Latest news with #Samant
Hans India
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Link voter list with Aadhaar to ensure transparent polls: Shiv Sena urges ECI
New Delhi: Ahead of the local self-government elections, a Shiv Sena delegation on Tuesday urged the Election Commission of India to link the voter list with Aadhaar numbers to ensure greater transparency and credibility in the election process. The delegation also demanded a thorough scrutiny of the voter lists to identify and remove Bangladeshi nationals. The delegation, comprising Industries Minister Uday Samant, Tourism Minister Shambhuraj Desai, MP Milind Deora, and former MP Rahul Shewale, met with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Commissioner Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, and Commissioner Vivek Joshi in New Delhi. Regarding transparency in the election process, Minister Samant said discussions were held about the feasibility of linking the voter list with Aadhaar. He further emphasised the need for voter list verification, especially in metropolitan areas like Mumbai, where Bangladeshi nationals are reportedly residing in large numbers. Names of such individuals, if found in the voter list, should be removed, the Shiv Sena demanded. Minister Samant stated that the ECI has initiated a commendable effort by holding discussions with delegations from national and regional parties. Under the guidance of Shiv Sena leader and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the party's delegation presented its views to the Commission. He reiterated Shiv Sena's support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'One Nation, One Election' (ONOE) initiative and conveyed the party's official stance to the Commission. Earlier, Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde said that besides reducing expenditure, the ONOE will foster national unity by synchronising the election process. "The initiative is expected to bring down enormous election-related costs and avoid the policy paralysis that occurs when various elections overlap. By holding simultaneous elections, the nation can focus on its long-term goals of economic and social development, ensuring that governance remains effective throughout elected terms," he added. Shinde claimed that ONOE will be "a game-changer for the country's democratic structure, ensuring that governance is not compromised due to frequent elections". It will enhance the quality of decision-making and provide much-needed political stability, he said. Meanwhile, Minister Samant refuted reports that the delegation's visit was related to the ongoing Supreme Court hearing regarding the party's bow and arrow symbol.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Maharashtra to implement fee waiver for orphaned children, halts admissions in Ayurvedic and Physiotherapy Colleges
MUMBAI: Maharashtra's Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Meghna Bordikar-Sakore, said on Thursday that the decision to waive educational fees and charges for orphaned children over the land of the differently-abled people will be implemented immediately. The Minister replied to a half-hour debate in the Assembly under Rule 94. The Samajwadi Party legislator Rais Sheikh had moved a motion for half-hour discussion on the reservation for orphans in government jobs. Minister Bordikar-Sakore said that a new standard operating procedure will be made for the effective implementation of the child care scheme. She also added that the same benefits will be provided to the eligible beneficiary children. Meanwhile, State Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif, on Thursday, gave orders to immediately stop the admission process in Ayurvedic College, Physiotherapy College and Homeopathy College run by Prakash Chandra Jain Multipurpose Institute, Jamner, in reply to a half-hour debate presented in the Assembly under Rule 94. Member Vijay Shivtare had moved the motion for half-hour discussion regarding the functioning of Prakash Chandra Jain Multipurpose Institution in Jamner. Minister Mushrif said that the issues raised by the Assembly members regarding the functioning of this institution are serious. "Keeping in mind the interests of the students admitted in the college of this institution, an inquiry will be conducted within seven days through the Health University regarding the irregularities in the Ayurvedic, Physiotherapy and Homeopathy colleges of this institution and a hearing will be held in the matter. Also, an inquiry will be conducted at the government level through the Commissioner and Director of Medical Education. After this inquiry, criminal cases will be registered against those found guilty," he added. State Industry Minister Uday Samant announced in the Assembly that the state government will take a positive decision regarding the 'freehold' of the plots transferred from the Pimpri Chinchwad New Town Development Authority to the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority and the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. He was replying to a calling attention motion moved by member Mahesh Landge. Minister Samant said that the state government has approved the freehold of the plots given on lease by City and Industrial Development Corporation and Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority as per the decision dated October 11, 2024. On the same lines, the proposal to freehold the residential plots transferred to Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation was sent to the Finance Department with the Cabinet's comments. The Finance Department has raised some technical issues. The process of resubmitting the proposal after taking the feedback of the Revenue and Forest Department as well as the Law and Justice Department is currently underway. Necessary information has been sought from the Municipal Corporation, Minister Samant added. Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Mithi desilting scam probe to cover silt removal since 2006
