Connect with us
Saturday,15-August-2026
Breaking News

Maharashtra

Maha power bills arrears – Central/State Ministers, MPs/MLAs equal sinners!

Published

on

As Maharashtra reels under a heat wave, coal shortages, and resources crunch with over Rs 76,000 crore in unpaid power bills, it has emerged that even VVIPs and politicians across the political spectrum have blatantly defaulted in clearing their electricity consumption dues.

While some have piled up bills worth lakhs of rupees, others have small amounts – but that also remain unpaid for years or decades, shocking the departments and officials concerned.

Among the powerful ones who have yet to clear their power consumption bills are Union and State Ministers, their families, MPs, MLAs from various political parties and certain organisations linked to them.

The revelations come against the backdrop of the Andhra Pradesh power distribution companies admitting before the Andhra Pradesh High Court this week that they are unable to pay monthly bills of power plants since January 2022.

The AP discoms also requested for a one-year time to pay up their dues – against the high court’s order of March 15 to clear the outstanding within 6 weeks – as they are unable to arrange funds/loans from anywhere.

In the Maharashtra case, a total of 372 VVIP consumers and some organisations, spread across 36 districts, together owe the government an amount of Rs 1.27 crore, for electricity consumption at their residential or commercial premises.

“The question is not about the amount that is pending from them… Its also about how they have not paid up for many years even if the dues are very small, and the kind of example such VVIPs set among the common masses,” rued an official, requesting anonymity.

Contacted by IANS, Power Minister Dr. Nitin Raut declined to comment on the VVIPs who have defaulted on power bills, but said he “humbly requested all the people in the state” to pay up their dues to help the power companies.

“Against all odds, among the 17 most affected states, Maharashtra has managed to eliminate load-shedding after the power-cuts experienced for 14 days in April. We are doing our best in public interest and I appeal to the people to please pay up their outstanding bills for common benefit,” Dr. Raut told IANS.

The honourables in the “power hit-list” are Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Minister of State for Railways Raosaheb Dadarao Danve-Patil with two bills of Rs 25,000 (2009) and Rs 10,000 (2013) unpaid in his home and farms in Jalna, besides the bills of other family members.

Union MSME Minister Narayan Rane has a bill of Rs 2,000 not paid since 1987, well before he became the state Chief Minister for a year!

Another big-shot is Nationalist Congress Party’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar with two commercial bills not paid – Rs 14,000 (2020) and Rs 9,000 (2021).

State Health Minister Rajesh Tope also figures with just Rs 340 unpaid since 2009, as well as his wife Manisha Tope’s dues of Rs 19,000 from a commercial premise, besides other kin who also have to pay up.

Congress’ ex-Chief Minister and currently Revenue Minister Ashok S. Chavan has a bill of Rs 1,900 pending since 1991 and an another unpaid bill of 2005 for Rs 2,500.

Congress’ MoS Agriculture Vishwajeet P. Kadam has two pending farm bills – Rs 18,000 (2012) and Rs 24,000 (2016).

All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen MP from Aurangabad, Syed Imtiaz Jaleel has yet to cough out Rs 2,700 for his residential connection since 2017!

Maharashtra Assembly’s ex-Speaker and BJP leader Haribhau K. Bagade is sitting on a bill of over Rs 31,000 since 1980 – for the past 42 years!

There’s an outstanding bill of Rs 20,000 since 1996 in the name of the late Union Minister Gopinath Munde, besides his widow Pradnyatai, who has to clear two bills – Rs 850 (2016) and Rs 2,700 (1994).

Congress MP Rajani S. Satav has to pay up Rs.21,000 on a residential bill, due since 1982.

Shiv Sena MP from Mumbai South Arvind G. Sawant has not paid Rs 425 for his residential connection in Sindhudurg, and MP Bhawana P. Gawali from Yavatmal-Washim has to pay up a residential bill of Rs 22,000 since 1974 and one more pending bill of Rs 7,600 since 2021.

Former Leader of Opposition and now BJP leader Radhakrishna E. Vikhe-Patil has to clear an agriculture bill of Rs 11,000 since 2011.

