Kartik Lokhande's blog

Staff Reporter After almost negligible procurement in past five years, Maharashtra State Co-operative Cotton Growers Marketing Federation (MSCCGMF or Cotton Federation) procured a handsome 650 quintals of cotton on the very first day of procurement this time. Cotton Federation started procurement for the season 2014-15 on Saturday at 27 centres across the State. With the cotton prices at a five-year low in international market, and the Government not starting procurement centres, farmers were forced to sell cotton at a price below the Minimum Support Price (MSP) in open market. For past few years, cotton-growers were getting good price in open market and it was more than the MSP declared by Central Government. They were happy. However, this time, with crashing of cotton prices, farmers had their only hope in procurement at MSP at Government centres. In Maharashtra, the Government started procurement through MSCCGMF from Saturday. Published in The Hitavada CityLine ...

* Suspicious seniors, internal rift in CPI (Maoist), and his love falling to bullets in encounter, left Gopi frustrated By Kartik Lokhande  After his 12-year stint as a Maoist, participation in violent activities, living life in the shadow of fear, and losing his love to the armed conflict, Gopi realised that being a part of Communist Party of India (Maoist) led him nowhere. Once the realisation dawned upon him, Gopi took an important decision of his life -- to surrender in favour of mainstream of development. Gopi A native of Korchi tehsil in Gadchiroli district, Gopi alias Nirangsay Madavi joined the then Naxalite movement in 2002. Starting as a Dalam Member, Gopi climbed his way up to the position of Dalam Commander. Considering his ‘performance’ in execution of violent activities and orders given, he was inducted as a Member of Divisional Committee. While rising in the Maoist organisation, he got acquainted with Shamko alias Shanta Korcha, a native of Todsap...

* Maximum 154 such cases are in Chandrapur district followed by 33 in Nagpur and 26 in Gondia * Government begins process of ‘rectification’ and starts restoring ownership of the land to original tribal owner or next to his/her kin By Kartik Lokhande  Though the legal provisions bar transfer of land owned by a tribal to non-tribal, several such transfers have taken place in Maharashtra. As far as six districts of Nagpur Division are concerned, such transfers have taken place in 214 cases without obtaining proper permission from the State Government. After a long gap, now, the Government has started the process of ‘rectification’ in this regard. Many tribals and non-tribals as well as Government officials concerned did not know about the provisions dating back to 1974. As a result, there are many cases in which tribals have ‘sold’ their land to non-tribals, said sources in the administration. Owing to ignorance, there are cases in which registry of such ‘sale deeds’ ha...

* VIDC pleads before Governor the case for release of Rs 1,244 crore for these works * Demands formulation of policy for private purchase of land for projects By Kartik Lokhande Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) has sought revised administrative approvals (RAA) to as many as 73 irrigation projects in Vidarbha region. The total balance cost of these proposals is a whopping Rs 1,244 crore. Apart from this, there are several other proposals that were kept pending by the erstwhile Congress-NCP led Democratic Front (DF) Government. According to officials of VIDC, the proposals have been submitted to the State Government. Though the actual cost of individual projects is quite higher, the proposals for revised administrative approvals have been prepared for remaining works only. Also, only the amount of difference between the original approved cost and additional funds required due to escalation of cost of materials etc has been sought. Still, this amount of RAA...

* Governor urged to return to Vidarbha funds diverted to other regions  Staff Reporter The issue of ‘vast regional imbalance’ in selection of candidates for Government job,s pointed out by retired Chairman of Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) Sudhir Thakre had created quite a flutter. On Friday, a city-based activist Nitin Ronghe submitted a memorandum to Ch Vidyasagar Rao, Governor of Maharashtra, about injustice meted out to Vidarbha region on Government jobs and other counts. Rather than addressing the issues of other backlog sectors, Ronghe stressed upon two main points -- regional imbalance in selection of candidates through MPSC, and diversion of Maharashtra Mineral Developmental Fund share meant for Vidarbha to other parts of Maharashtra. “I requested the Governor to get complete data of such amount diverted, and also to ensure that this amount is returned to Vidarbha in his next directives,” Ronghe told ‘The Hitavada’. According to him, the Governo...

