Mumbai, July 4 (IANS) Deputy Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said that the state’s economy is now worth half-a-trillion dollar, and it is growing “very fast”.

Speaking in the state council, Fadnavis said: “Maharashtra consistently ranked number one in attracting investments during 2014-19 and has again regained the number one position during the MahaYuti rule.”

His statement assumes significance as the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led state government has set an ambitious target to become a $1 trillion economy by 2028.

Devendra Fadnavis said that the state has been leading in various fields, especially when the state government has been implementing schemes for the common people in various sectors such as industry, employment, agriculture, youth, and the underprivileged.

Fadnavis denied the Opposition’s claim that the diamond industry has moved to Surat from Mumbai, which is the diamond manufacturing and export hub.

“There is a difference in the functioning of Surat Diamond Bourse and Bharat Diamond Bourse in Mumbai. Surat is a manufacturing hub, while Mumbai is a manufacturing and export hub. Not a single industry has moved to Surat from the hub of Mumbai. India’s gems and jewellery exports, worth $38 billion, come from Mumbai alone, which is 75 per cent of the total exports. Almost 97 per cent of the total exports of polished diamonds take place from Mumbai,” he said.

Fadnavis said that the government has given revised administrative approvals to 121 irrigation projects, saying that the excess water flowing will be put to use through the river linking project.

He said that the development of the Rs 76,000 crore Vadhavan port recently cleared by the Union Cabinet will boost economic growth.

–IANS

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Kolkata, July 3 (IANS) The office of West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose on Wednesday sent a communique to state secretariat of Nabanna seeking disciplinary action against the District Magistrate and District Superintendent of Police of Darjeeling district, and the Commissioner of the Siliguri City Police on charges of breach of official protocol.

Raj Bhavan sources said the Governor was in Siliguri for quite some time on Tuesday.

As per the protocol, if the Governor makes an official visit to any district, the concerned District Magistrate, DSP, or Police Commissioner should come and meet him.

However, the sources said that despite informing the state secretariat about the Governor’s scheduled visit to Siliguri 24 hours in advance, neither the District Magistrate nor any senior police officer were present when he reached Siliguri and headed to the Circuit House.

The sources also pointed out that despite the Governor spending a few hours at the Circuit House, none of the three senior administrative officials came and met him there.

From Siliguri, the Governor was supposed to go to Chopra in North Dinajpur district to meet the women who were mercilessly beaten up by a local Trinamool Congress leader running a kangaroo court there.

However, later the Governor cancelled the trip to Chopra and went back to Delhi from Siliguri.

–IANS

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Mumbai, July 3 (IANS) Deputy Maharashtra Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday announced a Rs 5 lakh assistance each from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to the families of the deceased in the Lonavala waterfall tragedy.

To prevent such accidents in the future and to dissuade citizens from visiting unfamiliar and risky spots, Ajit Pawar also instructed all district collectors and district police chiefs in the state to take necessary measures, including placing warning boards.

Assembly member Chetan Tupe had raised the issue of providing assistance to the families of the victims and implementing safety measures at dangerous locations.

In his reply, Pawar stated that the accident near the Bushi Dam was unfortunate and funds will be made available through the District Planning Committee to implement measures to prevent such accidents.

With this fund, warning boards will be placed at potentially dangerous spots, fences will be erected, and nets will be installed for safety.

Information boards will be placed at tourist-frequented places, and safety measures will be implemented, said Pawar.

Five persons including a woman and four minor kids, were washed away in a waterfall and drowned downstream in a reservoir, at the famed hill station of Lonavala in Maharashtra.

–IANS

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Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), July 3 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and actor Pawan Kalyan on Wednesday said he will stay away from film shoots for three months.

Addressing a public meeting in his Assembly constituency Pithapuram, he said that whenever possible, he would give one or two days for film shoots.

When his fans shouted “OG” (the name of his upcoming film), Pawan Kalyan asked them if they thought he would have time to act in movies.

