Sahyadri guest house. He emphasised the need for scrapping all vehicles older than 15 years, both public and private. As per the release, more than 13,000 outdated government vehicles will be scrapped, and the state transport corporation's buses older than 15 years will be replaced or ...

Bhujbal's exclusion from Maharashtra cabinet NCP's issue: Shiv Sena leader

Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Bharat Gogawale has said Chhagan Bhujbal's exclusion from the cabinet is an internal issue of the NCP and not of the ruling Mahayuti coalition. It is the discretion of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to pick ministers, like the allies Shiv Sena and BJP, Gogawale told reporters on Sunday. "Others can't comment on this issue. The exclusion of Bhujbal from the council of ministers is the issue of the NCP and not of the Mahayuti coalition," he said. Bhujbal has blamed NCP president and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for not inducting him in the expanded cabinet of the BJP-led government. The former minister claimed CM Devendra Fadnavis had favoured his induction into the state cabinet. A total of 39 legislators took oath as ministers on December 15, including 33 as cabinet ministers and the rest as ministers of state.