Kartik Lokhande's blog

NEWS ANALYSIS By Kartik Lokhande  Thursday, the first day of auspicious festivities of Navratri, proved to be unauspicious as far as two major political alliances in Maharashtra were concerned. While Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena bid farewell to each other after a long association for 25 years, the present-day ruling allies Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also said ‘au revoir’ to each other after 15 years. As per the statements made by leaders of national parties BJP and Congress, the alliances had to be broken mainly because of adamance of regional parties Shiv Sena and NCP respectively over seat-sharing formula. However, there appears to be a pattern in the breaking of long-term alliances. The snapping of ties is aimed more at drubbing the regional parties Shiv Sena and NCP, by national parties BJP and Congress. There are a variety of reasons behind this. Of course, these reasons are not stated directly. As far as BJP-Sena alliance is conc

Dear Friends,  The visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping aroused much enthusiasm in India. His meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi resulted in signing of 12 bilateral agreements/MoUs between India and China. Here is a brief on the MoUs, as released by Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India on September 18, 2014:- Ministry of External Affairs, India List of Documents signed during the State Visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to India September 18, 2014 List of Documents signed during the State Visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to India S.No Name of Agreement/MoU Indian Signatory Chinese Signatory Remarks 1. Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of External Affairs of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China on Opening a New Route for Indian Pilgrimage (Kailash Mansarovar Yatra) to the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic

Exactly 10 years ago, in Andhra Pradesh, they came out in the open responding to the offer of talks. Obviously, as was their intention, talks failed. For, their main agenda was to utilise the opportunity to regroup and emerge into what was soon termed as ‘the biggest internal security threat’ by none other than the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. Since September 21, 2004, the country has seen emergence of Communist Party of India (Maoist) as the most violent internal security menace. ‘The Hitavada’ Chief Reporter Kartik Lokhande takes a look at 10 years of internal security scenario vis-a-vis Maoist threat and how the Government and various sections of the society responded to it. “There is no doubt that armed struggle is the principal form of struggle in people’s war. But people’s war doesn’t mean fighting using guns alone. This is a form which would come to the fore depending on the level of consciousness of the people and the response of the state. We consid

Staff Reporter While the tangle over the ‘Mahayuti’ of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena, and other parties continues in Maharashtra ahead of Legislative Assembly polls, the leaders of BJP and Shiv Sena in Nagpur district want the 25-years-long alliance to remain intact. Soon after winning the elections to the posts of Zilla Parishad (ZP) President and Vice-President, the leaders of BJP and Shiv Sena from rural areas of the district felt that the alliance between the two parties always helped each other. They strongly advocated resolution of ‘whatever disputes’ between BJP and Shiv Sena, so that the ruling Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) could be dethroned from State Government. Krupal Tumane, Shiv Sena MP from Ramtek, told reporters that ‘Mahayuti’ should continue in State. “The pattern of co-operation adopted by workers of BJP and Shiv Sena in Nagpur Zilla Parishad, is ideal. We just hope that all the senior leaders of both the parties pay heed to

* BJP-Sena alliance snaps ties with NCP, attracts new allies in BSP and RPI By Kartik Lokhande As expected, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena alliance retained Nagpur Zilla Parishad (ZP). In the election held on Sunday, Nisha Sawarkar, BJP member from Chirwha-Dhanla circle in Mouda tehsil, polled 32 votes and got elected to the post of ZP President. Sharad Donekar, Shiv Sena member from Kanhan circle in Parseoni tehsil, also polled equal number of votes and became the new Vice-President. The elections to the posts of ZP chief and deputy were held in the shadow of Legislative Assembly elections scheduled next month. Against this backdrop, there were speculations if the erstwhile ruling coalition comprising BJP, Shiv Sena, Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP), and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) would continue. In 58-member ZP house, BJP has 21 members, Congress has 19, Shiv Sena-- eight, NCP-- seven, and GGP, Republican Party of India (RPI), and Bahujan Samaj Party

* Of these, 1869 are pending with Regional Forensic Science Laboratories at Nagpur and Amravati By Kartik Lokhande  As many as 10,256 cases are pending for forensic analysis in various Regional Forensic Science Laboratories at Nagpur, Amravati, Pune, Aurangabad, and Nashik and Forensic Science Laboratory in Mumbai. Of these, as many as 1,869 are pending with Regional Forensic Science Laboratories at Nagpur and Amravati. Forensic laboratories are helpful for investigating machinery in cases requiring DNA test, physical examination of evidence, viscera analysis, psychological examination, and cases involving ballistics and cyber issues. Besides, the cops also require help from forensic laboratories in cases of Trauma and Self Injury (TASI). However, owing to a variety of reasons including vacancies, number of cases were pending with these laboratories. Earlier this month, Bombay High Court had expressed concern over pendency of thousands of cases with forensic laboratories

