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Maharashtra

Maharashtra finances not robust, but salvageable with ‘discipline’

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As the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government readies for its third annual Budget (2022-2023) in early March, the focus is again on the state of the state’s finances.

The state has been grappling – ranking among the worst-hit – with the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic and the series of lockdowns that have played havoc with the economy, revenues and expenditure, and diversion of most resources to the health sector for the masses reeling under the impact of Covid-19.

Till the previous fiscal (2020-2021), the state had notched up a whopping debt of Rs 520,717 crore, mostly comprising unpaid loans and other liabilities.

However, the fiscal deficit percentage vis-a-vis GSDP is 2.1 per cent and the debt stock to GSDP is 19.6 per cent – well within the prescribed limits of 25 per cent, as per the Fiscal Policy Strategy Statement of last year, according to the official data.

“Though appearing huge, the debt figures are an accumulation of the past several years owing to various factors. The average annual addition is in the range of Rs 65,000 cr,” said Dr Ratnakar Mahajan, well-known economic expert and former Executive Chairman, Maharashtra State Planning Board.

Unlike many other states, there are no money-guzzling ‘populist schemes’ operating in Maharashtra – barring one important welfare measure started in Jan/2020 – the affordable meal of ‘Shiv Bhojan Thali’ – which was extended and heavily subsidised after the pandemic lockdowns were imposed in March 2020.

A pet venture of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the ‘Shiv Bhojan Thali’ – on which the state government has spent less than Rs 500 crore in the past 24 months – proved to be a life-saver for the urban-rural poor and the lakhs of migrants on the move in the early days of the lockdown series.

However, officials say the debt has to be serviced without fail every year – which is the expenditure part of the annual budget – but there is scope for being prudent, said an official of the state Finance Ministry, headed by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

The official – requesting anonymity – explained how the two years of the severe pandemic has hit all sectors of the economy, compounded by the economic slowdown, job losses which are now gradually being rolled back, the farm loans waivers, handling a series of natural calamities, shortfall in all types of tax revenues and also the massive amount of GST dues pending from the Centre.

Dr Mahajan said one of the factors responsible for growing fiscal burden in the past was, finances were raised at higher interest rates for shorter periods, like availing loans at 11 per cent for 3 years.

Some governments managed to overcome this by restructuring the old loans at lower rates of interest for longer periods – say, at 8 or 9 per cent for 5 years – which lessened the burden and spread it over the years less painfully.

Besides, whenever any government takes up new or mega-projects, it becomes the responsibility of the next regime to take it forward with adequate budgetary provisions.

Officials said some like the Metrorail may be top priority to reduce traffic congestion but others like the Bullet Train could wait for a while to prevent diverting scarce resources from other critical sectors, especially during the pandemic period.

Nevertheless, Dr Mahajan feels that with ‘safer and cautious decisions” it is very much possible to bring the state’s finances “well on the track” in just two years.

“This was done in the past during the tenure of the former Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde… with certain decisions that helped revive the financial situation and also reduced the state’s debt burden significantly,” he said.

As for the next year’s State Budget (2022-2023), all eyes are on (DCM & FM) Ajit Pawar to see how he juggles with the stretched finances and scarce resources to keep the state afloat amid optimistic signs that it is veering out of the scalding Covid-19 cauldron.

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Maharashtra

Anil Deshmukh Injured: Sena UBT’s Sanjay Raut Holds Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis Accountable For State’s Lawlessness Amid Attack On NCP-SP Leader

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November 19, 2024

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Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday criticised Maharashtra’s Home Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, for the worsening law and order situation in the state following the recent attack on former minister Anil Deshmukh.

Speaking to reporters, Raut said, “The law & order in Maharashtra has completely collapsed. Never before did such violence take place in this state during elections. Devendra Fadnavis is the current Home Minister. A conspiracy to murder the former Home Minister of the state occurred in his city… Who is responsible (for this)? First of all, the Election Commission is responsible for this.”

Raut further continued to blame Fadnavis for worsening the state’s condition. “The condition in Maharashtra has turned bad. I believe that Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ruined Maharashtra’s law and order in 2 years. A former minister like Baba Siddiqui was murdered on the streets in Mumbai. The way former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh was attacked and a murder attempt was made – Devendra Fadnavis himself should take accountability for that,” Raut added.

Sanjay Raut Dismisses BJP’s Defense Of The Situation

Sanjay Raut also dismissed the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) defense of the situation as a “stunt,” stating, “The BJP claims that this is a stunt, but Maharashtra doesn’t need to learn stunts from Narendra Modi. Stunt politics is what the BJP does, and the biggest ‘Rajinikanth’ in this is Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Just like Rajinikanth does stunts in films, Modi does them in politics.”

Nagpur Rural Police Registers Case

Meanwhile, the Nagpur Rural Police have registered an attempt to murder case against four unidentified individuals in connection with the attack on former Maharashtra Minister Anil Deshmukh. Harsh Poddar, Superintendent of Police, Nagpur Rural, confirmed, “Nagpur Rural Police has registered a case of attempt to murder against four unknown persons in the attack on Anil Deshmukh. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DYSP) Katol is investigating the incident. The Regional Forensic Team has gone to the spot to collect technical evidence. No one should spread rumours. If anyone tries to disrupt law and order, strict action will be taken against them.”