Mumbai: The scope of the investigation into the Mithi river desilting scam will be expanded. While earlier the Special Investigation Team (SIT) was looking at irregularities for only three years, it will now examine the quantum of silt removed from 2006 onwards, said industries minister Uday Samant in the legislative council on Thursday. "It will reveal how remote control duped Mumbai," said Samant. The issue was raised again through a calling attention motion by BJP MLC Prasad Lad, who first brought up the issue leading to the setting up of the SIT. Highlighting the seriousness of the matter, Lad demanded that the investigation into this scam be extended right from 2012, adding the scam may be worth over Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 crore. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai Samant said for three years the SIT examined 3.4 lakh photographs and could see only dumpers but no silt. He further said the norms for dumping silt were changed in 2012. "Till 2012, the silt would go to the Deonar dumping ground where even today it is possible to know how much has been dumped since 1930. In 2012, the norms allowed dumping on private sites. Since 2006, Rs 331.73 crore have been spent on the Mithi River desilting work. We have currently checked expenditure from the year 2019 to 2024. The period from 2006 is still to be probed and it will be done," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab objected to the issue being repeatedly raised in the House. "Probe all, investigate everyone. But do not be lenient on those who come for your mercy. There should be equal justice to all," said Parab, pointing out that many leaders who were part of the BMC standing committee and passed the tenders were now with the ruling alliance. Bhai Jagtap of Congress said that the MCOCA should also be applied to the arrested contractors and engineers of the BMC. Reading out the names of the accused, Samant said Jai Joshi was out on bail while the mastermind Ketan Kadam, who owns nightclubs and other properties, is in judicial custody. "Ketan Kadam has a partner called Santino Morea. We want to assure the people of Mumbai, no guilty individual will be left out in the open. We will ensure that SIT will expose how 'remote control' duped Mumbai," said Samant.
NDTV
17-07-2025
- NDTV
To Curb Cow Slaughter, Maharashtra May Use Anti-Organised Crime Law
Mumbai: Maharashtra Minister of State for Home, Yogesh Kadam, in the state Assembly on Thursday announced that the government will launch a special campaign to ban cow slaughter in unauthorised slaughterhouses across the state. 'Cow slaughter will not be tolerated anywhere in the state. The government will take strict action in this regard. In the case of cow slaughter in unauthorised slaughterhouses in the state, action will be taken by launching a special campaign against the,' he said in his reply to a calling attention moved by member Sanjay Upadhyay regarding the ban on cow slaughter. Stating that the law will be amended to take strict action against repeat offenders of cow slaughter, Minister Kadam said that the current law will be amended to increase the punishment for repeat offenders of cow slaughter to 10 years and increase the fine. 'Such offenders will be verified to take action under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act. Cow guards or some NGOs report cow slaughter cases to the police on their own. In such cases, action will be taken by the police. There will be coordination between NGOs, cow guards and the police. Also, action will be taken after verifying the issuance of identity cards to cow guards,' he said. 'Cowsheds are run in the state through the Animal Husbandry Department. In this, old non-milking cows and street animals are kept. The government will help with this. In Badlapur (West), the police have arrested one accused in the case. Two other accused are being searched. Action will be taken against the hotel in Wani city of Yavatmal district, where beef was found. The license of the hotel will be cancelled as per the requirement,' he said. Meanwhile, Industry Minister Uday Samant announced that a high-level committee will be formed for the sustainable development of Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation, and the overall development of this city will be carried out. He was responding to a calling attention motion moved by member Rais Sheikh regarding development work in the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation area. Minister Samant said that through this high-level committee, a comprehensive plan for the development of Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation will be prepared, and accordingly, development works will be carried out in this city on a fast track. The project of 8,468 houses approved in Bhiwandi city was cancelled as its deadline was about to expire. Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, a planning proposal will be sent to the central government in the next three months to start the second phase on time. Also, the work of the first phase of the metro is underway in Bhiwandi, and a technical inspection will be done to decide whether the second phase will be underground or above ground, said Minister Samant.
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Minister says Maharashtra govt never made Hindi mandatory
Mumbai: On the controversy on imposition of Hindi in primary schools, industries minister Uday Samant claimed the Mahayuti govt never issued an order to make Hindi a mandatory third language. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He said it was optional and that the govt scrapped the govt resolution to prevent any misunderstandings. "The Mashelkar Committee report recommended Hindi as compulsory language from Grades 1 to 12 and the MVA govt accepted it in Feb 2022," Samant said. "The MVA is objecting to it now because BMC elections are around the corner. We are clear that we will not tolerate any insult to Marathi," said Samant. He said the Mahayuti govt was planning to set up a museum for Marathi literature and a Vishwa Marathi Sammelan for the youth. He also said that the state would fund and provide infrastructure for the promotion of Marathi in villages on the border. In order to promote Marathi, the state would set up Brihan Maharashtra Mandals in 74 countries, he said.