Staff Reporter The district administration has asked the officials of Co-operation Department to remove hurdles in return of money to thousands of depositors of 11 beleaguered co-operative societies in Nagpur district. An amount of Rs 64,87,83,000 of 65,969 depositors is blocked in these co-operative societies. These 11 co-operative societies include Chaitanyawadi Urban Credit Co-operative Society Limited, Yuva Chaitanya Urban Credit Co-operative Society Limited, Kalamna Market Urban Credit Co-operative Society Limited, Bhavani Mata Urban Credit Co-operative Society Limited, Lokjivan Urban Credit Co-operative Society Limited, Chhatrapati Urban Credit Co-operative Society Limited, Sharda Urban Credit Co-operative Society Limited, The Everest Urban Credit Co-operative Society Limited, Shubham Urban Credit Co-operative Society Limited, Savata Sahakari Pratyay Sanstha Maryadit, and Nagmitra Urban Credit Co-operative Society Limited. The societies have a total of 65,969 dep

* On the first day of his two-day visit to the city, French Consul General Jean-Raphaël Peytregnet and Trade Commissioner Matthieu Leffort meet VIA * To meet city Mayor Pravin Datke and VED office-bearers, and visit MIHAN on Friday By Kartik Lokhande  Slowly but surely Nagpur is gaining prominence as an emerging destination for investment and is attracting more attention of other countries. On Thursday, beginning his two-day visit to the Orange City, French Consul General Jean-Raphaël Peytregnet said that France was exploring ‘co-operation’ in making Nagpur one of the smart cities as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After his interaction with Vidarbha Industries Association (VIA) office-bearers, the French Consul General Jean-Raphaël Peytregnet and Trade Commissioner Matthieu Leffort interacted with media at Hotel Radisson Blu on Thursday evening and threw light on the potential sectors of investment. “We have expertise in making smart cities. France

By Kartik Lokhande Insolent makers of idols, ignorant buyers, or lethargic Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), who should be blamed for the recurring menace of idols of deities made of Plaster of Paris (PoP)? Every year, NMC makes a sheepish appeal to devotees not to buy idols made of PoP. It also appeals vendors and makers not to sell or make PoP idols. However, PoP idols flood the markets ahead of Ganeshotsav and Navratri in a boldly disrespectful manner. Everyone -- makers, vendors, buyers, officials, NGOs, activists -- agrees that PoP idols should not be used as those pollute the water bodies in which they are immersed at the end of festivities. However, everyone has equally nonchalant attitude to the serious issue. As a result, the day next to immersion of idols, some groups are seen moving in a suspicious manner near the water bodies. They bring out ‘immersed’ idols of deities from water bodies, stock those on the embankments, engage children to ‘rob’ the idols

01-09-14 * Besides, as many as 639 schools have dysfunctional toilets with more than half of them in Yavatmal district alone By Kartik Lokhande  Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement and appeal to construct toilets for girl students in every school has attracted lot of appreciation. For, it IS the issue in many schools. As far as Vidarbha region is concerned, official data reveals that 685 schools do not have toilets at all and in 639 other schools toilets are dysfunctional for want of proper maintenance. Of the total 685 schools that do not have toilets, as many as 421 are schools that do not have toilets for girls. More shocking is the fact that of these 421 schools that do not have toilets for girl students, more than half – 223 – are in Naxal-affected and tribal-dominated Gadchiroli district alone! As far as schools with dysfunctional toilets are concerned, 444 are such that girls toilets are dysfunctional there. Thus, of 639 schools lacking toil

* In its revised draft pattern, as many as 564 posts from Vidarbha region have been termed ‘excess’ By Kartik Lokhande  Uncertainty stares in the face of several officials and employees working in Government dairies and related establishments as Dairy Development Department has revised its draft pattern and has decided to surrender as many as 4,445 posts. From Vidarbha region alone, as many as 564 posts have been termed ‘excess’. This is the third time in past 11 years that the sanctioned number of posts has been scaled down, said sources in the department. Prior to the year 2003, Dairy Development Department had a sanctioned strength of 13,501 posts and 70 posts of Co-operation Department attached to it. Following a review of requirement of staff after closure of some units, handling of milk at Government Dairies and cooling centres, the department had arrived at a conclusion in 2003 that 4,920 posts were ‘extra’. Since then, in 2006, more 109 posts were termed as ‘exc

  By Kartik Lokhande  Even a well-intentioned measure may draw a flak if field-level staff is not serious about its implementation. This, precisely, appears to be happening in Maharashtra as far as implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) is concerned. Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government had launched the flagship programme MGNREGS with much fanfare. Congress-led Maharashtra Government also had adopted it with great enthusiasm. However, as it stands today, Maharashtra Government has been not been able to provide jobs to all those moving a demand under the assured employment scheme. As a result, it is supposed to pay ‘unemployment allowance’ of Rs 98,72,552. Besides, it has failed in making payments to labourers in time, for which it has to pay compensation of a whopping Rs 4,66,48,538. Of the total amount of ‘unemployment allowance’ payable across the State, an amount of Rs 27,54,798 is payable in Vi