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Maharashtra

Maha clears wine sales at supermarkets, walk-in stores

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In a significant decision, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra on Thursday permitted all supermarkets and walk-in stores to sell wine manufactured in the state as part of its new wine policy, officials said.

The decision was taken by the state Cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray – and it immediately attracted flak from the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Interestingly, the move comes a week after neighbouring Madhya Pradesh permitted liquor sales at all its airports, select supermarkets in four major cities and also allowed issuing home bar licences to those earning Rs 1 crore or more annually.

Briefing the media, Nationalist Congress Party Minister Nawab Malik said that supermarkets with a minimum area of 1,000 sq ft or more shall be allowed to sell wine – as opposed to beers and other liquors – under the new policy enacted last year after the earlier 20-year-old policy lapsed.

Wine sales will be permitted through a shelf-in-shop in the supermarkets or walk-in stores, with a single cupboard measuring 2.25 cubic metres, kept locked and selling only sealed bottles of wine, with an annual specified licence fee of Rs 5,000 from such establishments.

The state has around four-dozen wineries, most centred in Nashik district which accounts for 80 per cent of the wine produced in India, besides small wineries in other districts like Ahmednagar, Sangli, Pune, Solapur and Buldhana.

The country’s fledgling wine industry is worth around Rs 1,000 crore with Maharashtra, a pioneering state in this sector, contributing nearly two-third to the revenue.

BJP Leader of Opposition, Devendra Fadnavis, and others slammed the government move, terming it as the MVA’s special love for the liquor industry, just like its decisions to lift the prohibition in Chandrapur, cut in excise duty on imported liquor from 300 per cent to 150 per cent etc.

“We shall not allow Maharashtra to become a ‘madya-rashtra’,” said Fadnavis, even as other leaders and women’s groups criticised the decision.

The MVA government defended the move by saying it will benefit the grape farmers who supply their produce to wineries for making wines, besides generating revenue for the state exchequer and boosting the wine industry.

Most wines have very low alcohol content as compared to hard liquor and many restaurants and bakeries also use wine in certain food-making processes, notably the popular wine or rum cakes.

Maharashtra

Mumbai: Ahead of Diwali, citizens beam with smiles… Goods worth over 1 crore returned, police performance praised, and people in a joyous mood.

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Mumbai: Mumbai Police has brought back the happiness of the citizens before Diwali by returning their lost and stolen goods and spreading smiles on their faces. DCP Manish Kalwaniya in Zone 8 of Mumbai has today returned the lost and other belongings of the citizens before Diwali, worth more than one crore, including 2000 mobile phones. The DCP said that the people’s joy has doubled after the return of stolen and lost goods because most of them had given up hope of their belongings, but the police have brought smiles back to their faces. Mumbai Police has started a process of returning people’s belongings at various police stations. This process has been started on the initiative of Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti. After the return of stolen and lost goods, the trust of the people in the police in Mumbai has been further strengthened and now the police is performing better in such cases in which people’s belongings have been stolen or have disappeared. The police have now brought smiles to the faces of many people who had forgotten their belongings or did not expect that their belongings would be available to them again.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai: Jains Donate ₹1.38 Crore To 141 Flood-Hit Gaushalas Across Maharashtra

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In a remarkable act of compassion, the Jain community in Mumbai distributed ₹1.38 crore to 141 gaushalas across Maharashtra that were affected by recent floods.

According to Paresh Shah, a member of the Maharashtra Goseva Aayog, the donations will help the gaushalas purchase fodder and essential supplies for their cattle. Each gaushala received ₹50,000 as part of the relief distribution.

The contribution was made during the ‘Jivdaya Mahotsav’, held on Sunday at a Jain temple in Chinchpokli. Of the total amount, the Sheth Damji Lakshmichand Charitable Trust contributed ₹63 lakh. The community also launched a ₹27-lakh animal ambulance to aid animal welfare initiatives in Mumbai.

The event was graced by Shaina N C, national spokesperson of the Shiv Sena, as the chief guest, and Girishbhai Shah from the Animal Welfare Board of India.

Notable donors included the Deepakbhai Bheda family and the Diyodar Jain Sangh, each contributing ₹11 lakh.

Organisers said the initiative reflects the Jain community’s commitment to ‘Jivdaya’ (compassion for all living beings) and aims to support animal shelters struggling after the floods.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai: Harassment of ordinary Muslims in the name of Bangladeshis should stop, Abu Asim makes serious allegations against the government over Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement

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abu azmi

Mumbai: Maharashtra Samajwadi Party leader Worker Assembly Abu Asim Azmi criticized the statement of Home Minister Amit Shah and said that it is the responsibility of the Home Minister and the Central Government to take action against Bangladeshi and Pakistani infiltrators. The population of Muslims in India has increased due to Bangladeshis. This is completely wrong. The residents of West Bengal and ordinary Muslims are being targeted under the guise of Bangladeshi and Pakistanis. He said that the government is yours in many states and at the center, so how do Bangladeshi infiltrators enter from the border? What action has the government taken against those who forge their documents so far? He said that targeting Muslims under the guise of Bangladeshi should be stopped, just as Karat Soumya is trying to fake the certificates and documents of every Muslim and is targeting Muslims. He said that the government should pay attention to how Bangladeshi infiltrators infiltrate from the Indian border. This is not the job of Congress, SP or other parties. It is the job of the government to take action against Bangladeshi and Pakistanis and to bring them to justice. But Muslims should not be harassed or disturbed. He said that action is being taken against those officers who are preparing documents for Bangladeshis.

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