Kartik Lokhande's blog

* State also mulling over Skill Development Scheme of its own * Sudhir Mungantiwar, Finance and Planning Minister, reviews draft annual plans of six districts in Nagpur Division By Kartik Lokhande  Soon, Maharashtra Government will have its own scheme covering rural roads on the lines of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). The scheme, which is being referred to as ‘Mukhyamantri Gram Sadak Yojana’ or Chief Minister’s Rural Roads Scheme, will cover village roads and other district roads.  Sudhir Mungantiwar Sudhir Mungantiwar, Finance and Planning Minister, disclosed this in a meeting held at Divisional Commissionerate here on Wednesday. The meeting was called to review draft annual plans of Nagpur, Wardha, Bhandara, Gondia, Chandrapur, and Gadchiroli districts in Nagpur Division. During separate discussions with Collectors of respective districts, Mungantiwar asked the officials of departments concerned to move proposals for rural roads under the propos...

* This also includes survey and defining of boundary of 213.76 kms of private acquired forest By Kartik Lokhande  Encroachments and legal disputes have prompted Forest Department to take up the exercise of survey, demarcation, and verification of physical boundaries of forest areas in Maharashtra. For the current financial year, Revenue and Forests Department has also released grant for the purpose. Already, till the year 2013-14, reconciliation of forest area in Maharashtra has been done. There are three main Public Forestry Institutions in Maharashtra -- State Forest Department, Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM), and Directorate of Social Forestry (SFD). State Forest Department is entrusted with the role of conservation and development of the State’s forests spread over about 20 per cent of its geographical area. As per the latest Government Resolution (GR) issued by Virendra Tiwari, Chief Conservator of Forests (Mantralaya), Revenue and Forests ...

* Chief Minister Devendra Fadvavis gives nine ministers responsibility as Guardian Ministers of 11 districts in Vidarbha region * These include seven BJP ministers, and two belonging to Shiv Sena By Kartik Lokhande  Keeping his word again, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis appointed Guardian Ministers of 36 districts in Maharashtra within a couple of days of prorogation of winter session of State Legislature. As per the list released on Friday, Energy Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has been appointed as Guardian Minister of Nagpur district. Bawankule represents Kamptee constituency in Nagpur district, and has got elected as MLA for the third consecutive term. Recently, he was inducted into the Fadnavis Cabinet as Energy Minister considering his expertise in the matters related to energy sector. During his tenure as MLA, he raised several issues relating to generation and other aspects of power sector. Further, Bawankule has a considerable influence in Nagpur rural, ...

* With six new ministers from the region inducted in Fadnavis Government, Vidarbha has got total four ministers, and four ministers of state * Of six new ministers, BJP has given five and Shiv Sena has given only one from the region By Kartik Lokhande  The most important feature of the first expansion of State Government led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is that of a total 20 ministers who were sworn-in on Friday, as many as six are from Vidarbha. It is being seen as a reward to the region that elected BJP candidates from as many as 44 out of total 62 seats, thus contributing immensely to BJP’s coming to power in Maharashtra. Another interesting feature is that after several decades, the power centre has shifted to Vidarbha in a real sense. Devendra Fadnavis, who hails from Nagpur, is Chief Minister and holds important portfolios like Home and Urban Development. Sudhir Mungantiwar, who hails from Chandrapur district, has got two more important portfolios of Fina...

* Much-awaited report of Kelkar Committee on balanced development, to be tabled during winter session of State Legislature starting next week in city * Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar hints at special Industrial Policy for Naxal-affected areas like Gadchiroli * Mungantiwar to tour every district in State in January 2015 to assess developmental priorities for 2015-16 budget By Kartik Lokhande  “We have inherited empty coffers and a huge debt burden of Rs 2,36,000 crore from previous Government led by Congress. Every day, State has to pay Rs 63 crore as interest on the debt. There was criminal judgement on part of Congress-led Government as far as utilising the debt was concerned. Hence, we have decided to bring out a White Paper on debt burden,” said Sudhir Mungantiwar, Finance and Forest Minister of Maharashtra. How much of employment was created from the money spent out of such a huge debt burden, how many projects were completed, whether the State created capital...