Increase In Food Subsidy Will Hike Expenditure By 15-20%
The state government’s decision to increase the scope of food subsidies to rural families in drought-hit talukas will lead to a hike in expenditure by 15 to 20 per cent between January and June next year. Also, providing employment under under the Rojgar Hami Yojana (RHY) will increase expenditure by 40 per cent.
The state government has urged the Centre to consider these aspects and quickly provide a financial aid of Rs 7,500 crore to tackle the drought situation in Maharashtra.
Source: The Indian Express
Heavy Smoke From Worli Blaze Leaves Residents Breathless, ill
While 16 fire personnel were injured dousing the fire at a pharmaceutical lab in Worli on Saturday, the smoke left residents of six buildings in the vicinity complaining of headache, uneasiness, itching in the eyes and chest pain.
According to an official from disaster management team of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), of the 16 fire personnel who were hospitalised for suffocation, six are still in KEM hospital and their condition is stable. The lab is located in a commercial building at Sadhana Mills Compound behind Worli’s BDD Chawls.
Source: Hindustan Times
Maharashtra Government Sets Target Of 1 Lakh Jalyukt Shivar Works In Over 8,000 Villages
The state government has set a target to complete one lakh works under the Jalyukt Shivar project in 8,418 villages by June 2019. The total expenditure required for completing these projects is Rs 1,500 crore.
The works will include construction of earthen and concrete stop dams, farm ponds, deepening and widening of streams and desilting of rivers, irrigated wells, check dams and canals.
Source: The Indian Express
Mumbai: Committee Stops Clearing Of Mangroves In Dastan Phata
The alleged destruction of migratory bird destination and mangroves, that was done near Dastan Phata in Uran by dumping debris, has finally stopped, following the Bombay High Court-appointed Maharashtra Mangrove Monitoring Committee's order.
Noting that Navi Mumbai-based green activists have been alleging that despite the HC's ruling on wetlands and mangroves and vociferous protests from local fishermen and environmentalists, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust — JNPT — through private contractors has been reclaiming the sprawling Dastan Phata chunk in day-and-night operation.
Source: Midday
It’s Final: Dharavi Sports Complex Will Fall Into Pvt Hands
Overruling its own Sports Directorate’s vehement objections, the state government has roped in a private firm to manage and run the Dharavi Sports Complex, officially the Rajiv Gandhi District Sports Complex, spread over 12,000 sq mt plot.
A committee headed by the Konkan divisional commissioner, Jagdish Patil, cleared the proposal to privatise the sports complex on December 26. Today (December 31), it will be officially handed over to Santa Cruz-headquartered Oscorp Construction Pvt Ltd. As per the agreement, Oscorp will bear the entire cost of maintaining the facilities, and will pocket 50% of the profits, with the rest going to the government coffers.
Source: Mumbai Mirror
Rajdhani, Shatabdi Likely To Get GPS, SOS Buttons By March
A system to enable passengers to track the movement of moving premium trains and for motormen to send distress signals during emergencies are the highlights of a Railways and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) collaboration to usher in a new age of rail technology.
The Centre for Railway Information System (CRIS) — an organisation of the Indian railways — along with ISRO will be installing Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and SOS systems in locomotives, starting with premium trains including Rajdhani and Shatabdi. The first set is likely to be installed by March 2019.
Source: Hindustan Times
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