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India.com
21 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
Uddhav Thackerays Saamana Slams Shinde Faction Minister, Demands Dismissal For Marathi Insult
The Shiv Sena(UBT) in a scathing attack against the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena following its Minister Pratap Sarnaik's statement that Hindi has become a dialect or a spoken language in Mumbai, said on Monday that this is "humiliation" to the Marathi language and the minister should be dismissed. Minister Pratap Sarnaik, while addressing an event organised on the occasion of Hindi Patrakarita Diwas in Mumbai on Saturday, said, 'Hindi has become the language of speaking in Mumbai'. He also said that Marathi is his mother tongue, while Hindi is 'ladki bahin' (beloved sister), who helped secure 237 seats in the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha. The statement has been criticised by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). In its hard-hitting editorial in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana', the Thackeray group claimed the Shinde faction, which considers itself the heirs of Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray, has become the pawns of the BJP. 'The BJP people do not leave a single opportunity to weaken Maharashtra, humiliate the Marathi language and the Marathi people. Therefore, the Shinde camp, a dependent of the BJP, is also repeating the BJP's anti-Marathi stance.' 'The ministers concerned should be dismissed for insulting the Marathi language and Maharashtra like this. Did 107 martyrs sacrifice their lives in the Samyukta Maharashtra struggle just to hear that Mumbai's language is not Marathi? But Mumbai and Maharashtra are currently ruled by traders and builders, and our Marathi language is being crushed under their bulldozers," said the editorial. 'When I come to Mira-Bhayander areas, Hindi automatically comes out of my mouth. Because the language of this area is Hindi, and you all vote for me," said the minister of the Marathi state. Does this Marathi fit into the official language policy? The official language of Maharashtra is Marathi, and now Marathi has been made mandatory in the central establishments in Maharashtra as well. This is not a policy for Maharashtra only. Those living in Bengal will have to learn Bengali, those living in Gujarat will have to learn Gujarati, and those living in the North will have to learn Hindi and deal with that language in that state. Being proud of our mother tongue or official language does not mean that we hate other language sisters. As soon as Pratap Sarnaik showered love on Hindi, BJP President Bawankule came to his aid. "Don't forget that we have given Marathi the status of a classical language," he said. Have your ministers been given the licence to insult Marathi by giving this status?" asked the Thackeray camp. "Have you been given permission to accommodate foreigners under the Marathi umbrella? Answer this first. Maharashtra has a population of 11.5 crore, and about nine crore of them speak Marathi. They do business in Marathi. Don't the ministers of the Shinde group know that there is a law that says that Marathi is the only official language of the state of Maharashtra, and everyone living here must know Marathi?" asked the editorial. "Marathi language is the language of Chhatrapati Shivaji, Veer Savarkar, Lokmanya Tilak and the Hindu Hrudaysamrat Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray," said the editorial. A few days ago, a leader of the RSS leader Bhaiyaji Joshi, visited Ghatkopar and mutually declared that the language of Ghatkopar is Gujarati. "When there was an uproar in Mumbai over this, Joshi clarified. Sarnaik and his leaders did not even show that much courtesy," claimed the editorial. "Shiv Sena was formed so that the Marathi people of Mumbai can live with dignity, and the Marathi language remains respected. Shiv Sena has been fighting many Marathi battles for 50 years. The Shinde faction has been working to tarnish Balasaheb Thackeray's struggle for the growth of the Marathi language, which is the language of the farmers of Maharashtra, the working people of Mumbai and the mill workers,' said the editorial. "Someone should tell all these BJP supporters that Marathi pride cannot be bought with corruption and contractors' money. Marathi is the language of every corner of Maharashtra. Ghatkopar and Mira-Bhayander have not been torn apart and thrown out of Maharashtra, and private builders have not made them independent, autonomous states. Maharashtra is and will remain intact. No matter how many raids the BJP conducts and no matter how much the Shinde faction people try to force Mumbai down the throats of the builders, every particle of Marathi soil will erupt like a volcano. The BJP's East India Company (Surat) has already sold Mumbai. The hypocrites, who call themselves the heirs of Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray, will definitely expel Marathi people from Mumbai when they become partners of this East India Company. Saying that the language of Mumbai is not Marathi is just the beginning. Marathi people will have to fight," said the editorial.