BJP MPs Ranjitsinh H. Naik-Nimbalkar has pending commercial, agriculture and residential bills of Rs 1,600 (2016), Rs 300 (2012) and Rs 210,000 plus Rs 88,400 (2013-2014), respectively and Ranjitsinh V. Mohite-Patil has to pay up two agriculture bills – Rs 171,000 (1989) and Rs 14,000 (1997).

Ex-home minister of NCP Anil V. Deshmukh has not paid two farmland bills – Rs 111,000 and Rs 122,000 – since 1997.

Shockingly, there are around 10 bills that remain unpaid since the 1960s – including the oldest dated March 1961 in the name of Pandurang N. Patil for Rs 196 !

Among the lowest dues are a bill of Rs 107 for Ramesh K. Karad (1999) among his many other bills, and Sunil S. Shelke’s residential bill of Rs 106 (2011) at the bottom of the heap.

At the top is the biggest debtor, BJP legislator Jaykumar B. Gore, who has a staggering unpaid bill of Rs 7.03 lakh, pending since 2008.

Maharashtra

Mumbai: Online single window system launched for permission to build Ganesh Mandals, public can apply for one-year or five-year permission

Published

on

To simplify the process of obtaining necessary permission for constructing Mumbai Mandap Marmiya, the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has once again made available an online single window system for public Ganesh Chaturthi Mandals in Mumbai. A computerised system has been enabled on the website of the Municipal Corporation for granting permission for construction of temporary
Mandap during the public Ganesh Chaturthi festival. The system has been made available for online use from Friday, August 14, 2026.

Moreover, since the hearing regarding public Ganesh Chaturthi is currently underway. The Mandals are bound by the orders passed by the court and the permission is being granted in compliance with these instructions.

Public Ganesh Chaturthi Mandals will have to submit their applications for permission for Mandap through the BMC website (https://portal.mcgm.gov.in) labeled ‘Mandap for Citizens (Public Ganesh Chaturthi/Other Festivals)’. The applications will be scrutinised by the concerned ward office on receipt. Thereafter, the process of obtaining ‘No Objection Certificates’ (NOCs) from the concerned local police and traffic police will be done through a computerised system. The entire process will be implemented under the guidance of the Divisional Assistant Commissioner and Zonal Deputy Commissioner.

Procedure for New Mandals
Mandals applying for the first time to construct a public Ganesh Chaturthi Mandap* (marquee) on government or private land will have to submit an online application through the website of the Municipal Corporation. After scrutiny of the application by the Divisional Office and obtaining NOC from the local and traffic police, the application will be submitted to the Zonal Deputy Commissioner for approval. Once the approval of the Deputy Commissioner is received and the Mandal pays a fee of Rs 100, the permission for the Mandap will be granted at the divisional level.

Renewal facility for Mandals with five-year permission Renewal of permissions for Mandals who had obtained permission for the first five years (on government or private land) will be processed through a computerized system. Ganeshotsav Mandals who had obtained permission for five years last year will have to submit an online application for renewal of their permission for the year 2026.

The Divisional Office will personally verify that the location and area of ​​the site matches the permission already granted. After this, NOCs will be obtained from the local and traffic police through a computerized system. The permission for 2026 will be renewed after the Mandal pays a fee of ₹ 100.

Two options for Mandals One-year permission granted in 2025
An important facility has been made available this year for Ganeshotsav Mandals who were granted permission to construct a pavilion for only one year (on government or private land) in 2025. Such mandals can apply for the year 2026 only, or for a period of five years from 2026 to 2030. These applications will be scrutinised by the divisional office, and NOCs will be obtained from the local and traffic police through a computerised system. Thereafter, permission will be granted at the ward level on the basis of the application, on payment of a fee of Rs. 100.

Application period for permission for mandap
Applications for permission to construct mandap* (marquee) for public festivals can be submitted through the computerised system between 14 August 2026 and 13 September 2026. The permission for Ganeshotsav mandap is valid till 26 September 2026. 10 October 2026; The permission for mandap for Navratri has been extended till 21 October 2026.

