Latest news with #anti-Shaktipeeth
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Sangli farmers resort to bhajans to protest Shaktipeeth project
Kolhapur: Farmers from Sangli district's Tasgaon have adopted a unique form of protest against the proposed 802km Shaktipeeth Expressway project. Whenever MSRDC officials arrive for land survey and mapping, the farmers start performing bhajans and kirtans with anti-project lyrics, accompanied by traditional instruments like taal and mridangam, in a peaceful 'Gandhigiri' style of resistance. Mahesh Kharade, Sangli district president of Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, said, "This is farmers' way of showing their resentment, in a Gandhigiri style. For three days, farmers from Matkunki village didn't allow land survey for the project. The anti-Shaktipeeth bhajan written by a farmer, Amol Patil, made even the highway officials think over what they were doing." Tasgaon tehsildar Atul Patole said the land survey in Tasgaon needed to be carried out in 10 villages. "The survey was completed in Sawarde and Siddhewadi villages where there was less landholding by farmers. In Sawalaj and Nagaon Kavathe, the land survey is ongoing. In some villages, the farmers are opposing the survey. We are holding discussions with the farmers and trying to clear their doubts about the project. " The land survey in Sangli district's Miraj tehsil will commence from July 25, where farmers have also decided to oppose the project. MLC Satej Patil said, "If farmers support the Shaktipeeth project, why have so many objections been raised against it? The fight against Shaktipeeth will continue."
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Give land voluntarily for Shaktipeeth, get 25% bonus, says Kshirsagar
Kolhapur: Farmers who voluntarily give up their land for the Shaktipeeth expressway will receive an additional bonus of 25% of the land price, said state planning commission chairman Rajesh Kshirsagar on Saturday evening in Kolhapur. He said farmers will receive two-and-a-half times the land cost, and district collectors will be given the authority to fix the price. Approximately 46,000 hectares of land will be acquired for the Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth expressway. In Kolhapur district alone, 5,300 acres will be acquired. "We met officials of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), the implementing authority for the Shaktipeeth expressway, a couple of days ago. The panel under the district collector will be set up to find a mean of the ready reckoner and market price of the land to compensate the farmers. The base price will be two-and-a-half times the mean cost, and above that, the farmer will receive an additional 25% as a reward for voluntarily giving up their land. Recently, the state cabinet approved Rs 11,700 crore for land acquisition in 12 districts. Govt has agreed to increase the amount for land acquisition if required," said Kshirsagar. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it legal? How to get Internet without paying a subscription? Techno Mag Learn More Undo Kshirsagar, who is also a Shiv Sena MLA, said the bridges will be constructed using pillars so that the floodwater could pass easily and not be obstructed. Also, the road width would not exceed 110 metres. "The actual cost of construction is around Rs 51,000 crore. The rest is the interest on the loans, environmental compensation, and land acquisition, which in total takes the project cost to Rs 86,000 crore," added the MLA. Meanwhile, the anti-Shaktipeeth expressway forum challenged anyone supporting the highway to show that their land was in the way of the highway after Kshirsagar claimed that 35 farmers have submitted their 7/12 extracts for land acquisition. Raju Shetti, of the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, said, "The MLA took 35 people with him to show support for the road project. Some of these people don't have land that will be affected by the project. There are more than 10,000 farmers who will be affected by the project, and showing support from a mere 35 farmers is a clear failure on the part of govt and those supporting the destructive project."
Indian Express
26-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
‘No objection from finance department': As Opposition calls for rethink, Devendra Fadnavis says Shaktipeeth Expressway still on
A day after The Indian Express reported how the Maharashtra finance department had flagged the financial burden on the state over the Rs 20,787 crore loan guarantee given for the land acquisition for the Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway, the Opposition called for a rethink. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, however, maintained that the project will move forward as the finance department has not raised any objections. 'There is no objection from the finance department. It has merely done its work of pointing out data and nothing else. Infrastructure across the world is built by availing loans,' Fadnavis said, speaking to reporters at the legislative building in Mumbai. Saying that the construction of highways strengthens and expands the economy, Fadnavis said, 'There was opposition to the Samruddhi Expressway as well, but it has changed the face of many districts. The Shaktipeeth Expressway will change the face of Marathwada and the drought-affected region of the state.' The Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway is one of the largest road infrastructure projects in the country. The proposed 802-kilometre high-speed corridor, officially known as the Maharashtra Shaktipeeth Mahamarg, will connect Pavnar in Wardha district to Patradevi in Sindhudurg, near the Maharashtra-Goa border. The project had been halted due to farmers' protests in 2024. In a note, the finance department on Tuesday raised questions over borrowing at a higher rate for the project, pointed to the financial status of the state and advised the government to rethink its Build Operate and Transfer policy for mega projects and prioritise projects by the appropriate use of available financial resources. 'Maharashtra's finance department has raised several critical points on loan guarantee extended to the Shaktipeeth Expressway. The state is staring at the potential financial mismanagement due to this project. At a time when farmers are protesting against the land acquisition for the project, such financial burden will damage the financial health of the country. It is time for the state government to rethink the project,' Supriya Sule, MP and NCP-SP working president, said. Sule said that the Maharashtra government is facing a financial crunch to provide facilities of education, health and water, but wants to move ahead with a project which would be a financial burden on the state exchequer. 'We do not want Maharashtra to get caught in financial bankruptcy. The issue needs to be raised at the national level as well,' she said. Congress MLC Satej Patil, who hails from Kolhapur and is leading the anti-Shaktipeeth expressway agitation, said that the finance department has raised questions on the financial structure of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation—it will implement the Shaktipeeth Expressway project—as well. 'It clearly shows that all is not well within the state government. There is disagreement within the state government itself over this project,' said Patil. He maintained that farmers across the state are opposing the project, and will continue to oppose it.
