Kartik Lokhande's blog

* Also asks irrigation development corporations to fix accountability of officials concerned in cases of delay in completion of irrigation projects By Kartik Lokhande  Once bitten, twice shy. Water Resources Department (WRD) appears to be following this principle as far as the works of irrigation projects is concerned. After drawing flak for multi-crore ‘Irrigation Scam’ in the past couple of years, WRD has now asked Chief Engineers to issue ‘no irregularity’ certificate. Deputy Secretary (WRD) S D Kulkarni has issued a communication to this effect to Executive Directors of various irrigation development corporations in the State, on August 7. As per the communication, Chief Engineers of various projects and establishments under irrigation development corporations have to submit a ‘no irregularity certificate’ to Executive Director of respective corporation. The said certificate should make it clear that all the Government norms have been followed while executing the

* The draft will be placed before State Cabinet soon By Kartik Lokhande  The successful scheme for Surrender and Rehabilitation of Naxalites is being revised. A draft of revision in the scheme, paving way for enhanced compensation to surrendered Naxalites, will be placed before State Cabinet soon. Once the revised scheme gets Cabinet nod, it will be implemented. According to the reports reaching here, Home Minister R R Patil on Saturday said that Naxal Surrender and Rehabilitation Scheme had evoked good response in Gadchiroli and Gondia districts of Eastern Vidarbha. With the enhanced compensation, the Government expects increase in number of Naxal surrenders. For the purpose, a provision of Rs 2.41 crore is to be made, Patil said. Apart from motivating the Left Wing Extremists to surrender, the revised scheme will provide a new boost to developmental works in the Naxal-affected parts of Maharashtra, he felt. The revised scheme comprises various provisions including

Friends, even as the debate rages over allowing field trials of GM crops, a group of farmers under the umbrella of National Farmers Empowerment Initiative (NFEI) met Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar and pressed for continuing field trials of GM crops. Here is the text of a press release issued from NFEI. Press Release Delegation meets Prakash Javadekar, submits a memorandum, lauds his ‘Science cannot be stopped’ remark New Delhi, August 8, 2014: Farmer leaders from 10 states on Friday lauded Union Environment Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar’s bold statement that science cannot be stopped and urged him to expedite the field trials of GM crops to ensure farmers prosperity. Farmers from National Farmers Empowerment Initiative (NFEI), an umbrella organization of various farmer organizations from across the country, also submitted a signed petition to Shri Javadekar. “Allow us to take this opportunity to congratulate you for making a bold statement that “Science cann

* Also states in media that MSEDCL functions as per the directions of MERC Staff Reporter A day after Competition Commission of India (CCI) ordered probe against ‘abuse of dominant position’ by Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), the latter has dubbed CCI order as ‘one-sided’. In a brief press release issued by its Deputy Chief Public Relations Officer (Nagpur Urban Circle), MSEDCL accused CCI of ‘not offering any opportunity to MSEDCL to present its side’. “MSEDCL has not been informed officially in this regard,” added the release. Further, it stated that MSEDCL functioned as per the norms prescribed by Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) from time to time. Interestingly, in the brief press note, there is no word about the issue of ‘abuse of dominant position’ and ‘denial of market access to other efficient and economical power generating companies’, the allegations made by Vidarbha Industries Association (VIA) in its p

* In its order issued on Wednesday, CCI has asked its Director General to investigate the role of persons in charge and responsible for alleged conduct of companies By Kartik Lokhande  In a major development, Competition Commission of India (CCI) has directed its Director General to conduct a probe into the alleged ‘abuse of dominant position’ by Maharashtra Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL). Hearing a case filed by Vidarbha Industries Association (VIA), CCI has asked its Director General to complete the investigation within two months. VIA had filed a case with CCI against MSEB Holding Company Limited, Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (Mahagenco), MSEDCL, and Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (Mahatransco). According to R B Goenka, VIA’s Energy Expert, VIA had alleged that these power utilities as a group had abused their dominant position inter alia by deliberately generating and distributing electricity in

* However, this special fund has been restored for this year only * 50% of the fund to be utilised for improving HDI of 125 select tehsils and 45 Class ‘C’ municipal councils * Works related to roads, drainages, gymnasiums, community halls barred from this fund Staff Reporter Here is a good news -- the special fund of Rs 100 crore that was available to statutory development boards previously, has been restored. However, the bad news is -- it has been restored for the financial year 2014-15 only! Further, there are restrictions on how to utilise this special fund. The statutory development boards of Vidarbha, Marathwada, and Rest of Maharashtra used to get special developmental fund of Rs 100 crore previously. Later, the Government had started releasing Rs 100 crore for all three boards. In the year 2011-12, as per the Governor’s directives dated March 10, 2011, the fund was scrapped. Maharashtra Government also chose to cite the Governor’s directives when the development

