PM Modi to visit poll-bound Bihar, Bengal today; Maharashtra sees overnight drama
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Time of India
15 minutes ago
- Time of India
Dy CM expresses disappontment over nearly 8,000 workers still being involved in manual scavenging
Pune: Expressing disappointment over nearly 8,000 workers still being involved in manual scavenging, deputy chief minister on Friday said it was against 's stature as a progressive state. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Raising the issue of manual scavenging, BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar expressed concern for workers involved in it. "This is really a socially sensitive issue. Such an inhuman practice is still going on in the state. According to an audit of the central govt, a total of 18 workers died while cleaning septic tanks manually in the state from 2021 to 2024. We call Maharashtra a progressive state, but it is a blot on our state that the practice of manual scavenging is still going on here," Bhatkhalkar said in the assembly. Earlier this month, two workers on contract died because of suffocation after they entered a sewage chamber to clean it manually in Sangamner town in Ahilyanagar district. In 2022, four workers lost their lives similarly in Pune's Wagholi area. The BJP MLA also raised the issue of lack of safety gear of these workers and demanded that the state govt should give a plan of action to stop manual scavenging. Replying to Bhatkhalkar's queries, cabinet minister for social justice Sanjay Shirsat admitted that the state had fallen short of achieving the goal of ending manual scavenging. "It is indeed a serious issue. As per the Supreme Court's directive, the state calls for a report from every local body on scavenging, and many reports mention that manual scavenging is not practised in their jurisdiction. A recent survey revealed that over 7,500 workers are still involved in manual scavenging," Shirsat said. Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, present for the discussion, expressed disappointment over the issue. He said, "On one hand, we are speaking about India aiming to become the third-largest economy in the world, but on the other, nearly 8,000 workers in our state are still carrying out manual scavenging. It is against Maharashtra's progressive stature. On behalf of the state govt, I assure you that we will plan a time-bound programme to end manual scavenging. " Shirsat told the assembly that the state had made a provision of Rs405 crore to purchase robotic machinery to replace manual scavenging work.
Time of India
31 minutes ago
- Time of India
UP releases Rs 600cr as electricity subsidy for private tubewells
Lucknow: The state govt has released a sum of Rs 600 crore as an electricity subsidy for private tubewells in the state. This is the second tranche of subsidy months after an allocation of Rs 2400 crore was made for the purpose in the state budget by the Yogi Adityanath govt. In a communique sent to the state agriculture department, the energy department said that the grant of subsidy is being done as part of the measure to boost productivity by "provisioning" proper electricity supply to the tube wells. The state energy department would provide the subsidy to agriculture as per the need. The released amount would not be kept in the banks or post office. This is seen as an explicit instruction intended to prevent fund diversion or delays, ensuring that the benefits reach the ground swiftly, a senior official said. He said that by ensuring consistent and affordable power supply for irrigation through private tubewells, the govt aims to support farmers during critical cultivation seasons, particularly in the ongoing Kharif season. The move, experts said, reflects a strategic alignment of the state's energy and agriculture policies. Politically, the decision carries significant weight ahead of the panchayat elections due next year. Experts said that the step strengthens the ruling BJP pro-farmer image and may help consolidate rural voter support base. At the same time, for long-term impact, the govt may also need to complement such subsidies with investments in sustainable water use, solar-powered irrigation, and modernization of power infrastructure. Data from the UP Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) shows that the state has nearly 15 lakh tubewells with a total connected load of around 75 lakh KW. This is over 12% of the total power load in the state. The subsidy, officials said, will directly impact around 1.5 lakh farmers. The electricity subsidy to the farmers was one of the key poll promises made by the Yogi govt during the 2022 assembly elections. Lucknow: The state govt has released a sum of Rs 600 crore as an electricity subsidy for private tubewells in the state. This is the second tranche of subsidy months after an allocation of Rs 2400 crore was made for the purpose in the state budget by the Yogi Adityanath govt. In a communique sent to the state agriculture department, the energy department said that the grant of subsidy is being done as part of the measure to boost productivity by "provisioning" proper electricity supply to the tube wells. The state energy department would provide the subsidy to agriculture as per the need. The released amount would not be kept in the banks or post office. This is seen as an explicit instruction intended to prevent fund diversion or delays, ensuring that the benefits reach the ground swiftly, a senior official said. He said that by ensuring consistent and affordable power supply for irrigation through private tubewells, the govt aims to support farmers during critical cultivation seasons, particularly in the ongoing Kharif season. The move, experts said, reflects a strategic alignment of the state's energy and agriculture policies. Politically, the decision carries significant weight ahead of the panchayat elections due next year. Experts said that the step strengthens the ruling BJP pro-farmer image and may help consolidate rural voter support base. At the same time, for long-term impact, the govt may also need to complement such subsidies with investments in sustainable water use, solar-powered irrigation, and modernization of power infrastructure. Data from the UP Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) shows that the state has nearly 15 lakh tubewells with a total connected load of around 75 lakh KW. This is over 12% of the total power load in the state. The subsidy, officials said, will directly impact around 1.5 lakh farmers. The electricity subsidy to the farmers was one of the key poll promises made by the Yogi govt during the 2022 assembly elections.
India Today
31 minutes ago
- India Today
50 calls from Fadnavis, no reply: Eknath Shinde rips into Uddhav for ditching BJP
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday hit out at Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, accusing him of betraying his ally Devendra Fadnavis in to the opposition's Last Week Motion in the legislative council, Shinde said, without naming Thackeray, that Fadnavis made "40-50 calls" after the alliance of the undivided Shiv Sena and BJP retained its majority in the 2019 assembly there was no response (from Thackeray) to the BJP leader's calls, said Shinde. "Maharashtra has never seen a chameleon changing colours so fast. He went with those whom he once considered lowly," Shinde said in an apparent reference to Thackeray joining hands with the Congress after severing the alliance with the was because of his (Shinde's) request that Fadnavis had agreed to cede the post of Mumbai's mayor to the Shiv Sena in 2017 after the Sena won 84 seats and the BJP 82 in the civic polls, Shinde said."But he (Thackeray) betrayed Fadnavis in 2019 (by walking out of the alliance)," Shinde also claimed that while he and rebel Sena MLAs supporting him were camping in Guwahati in 2022 after rebelling against Thackeray, the latter approached him for reconciliation, and at the same time told the BJP leadership in Delhi not to support the rebel said the Thackeray government had announced starting a music school in the name of Lata Mageshkar after the singing legend's when the Mangeshkar family awarded the first Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Thackeray got so upset that he decided against starting the music school, Shinde he became chief minister in 2022, he started the music school, Shinde Shinde's reminder of Thackeray 'betraying' Fadnavis and the BJP in 2019 came a day after the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief met the Maharashtra Chief Minister.A day earlier, Fadnavis, in a tongue-in-cheek remark in the House, had asked Thackeray to come over to the ruling side.- EndsMust Watch