United News of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
'Hindi has now become spoken language of Mumbai': Maha minister
West Mumbai, May 31 (UNI) Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik claimed on Saturday that Hindi has now become the spoken language of Mumbai. "We call Marathi our mother tongue. However, Hindi has become the spoken language of Mumbai. I sometimes communicate with people in pure Marathi. However, when I go to Mira-Bhayander, which is my constituency, Hindi automatically comes out of my mouth," he said. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut strongly criticised Sarnaik for his statement, arguing that Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray formed Shiv Sena so that the Marathi people can live with dignity. UNI SP SS
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Sarnaik Changes previous Stand for demanding cancellation of E-Bus Contract; Says Buses Needed in 'Larger Public Interest'
Mumbai: Less than a week after strongly criticising the company for delaying the supply of 5,150 electric buses on lease to MSRTC and demanding the cancellation of the contract, transport minister Pratap Sarnaik made a sudden volte-face on Friday. He informed the media that "the corporation must receive the supply of e-buses as per the revised schedule. " This decision came after a meeting with the wet lease company representatives, additional chief secretary (transport) Sanjay Sethi, and other senior officials on Friday. Sarnaik clarified that he was part of the govt, which continuously strives to provide facilities to passengers. His decision to now direct MSRTC to receive the supply of e-buses as per the revised schedule comes in "the larger interest of passengers who will benefit from these 5,000 plus buses in the long run. " It is learnt that the MSRTC signed a contract with the company to supply 5,150 electric buses on lease, of which 220 were delivered to date. These include both 12-metre and 9-metre long buses. The corporation created a department-wise account system to pay the company from the revenue generated by the electric buses. So far, Rs 60 crore was paid to the company, and the remaining Rs 40 crore is planned to be paid soon, sources said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trending in in 2025: Local network access control [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo Sarnaik told the media that considering the operational losses incurred with the supplied buses, a proposal for Viability Gap Funding (VGF) should be sent to the state govt to secure financial support. "While operating the buses, the corporation is incurring a loss of Rs 12 per kilometre for 12-metre buses and Rs 16 per kilometre for 9-metre buses. As a result, the corporation is expected to bear a loss of Rs 3,191 crore over the next few years," he said, adding that the govt should bear the losses through VGF. A meeting will be held in this connection (regarding losses and VGF) with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Meanwhile, the existing Shivshahi buses operated by the ST Corporation should be gradually reconstructed and converted into Hirkani (semi-luxury) buses, the minister said. "These buses should be painted in the traditional green and white colours, as they were previously," he added.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Adhere to revised timetable: Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik tells consortium supplying e-buses to MSRTC
In a surprising turn of events, Maharashtra Transport Minister and MSRTC Chairman Pratap Sarnaik, who had earlier announced the cancellation of the Rs 10,000-crore electric bus contract with Olectra Greentech and Evey Trans Pvt Ltd, Friday asked the consortium to adhere to a revised supply timetable instead. At a meeting held with company representatives at the Mantralaya, Sarnaik reviewed the progress of the delayed e-bus deliveries and directed that the supply of the remaining electric buses be carried out as per the new timeline. 'The buses must be delivered according to the revised agreement to ensure passengers receive the facilities promised,' Sarnaik said, striking a conciliatory tone in contrast to his earlier hardline stance. In July 2023, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) had awarded the wet lease contract for 5,150 electric buses to Olectra and Evey Trans (Under wet leasing, the lessor provides both the vehicle and the crew). The project was seen as a key step in the state transport body's fleet modernisation drive. However, persistent delays in delivery led to MSRTC issuing seven show-cause notices and imposing penalties worth around Rs 4 crore. In a media briefing after the meeting, Sarnaik confirmed that of the 5,150 buses, just 220 have been delivered so far. These include both 12-metre and 9-metre variants. Despite the poor supply record, the minister did not reiterate his previous announcement regarding the termination of the contract. Instead, he floated the possibility of seeking viability gap funding (VGF) from the state government to offset the high per-kilometre losses being incurred by MSRTC while running these electric buses. According to officials, MSRTC faces a loss of Rs 12 per kilometre for the 12-metre buses and Rs 16 per kilometre for the 9-metre variants, which could add up to Rs 3,191 crore over the next few years. So far, the transport body has paid Rs 60 crore to the supplier company from revenue generated through electric bus operations, and another Rs 40 crore is in the pipeline. 'The completion of this contract depends on whether the state government agrees to bear the operational losses,' Sarnaik said, adding that he would soon hold a meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar to take a final decision. The change in stance has surprised observers, especially given the consortium's poor track record not only with MSRTC but also with Mumbai's BEST undertaking, where similar delays have been reported. While no fresh deadline has been publicly disclosed, Sarnaik's softened approach signals that the government may be willing to work around the delays – provided financial backing is secured and deliveries are ramped up.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
India's ambitious e-bus drive faces component supply constraints, financing hurdles