* Chief Minister asks officials of Urban Developmment Department to expedite decision-making on various proposals * Asks officials to clear the issue of amalgamation of plots in unauthorised layouts, and also make public plan for development of Nagpur Metropolitan Region * Various proposals of NMC need Rs 1,172 crore Staff Reporter Continuing with his commitment to the development of Nagpur city, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called a meeting of officers of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) on Friday at Mumbai. After taking stock of the progress of various projects and requirement of funds, Fadnavis asked the officials concerned to effect necessary changes in the proposals. With the growth of Nagpur city, several new developmental issues have come up for NMC and NIT. Several issues needed resolution and proposals were submitted to Maharashtra Government. Chief Minister called a meeting in Mumbai to take stock of the proposals. Pravin...

* Ch Vidyasagar Rao emphasises on strict implementation of PESA rules * Asks officials to expedite developmental works, and MIHAN project * Also takes stock of the problems relating to hurdles in irrigation development in Vidarbha and implementation of Forest Rights Act Staff Reporter Ch Vidyasagar Rao, Governor of Maharashtra, who is on his maiden visit of Vidarbha, held a meeting of senior officers in the region and took stock of the progress of MIHAN and irrigation projects, implementation of Forest Rights Act (FRA). While reviewing irrigation development in the region, he also lambasted the officials for keeping the zudpi jungle issue unresolved for years together as that resulted in stalling of development of forest-rich areas like Gadchiroli. On the last day of his four-day tour of Vidarbha, Ch Vidyasagar Rao chaired a meeting of senior officers at Raj Bhavan here on Friday morning. The officers present in the meeting apprised the Governor about various issues perta...

By Kartik Lokhande The recent visit of Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to India and forging of ‘defence co-operation’ between both the countries; and docking in of Chinese submarine allowed by Sri Lanka may appear to be unrelated developments to layman. However, both are related and the second one is rather an indication of Chinese appreciation of India’s systematic attempt to counter the Chinese influence in the form of ‘String of Pearls’ around India. Going by the flurry of foreign visits and emphasis on forging of ties with strategically, economically, and geopolitically important nations, it is evident that India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has confidently begun its systematic attempt to counter Chinese ‘String of Pearls’. Inking of pacts between Vietnam and India during the visit of Vietnamese Prime Minister, is one important part of Modi Government’s efforts to regain the lost ground of influence in its neighbourhood. One of the agreements signed ...

* Thousands of people thronged the streets and still more continued pouring in to get a glimpse of Devendra Fadnavis on his maiden arrival after taking over as Chief Minister * Rangolis of BJP symbol of Lotus, aarti, shower of flower petals, slogans in praise, sea of Nagpurians, and spilling over enthusiasm and joy welcome Fadnavis By Kartik Lokhande  Sunday, the November 2, 2014, will be recorded in the history of Nagpur in golden letters. For, on this day, a sea of Nagpurians welcomed the first Chief Minister of Maharashtra from the city in a never-seen-before manner. For, how much the city loves the man called Devendra Fadnavis, was seen on every street in the form of colourful rangolis, gantries, hoardings, banners, posters, shower of flower petals, slogans, joy, respect, and awe. For, entire Orange City had become one persona with only one mood -- celebration. On his maiden arrival in his home-town after taking over as the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ele...

  The Hitavada Impact By Kartik Lokhande  Taking cognisance of report in ‘The Hitavada’ and follow-up taken by city-based organisation Cyber Awareness Organisation, website administrator Webgarden has removed the fraudulent website in the name of Maharashtra Forest Department. Now, there is no content and logo of Maharashtra Forest Department on the web address http://mhforest.evenweb.com . ‘The Hitavada’ had exposed the fraudulent website through a news report published in CityLine on October 25. The fraudulent website had been launched with the URL http://mhforest.evenweb.com . It displayed logo of Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. Rest of the screen invited applications for 1,240 posts of ‘Field Officers’ in Maharashtra Forest Department. It offered a salary of Rs 18,500 during training and Rs 22,500 later on. Surprisingly, the fake website stated that there would be ‘no examination or interview’ for the recruitment. More surprising...