“I have to make sure that you don’t abuse me for not even filling potholes on roads. That’s why I have to first do what I promised. Otherwise, you will ask me ‘Kiya Ji’ we elected you and you are doing ‘OG’,” the Tollywood star said amid loud cheers by the crowd.

The Jana Sena leader said he apologised to producers about not being able to do film shoots. “I told them I will serve people of Andhra Pradesh and whenever possible, I will do shoots for 2-3 days without disrupting the work,” he said.

Pawan Kalyan raised the curiosity of his fans with the remark that “OG” would be a good movie.

With Pawan Kalyan and Priyanka Mohan in lead roles, the film also stars Emraan Hashmi in his Telugu debut. The action thriller is written and directed by Sujeeth.

Pawan Kalyan is on his first visit to Pithapuram after his victory in the elections and after assuming office as the Deputy Chief Minister. On Monday, he announced that he would not accept his salary and any special allowances, including new furniture for his office, considering the precarious financial condition of the state.

At the public meeting on Wednesday, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the people of Pithapuram have given him the strength to have a say in national politics. He claimed that no political party in the country has achieved a 100 per cent strike rate. The Jana Sena won all 21 Assembly and two Lok Sabha seats it contested.

“Some people said they will not allow Pawan Kalyan even to cross the Assembly gate. People of Peethapuram took this seriously. TDP leader Varma said Pawan Kalyan will not just cross the Assembly gate but will break the gate to enter. His words have come true,” he said.

Pawan Kalyan said many people wanted him to take the Home portfolio but considering Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of gram swaraj, he took the Panchayat Raj Department.

“I don’t need bribes. I told officials to make sure that funds are not misused. I pay taxes on my income. Now, since this is your money, I am seeking details from officials about every rupee. I am controlling expenditure in my department,” he said.

Pawan Kalyan holds the portfolios of Panchayat Raj, Rural Development & Rural Water Supply, Environment, Forest, and Science & Technology.

–IANS

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Mumbai, July 3 (IANS) The proposed world-class Mumbai Central Public Park, first of its kind in the country’s commercial capital, will come up on 300 acres of land in the Worli area of south Mumbai, officials said here on Wednesday.

The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that it would comprise 120 acres land acquired from the Mahalaxmi Race Course and around 175 acres from the Mumbai Coastal Road Project (MCRP).

Proposed to be designed on the lines of the New York Central Park, it would be a lush green haven flanked by a concrete jungle of skyscrapers on two sides and the Arabian Sea.

On Tuesday evening, the state government accorded consent to renew the lease agreement on 91 acres of the 211-acres Mahalaxmi Race Course for 30 years, after its earlier lease of 99 years expired around 10 years ago.

The lease agreement with the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, Sanjog Kabre, Prashant Gaikwad, Vinayak Vispute, RWITC’s K.N. Dhunjibhoy, Dr. Ram Shroff, Dilip Thakkar, Niranjan Singh, and others.

“The development of MCPP will enhance Mumbai’s international stature and add to the city’s green cover from 3,917 acres to 4,212 acres, contributing significantly to enhance the environmental conservation efforts,” remarked Shinde.

The oval-shaped Mahalaxmi Race Court, with a racing track of 2.40 km is part of Mumbai’s history, heritage and ranks among the best in the country, currently enjoying a Grade II-B Heritage status.

Situated on land donated by the textile tycoon Sir Cusrow N. Wadia, it came up in 1883 but later the BMC had leased it to the RWITC on a 99-year-long lease that ended in May 2013, which is now renewed for another 30 years till May 2053.

After 2013, the BMC had actively pursued to repossess the huge tract of 211 acres for a larger public cause, and after a consensus to resolve the contentious issue, the RWITC got a chunk of 91 acres, and the rest has returned to the civic body.

The BMC is preparing to transform the 120 acres plus the 175 acres of the MCRP into an international level green oasis in south Mumbai, as it is specifically mandated for public use.

–IANS

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