HighlightsMaharashtra may cancel ₹10,000 crore e-bus order with Olectra due to major delivery delays. E-bus makers face supply shortages for key parts from China and the US. No rival suppliers are ready to fulfil large state orders on short notice. OEMs like Switch are boosting localisation and scaling production to tackle supply issues. India wants to quickly transition to green public transportation and has set itself an ambitious target of deploying 50,000 e-buses by 2027. An overwhelming procurement of 90% of these e-buses is to be done by various state governments instead of private operators. But supply chain issues, specifically for components coming from China, continue to be a roadblock in this ambitious plan. There are other challenges too, including access to financing and infrastructure readiness. Earlier this week, news reports suggested that the Maharashtra government has decided to cancel a large order for supply of e-buses due to inordinate delays in supplies. State transport minister Pratap Sarnaik said as much on X, though he did not name the supplier. The contract was signed between the state government and a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) , which comprises Olectra Greentech and another group company, and it was inked for supply of 5,150 electric buses to the state government in 2023. Reports suggest that less than 250 buses have been delivered till date and the contract had been revised once earlier, with the supply timelines eased. So what went wrong? Supply challenges for chassis and battery components have been severely affecting the manufacturing of electric buses, not just for the Olectra SPV but for much of the e-bus ecosystem in India. Another industry player said he was negotiating with a European company for a partnership to enter the 9 metre electric bus segment in India, while pointing out the continued supply challenges for battery and chassis components besides magnets. 'Everybody is getting affected, all major electric bus OEMs are getting affected. China and the USA - major suppliers of some of the components - have been flexing their muscles but I believe eventually, things will get sorted out,' this person said. We have navigated supply chain challenges through robust planning and favorable geopolitical developments. We rely on trusted partners for important EV components, battery, motors, and power electronics. We closely work and collaborate with partners to manage the Babu Mahesh Babu, CEO Switch Mobility , another electric bus manufacturer with an order book of 2921 units last fiscal (of which 982 had been delivered), said his company has been investing in local battery assembly and in strengthening logistics partnerships to increase localisation and reduce supply chain vagaries. 'We have navigated supply chain challenges through robust planning and favorable geopolitical developments. We rely on trusted partners for important EV components, battery, motors, and power electronics. We closely work and collaborate with partners to manage the challenges. We are also investing in local battery assembly, pursuing long-term contracts with suppliers and strengthening logistics partnerships, with over 65% localization in manufacturing and plans to increase this to 90% aligning with the 'Make in India' vision.' Also read: Karnataka to receive 4,500 electric buses under PM e-Drive scheme Over 90% of e-bus procurement is currently driven by state governments and public transport corporations (STUs), supported by central schemes like FAME-II and new initiatives under PM e-Bus Sewa and PM e-Drive . State governments have no option But even as different e-bus makers are trying to innovate and also address the supply constraints by developing a local vendor base, there really appears to be little the state governments can do to get the e-bus orders in time! While Olectra says it is yet to receive any intimation about the cancellation of the MSRTC order, in a subsequent discussion with analysts, the company's CFO B Sharatchandra did not seem perturbed by the impending cancellation. When asked whether it was fair to assume that if MSRTC were to cancel the order, there were no competing suppliers who could step up and fulfil the order in the timeline decided, he said 'I think you are right. Yes, you can assume. So, obviously, everybody has got capacity constraints and our product, as you rightly said, has got an edge in terms of technology and in terms of performance over the competition. So, we hope, as Hanuman (company secretary) has clarified to earlier queries, we are optimistic that there will not be any negative impact on account of this'. In other words, Olectra SPV's loss is unlikely to be a competitor's gain. The Olectra officials also admitted that delays in procuring powertrain components relating to battery and some of the components relating to chassis have hampered production of e-buses but again alluded to the delays in deliveries of e-buses by the entire industry to drive home the point that supply chain limitations are universal. The MSRTC order was labelled as one the world's largest e-bus procurements and was worth Rs 10,000 crore. The initial agreement for e-bus supply was later amended to reduce the number of buses to be supplied, due to inability of the SPV to meet the targets. At present the contract execution is under process and as per the clarification provided by EVEY they haven't received any such order as of Greentech consortium A consortium of Olectra Greentech Limited and EVEY Trans Private Limited was awarded this contract by the MSRTC for 5,150 Electric Buses and allied Electrical and Civil Infrastructures on Gross Cost Contract (GCC) basis. And that EVEY Trans is executing this contract with MSRTC through the SPV. 'At present the contract execution is under process and as per the clarification provided by EVEY they haven't received any such order as of now.' Meanwhile, in answer to another question, the Olectra CFO admitted that the company's total backlog was 'quite severe. We have orders of, I think more than 4,500 (e-buses)...pending and another 5,000 with MSRT, which we have to deliver in the next, I believe 18 months'. The company plans to ramp up production by deploying robotics in Q4 of FY26. Also read: Electric two wheeler sales cross a million units in FY25 but growth is slowing down Switch to double volumes Babu of Switch mobility said that the company's goal was to double volumes and revenue annually over the next three years, supported by a robust order pipeline exceeding 1,800 electric vehicles, including international orders such as from Mauritius. 'We are scaling up production and expanding our service network with 18 exclusive bus service outlets and 50+ dealer points across India.' Beyond battery and motor supplies, Babu listed out some other challenges being faced by the electric bus OEMs: Charging Infrastructure, customization complexity alongside diverse city requirements, shortage of skilled workforce, and access to financing and infrastructure readiness, especially in tier 2 and 3 cities.
