Maharashtra
Farmers launch another Nashik-Mumbai ‘long march’
For the third time in five years, thousands of farmers will start marching to Mumbai in a ‘long march’ from Monday, for their various demands that remain pending, the organisers said here.
The long march — coming after similar marches in 2018 and 2019 — will traverse around 175 kms and has attracted farmers from all over the state who converged in Nashik on Sunday and will start their ‘walkathon’ in the scorching summer heat to Mumbai on Monday afternoon.
Among the demands are Minimum Support Price (MSP) for onions, writing off of farmers’ loans, suitable price for agriculture produce, power bills waivers, quick compensation for crop losses due to unseasonal rains-hail, forest land rights, etc.
Led by former 7-time CPI(M) MLA Jiva Pandu Gavit, the participants who include ASHA workers, and representatives of the unorganised sectors, were waving the party flags and placards with slogans ‘Give MSP to Onion’, etc, and at some points they emptied sacks or baskets of onions to highlight their plight owing to the plummeting prices.
“We want a subsidy of Rs. 600/quintal of onion, there should be bulk export and onion should be procured in bulk from NAFED at a minimum price of Rs. 2,000/quintal,” Gavit and other farmers leaders demanded.
The farmers have sought regularisation of encroachers on forest lands upto 4 hectares with names in the 7/12 documents, waiver of power bills and making electricity available 12 hours daily for farmlands, clear the 7/12 of farmers by waiving off their entire agriculture loans, NDRF amount of compensation for all crop damages due to unseasonal rains and other natural calamities that hit round the year.
They also demanded quick compensation and curb the aloot’ by crop insurance companies, create an independent system for regular inspection of milk meters and weighing forks for milk and a minimum price of Rs 47 for cow milk and Rs. 67 for buffalo milk and stop the conspiracy to slash prices of soybean, cotton, tur and grams, re-start selling grain along with free rations on ration cards every month,
Earlier in 2018, around 40,000 farmers had marched to Mumbai, and in 2019 they again walked down but the then government facing an election year, had agreed to accept the peasants’ demands after which it was called off, and Monday’s long march is starting on the same route.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: Bandra’s Nargis Dutt Nagar Slum Redevelopment To Generate ₹10000 Crore Revenue
Mumbai: Nargis Dutt Nagar, Bandra’s largest slum settlement, is set to transform into an affluent address. The project is expected to generate revenue of Rs 10,000 crore.
Located at Bandra Reclamation, the area will be redeveloped by Roshni Developers in collaboration with Godrej Properties under the state’s Slum Redevelopment Authority (SRA).
Plans are afoot to build 3-4 BHK apartments on this sea-facing land parcel. To be managed by Roshni Developers, the rehab component will cover 5.4 lakh sq ft, accommodating 1,515 slum families. Similarly, Godrej Properties will develop the free-sale component covering around 10 lakh sq ft.
Out of 1,515 tenants, a total of 851 were deemed to be eligible for rehabilitation after completing the necessary due scrutiny and compliances. Roshni Developers have taken the responsibility to facilitate the eligibility process of the remaining tenants after reviewing their applications in adherence with SRA rules.
Maharashtra
Govt reforms, private partnerships behind Indian space industry growth in 2024: ISpA
New Delhi, Dec 24: Reforms made by the government coupled with private partnerships played a crucial role in the growth of India’s space industry in 2024, said the Indian Space Association (ISpA), noting that 2025 is poised to be a year of transformative developments.
Lt. Gen. AK Bhatt (Retd), Director General, ISpA stated that government reforms like the Foreign Direct Investment policy, the Rs 1,000 crore Venture Capitalist fund, and a thriving startup ecosystem, coupled with dynamic public-private collaborations propelled space sector growth.
“The Indian government’s continued focus on strategic policy reforms not only opens the door for significant private sector investment but also ensures that India stays at the forefront of global space innovation. With the continuous support from the government and the push for the public,” Bhatt said.
“The private space sector is witnessing a major growth in the startup ecosystem driven by favourable policy reforms like the liberal FDI policy announced this year,” he stated, adding that this will give the country “access to the latest tech advances and funds” both from Indian and global investors.