Poddar also added, “DYSP Katol is investigating the case. The Honourable Special Police Inspector General, Nagpur Circle, and Nagpur Collector have also visited the spot. The Regional Forensic Team from Nagpur has come to the scene to collect technical evidence.”

Harsh Poddar further emphasised that 2,000 police personnel and officers, along with 300 CAPFs, have been deployed to ensure law and order in the district. “My request to the people is not to believe in any kind of challenge. If anyone tries to break the law and order, strict legal action will be taken against them. Jai Hind, Jai Maharashtra.”

In the early hours of the day, former Maharashtra minister and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Anil Deshmukh was hospitalised at Alexis (Max) Hospital after an alleged attack on his convoy on the Katol-Jalalkheda Road. Senior police officials confirmed that he is undergoing treatment.

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Maharashtra

Baba Siddique Murder: 24th Accused, Akashdeep Gill, Confesses To Having Direct Contact With Gangster Anmol Bishnoi

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3 hours ago

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November 19, 2024

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Mumbai: Akashdeep Gill, the 24th accused in the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique, who was arrested from Fazilka, Punjab, has said that he was directly in contact with gangster Anmol Bishnoi regarding the murder plot.

Details Revealed

According to the police, Gill disclosed to the Mumbai Crime Branch during interrogation that he acted as a conduit for Anmol’s instructions, passing them on to arrested accused Sujeet Singh alias Babbu and the three shooters, Shiv Kumar Gautam, Dharmraj Kashyap, and Gurmail Singh. Gill is also stated to have revealed that Bishnoi had been in constant communication with him, orchestrating the murder plan and giving orders that he conveyed to Sujeet Singh and Shiv Kumar.

Gill stated that after the shooters arrived in Mumbai, he established contact with Shubham Lonkar and Zeeshan Akhtar at Anmol’s behest, relaying their instructions to the shooters, and admitted to being involved in the conspiracy and providing critical logistical support for the murder, the police said.

Things Revealed By Primary Shooter Shiv Kumar Gautam

Primary shooter Shiv Kumar Gautam revealed during interrogation that he was told the target’s name after arriving in Mumbai, by Shubham Lonkar whom he knew for three years. Lonkar had approached Gautam in Pune with a proposal to kill a person linked to Dawood Ibrahim. Gautam had agreed after two days and involved Dharmraj Kashyap in the plan. However, he later accused Shubham Lonkar of setting him up.

The Crime Branch discovered that 36 lakh was deposited into the account of Salmanbhai Vohra, an accused arrested from Akola, via deposit machines within India. Vohra transferred approximately 5 lakh to the accounts of Gurmail Singh’s brother Naresh Singh, and coaccused Rupesh Mohol and Harish ~ Kumar Nishad. According to the Crime Branch, Vohra was involved in hawala activities, but it is not yet known who deposited the 6 lakh.

The Crime Branch investigation revealed that the last known location of key conspirators and absconders Shubham Lonkar and Zeeshan Akhtar was near Jama Masjid in Delhi. Both were in Delhi in July 2024. Shubham had fled Pune to meet Zeeshan in Delhi, and after plotting the murder, the two disappeared from there. Their current location remains untraced.

The investigation also revealed that initially, accused Nitin Sapre was included as the third shooter in the Bishnoi gang’s plan. However, due to his drug addiction and the potential risk of the plan failing, he was replaced by Gurmail Singh. The police said that the accused were in contact with each other through the Zangi and Signal apps.

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Maharashtra

Bandra East, Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024: Zeeshan Siddique Looks To Retain Seat Just Weeks After Father’s Murder

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3 hours ago

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November 19, 2024

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Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Election 2024 is just around the corner. All eyes are on the big fight between the ruling Mahayuti, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena-Shinde) alongwith Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis (BJP), Ajit Pawar (NCP); and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) led by Sharad Pawar (NCP-Sharad Pawar), Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena-UBT) and Nana Patole (Congress). Vandre East Assembly constituency is one of the key constituencies everyone has their eyes on. Vandre East assembly constituency comes in Mumbai North Lok Sabha constituency.

Vandre East (or Bandra East) constituency is one of the 288 seats from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly up for grabs. The constituency, designated by number 176, falls in Mumbai Suburban District. Vandre East, the general category constituency, is currently represented in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly by NCP’ Zeeshan Siddique.

Zeeshan Siddique, whose father Baba Siddique was murdered recently, is contesting the election this time as well. Against him is Varun Sardesai from Shiv Sena (UBT).

In Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Elections 2019, Zeeshan Siddique defeated Shiv Sena’s Vishwanath Mahadeshwar by 5790 votes. Siddique got 38337 votes while Mahadeshwar got 32547 votes.

In 2015 by-election, Shiv Sena’s Trupti Sawant secured victory.

As per latest numbers from Election Commission Vandre East constituency has 2,49,104 voters.

Current situation in Maharashtra assembly:

Currently, the ruling dispensation in Maharashtra has 202 MLAs with it. Out of these, BJP has 102 seats, NCP (Ajit Pawar) has 40, Shiv Sena (Shinde) has 38 and other parties have 22.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has 69 seats in its kitty. Out of these, Congress has 37, Shiv Sena (UBT) has 16, NCP (Sharad Pawar) has 12 while other parties have six seats. Fifteen seats are vacant.

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