Mandatory training for two volunteers
To ensure discipline at Ganesh Utsav Mandap sites, a one-day training workshop covering topics like crowd management, fire safety, and first aid will be organized at the ward office level. It is mandatory for two volunteers from each Awami Ganeshotsav Mandal (organizing committee) to attend this training.

Emphasis on construction of pothole-free Mandap
Putholes should not be dug in roads or footpaths for construction of Mandap. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has urged the organizers to use effective techniques that do not require digging of potholes. If potholes are dug on roads or footpaths for construction of Mandap, action will be taken as per the relevant circular.

Furthermore, Awami Ganeshotsav Mandals should strictly follow the conditions and regulations regarding advertisements as stipulated in the circular of the Licensing Department. Compliance with the necessary fire safety measures is also mandatory for the construction of the pavilion.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Mumbai: 30 crores fraud in the name of a capital scheme across the state, 4 arrested, 12 lakhs seized, further investigation underway

Published

on

Mumbai: Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has claimed to have arrested 4 fraudsters by exposing an illegal company called AI Origin and Digital Origin, which used to cheat people by fooling them in the name of high profits. Origin Mumbai EOW has taken major action against ‘AI Origin/Digital Origin’ The Mumbai Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has registered a case against the operators of the company ‘AI Origin/Digital Origin’ and other accused in connection with an alleged capital investment scam. According to the police, the company collected a huge amount of money from the public by running investment schemes without the required approval from the RBI or SEBI. During the operation, the authorities seized cash, bank passbooks, cars, and laptops/electronic devices worth over Rs 12 lakh. Several accused have been arrested in this case, and the investigation is underway by the Economic Offences Wing. More than 30 crores have been invested in this company. This company had also started its offices in Palghar, Pimpri Chinchwad, Sangli, Sitara, Kolhapur police stations. A case was also registered against this company in Ghatkopar Pantnagar, Mumbai. The EOW has arrested the company’s president Krishna Chavan, Ankush Shantaram, Dr. Swadesh Mohte and agent Subhash Pandre. Along with this, documents and other goods and cash have been seized by raiding the company’s office RA Palm. To entice people to invest in this company, they used to send them on picnics abroad. Not only this, the accused used to organize seminars and lure them in the seminars, along with this, they used to create an environment here that made so much profit on investment. The EOW monitored the investment for a month and after that the operation was carried out. DCP Sangram Nishandar said that the Intelligence Unit of EOW has started keeping an eye on such companies that run such schemes and fool people by posting advertisements on social media. Along with this, social media is also being monitored. This company had also lured people into investing by giving them attractive schemes on social media through new advertisements. He said that after the Torres scheme, the EOW has started monitoring the capital scheme and investigating such cases. Mumbai EOW has exposed a scam worth crores of rupees in its operation and arrested 4 accused.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Mumbai: BMC and Crime Branch crackdown on fake jhula raid doctors, medicines and other items seized in Deonar and Bandra, case registered against five doctors

Published

on

Mumbai: Crime Branch and BMC have conducted a joint operation against fake and sham doctors in Mumbai city. Unit 6 of Mumbai Crime Branch conducted a crackdown in Deonar and Bandra areas of Mumbai and found that they were practicing without any certificate. They also seized more than one lakh injection medicines from these clinics. These doctors were running clinics without certificates and were a threat to the lives of patients. Therefore, Mumbai Crime Branch has taken action on the instructions of Police Commissioner Devin Bharti and DCP Nanoth Dhole has led the operation here. In Deonar and Bandra, the licenses of Dr. Saghir Ahmed Abdul Majeed Hashmi, 39, of Dr. Saghir Clinic, Akhilesh Kumar Dubey, 47, of Gayatri Clinic, Muhammad Alam Muhammad Sharif Sheikh Ayesha Clinic, Keshav Prasad Patel Clinic and Aftab Khan Aftab Clinic have been suspended. A case has been registered against these doctors in Deonar and Nirmal Nagar police. The licenses of these bogus and fake doctors have also been suspended. During the action against the bogus doctors, it was found that they did not have any authentic documents.

Continue Reading

Trending