The FDI policy in the space sector was launched under the Indian Space Policy 2023 in March. It allows for 100 per cent FDI under the automatic route for satellite components and systems, up to 74 per cent for satellite manufacturing and operation, and 49 per cent for launch vehicles and spaceports.
In October, the Cabinet approved a Rs 1,000 crore VC Fund for the space sector, bolstering startups and private players.
It also approved Phase III of the Space-Based Surveillance (SBS-III) project, targeting the launch of 52 satellites to enhance surveillance. This involved the manufacturing of 31 satellites by the private sector, providing immense opportunities to the industry.
Further, the year also witnessed the laying of the foundation stone for India’s second spaceport in Kulasekharapattinam, Tamil Nadu.
Tata Advanced Systems and Satellogic launched India’s first private sub-metric high-resolution Earth Observation satellite in April.
In May, Agnikul Cosmos made history with the launch of “Agnibaan – SOrTeD,” the world’s first rocket powered by a fully 3D-printed, semi-cryogenic engine.
Funding for Indian space-tech startups reached $76.79 million in 2024, bringing total funding to $463.24 million to date. This includes Pixxel, GalaxEye, Dhruva Space, XDLink Labs, Piersight, and EtherialX.
Notably, this year, ISRO’s commercial arm, NSIL, invited private firms to apply for the end-to-end manufacturing of the Launch Vehicle Mark-III, used in Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3.
IN-SPACe, under the Department of Space, also called for initial bids from domestic companies to design, build, and operate Earth Observation satellites. These initiatives mark the Centre’s push to become a key customer for India’s private space sector through a public-private partnership (PPP) model, transforming the space sector, Bhatt said.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: Byculla zoo bids final farewell to its last elephant Anarkali
Byculla lost its last elephant when the 59-year-old Anarkali passed away on November 10. With her death, there will be no more elephants at the iconic Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan, in compliance with a central government ban on the intake and housing of elephants. “Due to central government regulations, we cannot bring another elephant here,” confirmed an official from the administration. As part of the ’s expansion plans, the enclosure that housed Anarkali will be repurposed for another species.
Rescued from a circus in 1977, Anarkali arrived at the Byculla at the age of 12 along with several other elephants, including her long-time companion, Laxmi. The duo quickly got close, drawing countless visitors and schoolchildren eager to see their playful interactions. Anarkali and Laxmi were once used for joyrides at the until protests by animal activists led to the practice being discontinued in 1992. “Anarkali remained very playful and responsive to her mahout and caretakers. She continued to be one of the crowd-pullers right up until her demise,” said Abhishek Satam, biologist and education officer.
According to officials, Anarkali died of old age complications. Sources at the said that the post-mortem report revealed a stomach tumour, which likely contributed to her declining health. Despite her condition, she maintained a calm demeanour, said her caretakers. Anarkali’s passing follows the death of her companion Laxmi in 2020. Laxmi, believed to be around 64, died of a chronic heart failure brought on by old age. Their bond was so strong that Anarkali reportedly mourned deeply after Laxmi’s death, refusing food for days.
The story of elephants at Byculla stretches back several decades. Five elephants initially lived at Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan, three female elephants named Radha, Laxmi, and Anarkali, a male elephant that was later transferred to Thiruvananthapuram after showing aggression, and there was another female elephant in the at that time called Champakali.
Radha, died of tuberculosis in 2005, leaving Anarkali and Laxmi to form a close-knit pair until Laxmi died in 2020. “Usually, elephants in captivity have a lifespan of about 62 to 65 years,” said Dr Sanjay Tripathi, director of the Byculla. “Anarkali had a calm attitude and listened to her mahouts. She will be missed. She was buried in the premises with all the rituals, near her old friend and companion Laxmi.”
Byculla zoo to remain open on Christmas: BMC
In a release issued on Monday, the civic body said the zoo is generally shut on Wednesdays but will remain open on the day this week to allow people to visit keeping in mind the Christmas holiday. “As per a resolution passed by the civic body earlier, if there is a public holiday on Wednesday, the zoo will remain open on the day and remain closed the next day. Therefore, the zoo will remain shut on Thursday,” the release informed.
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