* Waives restoration charges on water for drinking purposes for local bodies barring municipal corporations * Four of the proposals cleared are from Vidarbha region Staff Reporter In a move that will increase non-irrigation use of water from irrigation projects in Maharashtra and reduce further the availability of water for agricultural purposes, State Cabinet cleared 32 proposals for reservation of water for drinking water purposes. While giving nod to this reservation, the Cabinet also waived restoration charges for local bodies except municipal corporations. State Cabinet cleared 32 proposals seeking allocation of 36.58123 million cubic metres (MCuM) of water for drinking purposes, from irrigation projects. Of these, the highest eight proposals were from Jalgaon district, followed by six from Pune district, three from Kolhapur, two each from Sangli and Latur. A proposal each was from Jalna, Satara, Beed, Thane, Aurangabad, Nashik, and Solapur. Of a total 36.58123 MCuM

* On an average, the irrigated area in the State has declined by 1,50,000 hectares between 2001-02 and 2010-11 * With increase in committed non-irrigation use of water, irrigated area in State likely to come down by 4.20 lakh hectares in future By Kartik Lokhande  Though the Democratic Front (DF) Government has been claiming that the irrigation potential in the State has increased over the years, the Special Inquiry Team (SIT) appointed by it has found that irrigated area in Maharashtra is declining due to growing non-irrigation use of water from irrigation projects. As per the report, the average decline in irrigated area in the State between 2001-02 and 2010-11 is 1,50,000 hectares! As per the official data, an average 26 per cent of water from irrigation projects is being used for non-irrigation purposes. Of five irrigation development corporations (IDCs), non-irrigation use is as high as 70 per cent in Jalgaon-based Tapi IDC. It is followed by Konkan IDC based in

* Former President of India Dr A P J Abdul Kalam’s inspiring speech draws curtains on Golden Jubilee year celebrations of Dr Ambedkar College * Dr Kalam laments that students are in stress as today’s education does not give confidence to them, appeals universities to be powerhouses By Kartik Lokhande  How to inspire one to find self? There could be many suggestions in answer to this question. But, strikingly simple and the most effective way is to ask one to think what he or she will be. This is precisely what an erudite person of a tall stature and equally deep simplicity like Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, former President of India, does. Tuesday was one such occasion, when Nagpurians of different age groups took home the message of discovering themselves. For, Dr Kalam inspired them to think about it. “Everyone has a page in history for him or her. It is for that person to decide what he or she wants to fill that page with. For the purpose, one needs to first identify

* Asks departments to furnish proposals to Planning Department well in advance for better financial discipline Staff Reporter Rushing in with proposals to utilise the available allocation towards the end of a financial year, is a regular feature of the functioning of various Government departments. Taking serious cognisance of this years-old ‘indiscipline’, the State Chief Secretary J S Saharia has asked the departments to effect ‘paradigm shift’ in this style of functioning. Saharia has blasted the departments for not preparing and submitting the proposals in time, and delayed start of processes like tendering, procurement, execution of works etc. Pointing out specifically the adverse impact on implementation of various schemes, Chief Secretary has asked the departments to mend ways. Henceforth, he has asked the departments to prepare and submit proposals for various schemes or procurements to Planning Department well in advance. For instance, if a particular scheme or

* Top GSI scientists from Nagpur are camping in Pune to find out reasons behind the killer landslide By Kartik Lokhande  While a debate is raging whether the killer landslide at village Malin in Pune district was caused by human activities or natural factors, a team of Geological Survey of India (GSI) has found that the main cause was natural. “We are still conducting our inspections of the site but ongoing rescue operations and heavy rains have stopped us from visiting more sites around. But, on the basis of our findings so far, we can say that the main cause behind Malin landslide was natural,” Dr Asimkumar Saha, Deputy Director General (Central Region) of GSI, told ‘The Hitavada’ over telephone from Pune. A team of GSI scientists including two top scientists from Nagpur is camping in Pune to conduct further investigations into the incident. Sharing the findings so far, Dr Saha said that the hill-slope at Malin was steep and soil column also was not very thick. Comb

* In the past 10 years, there has not been a single occasion when the budget estimates of either civic administration or the political leadership have come true By Kartik Lokhande One should dream big, it is said. But, it is also said that one should work pretty hard to turn the dream into reality. As far as Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is concerned, it believes in dreaming big but not in taking steps to realise the big dream. A look at the budget estimates of both – the civic administration and Standing Committee (political leadership) – prove this point. Often, one hears that the budget of NMC is ‘inflated’ or ‘unrealistic’. The budget estimates of civic administration are revised by Standing Committee (political leadership), and there have been intermittent rounds of blame-game between civic administration and political leadership. However, irrespective of claims made by both the sides, the truth remains that not once in past 10 years has NMC been success

* The ‘decisive’ meeting of State-level committee headed by Nagpur Divisional Commissioner held in the city on Friday By Kartik Lokhande  Maharashtra Government is in the process of reorganising Talathi Saza. In the ‘decisive’ meeting held at Divisional Commissionerate here on Friday, a special committee discussed the issues involved and decided to forward a proposal regarding increasing the number of posts of Talathi in the State. The members of the committee made presentations on issues involved. It is learnt that the committee arrived at a decision to increase number of Talathi to over 3,000. Compared to the total number of Talathis today, this will be around 25 per cent increase in number of posts. Of these, around 400-450 may be created in Nagpur Division alone. State Government had appointed a committee headed by Nagpur Divisional Commissioner to look at the issue of reorganisation of Talathi Saza in the State. At present, there are a total of 12,367 Talathi Saza