Kartik Lokhande's blog

* Government to table Action Taken Report on Kelkar Committee report during budget session of State Legislature * Guardian Ministers of various districts to be announced in a couple of days * 11 important Bills cleared during winter session By Kartik Lokhande  Returning the Opposition fire, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that his Government was ‘alert, positive, and sensitive’ but the Opposition parties were ‘divided, lacking in policy or vision, and scatterbrain’ during the winter session of State Legislature. Further, he said, the Government would table Action Taken Report on Kelkar Committee report during budget session of the State Legislature. Addressing a press conference after prorogation of the winter session of State Legislature on Wednesday evening, Fadnavis said that his Government was willing to discuss Kelkar Committee report. “The previous Government led by the parties that are in Opposition now, did not table Kelkar Committee report for three sess...

* Seeks special session of State Legislature in January to discuss Kelkar panel report Staff Reporter The main Opposition parties -- Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) -- that were divided throughout winter session of State Legislature, came together on the last day of the session. After coming together, both the parties flayed BJP-Sena Government in State for being ‘insensitive’ to farmers issues and said that the winter session had been a ‘big disappointment’. Both the Opposition parties blamed the new Government for tabling Kelkar Committee report towards the end of the session, and demanded a special session of State Legislature in January to discuss the contents of the report. However, asked why the Congress-NCP Government failed in tabling the report since October 2013, Leader of Opposition (Assembly) Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said, “Because of various reasons, it could not be tabled, but the new Government should have tabled it at the beginning of...

By Kartik Lokhande  Witnessing a role reversal of major political alliances in Maharashtra after a long span of 15 years, the State Legislature’s winter session was expected to be stormy. However, as seen in the first week that passed by, BJP-Sena alliance appeared to be more confident to be back in the Government compared to Congress and NCP that are still faltering playing the role of the Opposition. Throughout the week, the leading ruling partner BJP became more and more confident with each passing day. Just before facing its first full-fledged session of State Legislature, it was successful in getting the estranged partner back in the fold. As a result, the new Government with various partners projected itself as united. In contrast, Congress and NCP that ruled Maharashtra for 15 years in alliance, did not appear to have come to terms that they were in the Opposition. More than the Government, the game of one-upmanship was being played aggressively in the Oppos...

* Announces road-map for reforms in Police Department, asks cops to register every complaint they receive * Says, Govt committed to improve investigation, detection, conviction, and bring down crime rate in five years * Women’s Cell to be set up in all police stations, strengthening of forensic laboratories, appoint panel of prosecutors at district-level * Cops doing commendable job to be honoured with medals By Kartik Lokhande  Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on Friday, announced that his Government adopted ‘Zero Tolerance’ against corruption, crime, and indiscipline in Maharashtra. Replying to a debate on law and order situation, Fadnavis, who also holds Home Department portfolio, rolled out a road-map for reforms in Police Department. Fadnavis informed the Assembly about the Government’s plans to discipline the police force, curb cyber crime, take measures to reduce crimes against Dalits and women, and strengthen the police infrastructure and Intelligence apparatus....

By Kartik Lokhande  Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs), cutting across party lines, urged the Government to impose a ban on Mephedrone or MD that was flooding the markets as ‘legal alternative’ to narcotics. The demand cropped up during a discussion on law and order situation in the Assembly on Thursday. Vijay Wadettiwar, Deputy Leader of Congress, initiated the discussion under Rule 293. He accused the State Government of inept handling of rising number of crimes. He alleged that there were complaints against Director General of Police also. He urged the Chief Minister to create an atmosphere of confidence in people. Sunil Prabhu (Shiv Sena), Mangalprabhat Lodha (BJP), Varsha Gaikwad (Congress), Rajesh Tope (NCP), Shambhuraje Desai, Waris Pathan (MIM), Asif Sheikh, Abu Azmi, Vijay Kale, Sharad Sonawane, Ramesh Latke, Raj Purohit, Amin Patel, Manisha Chaudhary and others also participated in the discussion. During the discussion, Jitendra Awhad (NCP) produced a ...

Staff Reporter Maharashtra Government, on Thursday, tabled a Bill to provide reservation of seats for admision in educational institutions in the State and of appointments or posts in public services to Maratha community. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Girish Bapat tabled the Bill late in the evening in Assembly. The Bill aims ‘to provide for reservation of seats for admission in educational institutions in the State and of appointments or posts in public services under the State to Educationally and Socially Backward Category (ESBC) in the State of Maharashtra for their advancement and for matters connected therewiith or incidental thereto.’ On the basis of the ‘material and data’ collected by Rane Committee, the Government stated that Maratha community was socially, educationally and economically backward and was inadequately represented in public services. Hence, it required special provisions to be made for its advancement. Hence, it took a policy decision that with...

* Proposes Rs 2,000 cr for farmers in distress, Rs 50 each for MLAs as additional fund for the current financial year * Rs 12 lakh proposed for Nagpur Metro project By Kartik Lokhande  State Government, on Tuesday, tabled supplementary demands of Rs 8,201 crore. Interestingly, the supplementary demands include Rs 2,000 crore for providing aid to farmers in distress and Rs 144 crore as an additional fund to MLAs for the current financial year. Besides, a provision of Rs 12 lakh has been made for Nagpur Metro project. Against the backdrop of the Congress and NCP’s demand for financial help to farmers, the Government’s had smartly moved a proposal to discuss the issue first on Tuesday. However, the Opposition parties disrupted the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly. Before the House was adjourned for the day, the Government tabled supplementary demands of Rs 8,201 crore. The statement on these demands shows that the Government has proposed Rs 2,000 crore under the h...

* During winter session, BJP-Sena Government to take up important business including Kelkar Committee report, priority to removal of backlog of Vidarbha, proposal to give bonus to cotton-growers, proposal to hike aid to kin of farmers who end life By Kartik Lokhande  On the eve of winter session of State Legislature, Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse hinted at up to 40 per cent cut in expenses owing to ‘fiscal mismanagement’ of the erstwhile Congress-NCP Government. Reiterating that the Government was committed to addressing issues of farmers, he appealed to the Opposition parties to extend co-operation in discussing vital issues during winter session. “We have inherited empty coffers, fiscal deficit is Rs 26,000 crore, and debt burden is over Rs 3 lakh crore. In such a situation, we are left with limited options of borrowing and plugging leakages. There is limit to borrowings and hence we will focus on plugging leakages. For remainder of the current financial year, we...

* Congress, NCP both stake claim for the post of Leader of Opposition By Kartik Lokhande  On the eve of winter session, the Opposition stood divided. Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) both have staked claim for the post of Leader of Opposition (LoP) and the differences appeared to have widened. This may prove to be advantageous for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena combine during winter session. On the eve of winter session, Congress alone represented the Opposition and addressed the customary press conference. Asked about absence of other parties, especially NCP, that are not part of the Government, MPCC chief Manikrao Thakre said, “NCP has not declared whether it is in the Government or in the Opposition. Often, they have claimed of working to save the BJP Government. Besides, NCP leaders including Ajit Pawar have not shown any aggression or interest in the issues of farmers facing drought-like situation in the State. We are performi...