Latest news with #Bawankule
Time of India
3 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Defunct quarries can be used for water storage fishing sports or waste processing
Mumbai: Defunct quarries can be used to store rainwater, for fishing activities, water sports, or processing solid waste, announced state revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Tuesday. Under the Maharashtra Minor Mineral Extraction (Development and Regulation) Rules, district collectors have been issued directives for managing closed quarries, including preparing a final mine closure plan and land restoration. To prevent accidents due to water accumulation in quarries, leaseholders were directed to complete protective measures, restoration, and rehabilitation work within three months. Leaseholders will now be given a year to carry out the work. "Lives of citizens were at risk due to closed quarries. This decision will improve quarry management, prevent accidents, and protect the environment," said Bawankule. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Bawankule Calls Rahul Gandhi's Caste Census Push ‘Too Late To Matter'
1 2 3 4 5 6 Nagpur: State revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule dismissed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi 's recent support for a caste-based census as 'delayed wisdom' and politically opportunistic, stating that the Congress "never delivered justice to OBCs during its decades in power. " "Rahul Gandhi and his party remembered OBCs only during election time," Bawankule told the media here on Saturday. "For 50 years, they used our votes and ignored our demands. Their last-minute support for a caste census means little now." Bawankule said that it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who gave the OBC Commission constitutional status and acted on the long-standing demand for caste enumeration. "The Congress has no moral right to seek OBC votes anymore," he said. Addressing allegations of phone-tapping by NCP MLA Rohit Pawar, Bawankule called the claims a 'media stunt'. "There are legal formalities for phone surveillance. You can't just tap anyone's phone on a whim," he said. He also countered Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut's sweeping corruption remarks. "If 75% of ministers are corrupt, name them. Empty accusations don't help anyone," Bawankule said, adding, "Sensationalism won't save a sinking newspaper." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Stylish New Mobility Scooters Available for Seniors (Prices May Surprise You) Mobility Scooter | Search Ads Search Now Undo On governance matters, the minister confirmed that all bogus birth certificates across districts must be withdrawn by August 15. "District collectors have acknowledged the directive. This will ensure integrity in public documentation," he noted. Bawankule defended deputy CM Ajit Pawar's stern words to bureaucrats, calling them "constructive feedback for public good." He said, "Ajitdada tours from 7 am. If he finds lapses during field visits, he's right to call them out." Regarding ongoing deliberations over cabinet reshuffles, Bawankule clarified that such decisions rest solely with the chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis. "Every minister must act in a way that preserves public trust," he added. On administrative reforms, Bawankule said 12 state civil service officers were recently promoted to IAS. He also emphasised the need to recognise long-serving officials by giving them additional merit marks during evaluation. Addressing misuse of the 'Ladki Bahin' scheme, the minister warned: "If men have wrongly claimed benefits meant for women, they should face criminal charges and repay the funds." Bawankule said the govt will implement the Supreme Court's verdict on scrub forest lands, covering 86,000 acres, and address questions around pre-1996 and commercial land allotments accordingly. Speaking about a likely meeting between Fadnavis and NCP founder Sharad Pawar , Bawankule welcomed it, saying, "Sharad Pawar's vast experience can help address the concerns of sugarcane and dairy farmers."
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Maharashtra cabinet reshuffle buzz: Final decision rests with CM Fadnavis, says Bawankule
The speculation about the likely cabinet reshuffle in Maharashtra strengthened on Saturday, with senior BJP leader and minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule stressing that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' discretion is supreme among allies. Union Home Minister Amit Shah meets Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, in New Delhi on Friday.(X/@HMOIndia) The speculation about the potential swapping of portfolios of some controversial ministers or sacking them gained momentum in light of Fadnavis' recent meeting with Union ministers in Delhi. Queried about the reshuffle buzz, Bawankule said, "Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, NCP (SP) chief Ajit Pawar and Shiv Sena head Eknath Shinde can decide for their parties, which is their right. "Respective parties will make their decisions. However, the final decision rests with Fadnavis as he is the chief minister of the state," he added. He demanded an apology from the leader of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi, after the latter admitted that he could not protect the interests of Other Backward Classes (OBC) in the past as much as he should have done. Gandhi had also acknowledged his "mistake" of not getting a caste census conducted earlier. "Rahul Gandhi should apologise to the nation and the OBC community, as it is obvious that the Congress used OBCs as a vote bank. The Congress had done injustice to OBCs," Bawankule said. He said the caste enumeration decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pave the way for a huge revolution in the country. The former Maharashtra BJP president took a dig at Saamana amid reports that senior leader Sudhir Mungantiwar will replace Rahul Narwekar as the speaker of the Maharashtra assembly. "In order to boost the declining readership of (Sena-UBT mouthpiece) 'Saamana' and give more publicity to its owner (Uddhav Thackeray), they are writing misleading news reports," he said. Meanwhile, Bawankule said if some ineligible men had fraudulently availed of the financial benefits under the Mukhyamantri Mazi Ladki Bahin Yojana, the money should be recovered from them and cases registered. He was answering a query on around 14,000 men availing of the monthly financial aid under the scheme reserved exclusively for women from the low-income groups who meet the eligibility criteria. "The chief minister and the government have already clarified. The government will not recover money received by some sisters fraudulently. But if men are involved, I feel the money should be recovered from them and cases registered," the minister added. Political circles are abuzz with speculation concerning the future of some ministers, mainly of the Shiv Sena headed by Eknath Shinde, amid controversies. Amid a growing chorus for the resignation of NCP leader and state agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar has assured an appropriate decision after discussing with his colleague. Kokate is in the eye of a political storm after videos purportedly showing him playing a card game on his mobile phone in the state legislature went viral. The minister had denied allegations against him and threatened to sue the leaders responsible for "defaming" him. Kokate had triggered controversies in the past with his statements regarding the farming community.
Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Maha mulls ₹10L accident cover, ID for sarpamitras
Nagpur: Sarpamitras — snake rescue volunteers who risk their lives to protect both reptiles and people — may soon get official identity cards and accident insurance cover of up to ₹10 lakh, with the state govt moving to formally recognise them as essential service providers. Revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule announced a proposal to this effect after chairing a high-level meeting at Mantralaya on Wednesday. He said the govt would recommend to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis that sarpamitras be granted 'frontline worker' status under disaster management guidelines. "Sarpamitras play a crucial role in saving lives, especially in rural and semi-urban areas, where snakebite cases are frequent. Their work often puts them at a greater personal risk," Bawankule said. "The govt is positively considering their long-standing demands, including accident insurance, official identification, and institutional recognition," he said. The proposal includes setting up a special online portal to maintain a verified database of registered snake rescuers across the state. Forest department will be tasked with creating a standard operating procedure (SOP) to govern their work, verify credentials through police background checks, and issue official ID cards. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo The meeting was attended by forest department additional chief secretary Milind Mhaiskar, state wildlife chief conservator M Srinivas Rao, and All India Sarpamitra and Pranimitra Sanghatana president Prof Sambhaji Patil. Bawankule said discussions would soon be held with the chief minister to finalise the accident insurance scheme offering ₹10–15 lakh compensation in case of death or permanent disability while on duty. "These volunteers have been demanding such safeguards for years. Their selfless service deserves institutional respect and financial protection," he said. Wildlife chief Rao, however, reminded that sarpamitras must strictly comply with the Wildlife Protection Act while handling snakes. He added that no rescue work should be carried out without proper training and coordination with the forest department. The forest department has also proposed integrating sarpamitras into the state's official disaster response network, recognising their role during monsoons and flood-related emergencies.
NDTV
5 days ago
- Business
- NDTV
Maharashtra Revenue Department Goes Hi-Tech To Ensure Employee Attendance
Mumbai: Maharashtra Revenue Department has mandated the use of Face App and geo-fencing systems for all its employees. The plan, in line with a central directive, is meant to ensure that attendance is recorded exclusively from office premises. Only employees registered on the Face App will receive their August salary (disbursed in September), Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has ordered. A formal Government Resolution with guidelines will be issued shortly. Minister Bawankule emphasized the ongoing efforts are meant to enhance efficiency, transparency, and public-centric governance. "We have initiated a comprehensive review of various departments to streamline operations. Several critical issues have emerged during this process. A review of revenue operations in Raigad district was conducted, and instructions have been issued to plan and implement all tasks within a 150-day time frame," he said. Urgent Resolution of Pending Cases The revenue minister firmly directed officials to ensure that no quasi-judicial cases remain unresolved. He advocated resolving public grievances through Lok Adalats and urged tehsildars and land records officers to promptly address pending cases. "The system should be designed so that citizens do not feel compelled to visit the state secretariat for solutions," he said, encouraging officials to adopt innovative projects to achieve this goal. This initiative underscores the state's commitment to modernizing the administrative processes, reducing delays, and fostering a responsive governance framework that prioritizes public convenience. The Face App and geo-fencing systems are part of a broader push towards digitizing attendance and improving accountability in government operations. Lok Adalats, or people's courts, are alternative dispute resolution mechanisms aimed at expediting case resolutions outside traditional court systems. The 150-day timeline reflects the government's focus on time-bound action plans to address administrative inefficiencies.
