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Nagpur: Sheetal Ugale, president of Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT), presented its 2020-21 budget on Wednesday. The budget outlay has reduced this tax from Rs 388 to Rs 311 crore, as most Gunthewari layouts were transferred to Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). The seven street schemes of NIT in the town were also transferred to NMC.

On the expenditure side, NIT has sanctioned Rs 33 crore for 100 playgrounds in-town development. This is Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari’s dream project.

NIT is spending Rs 17 crore on road tarring and other development works. Around Rs: 4 crores will be spent on NIT Gardens plantations and garden development. In Manewada, NIT received Rs 36.68 crore from local area development (LAD) funds from local MPs and MLAs to develop e-library, Islamic cultural center, and other works.

NIT will implement the seventh pay commission for its staff and retired employees. This will result in an additional Rs 87 Crore in expenditure. The civic agency expects Rs 2 crore from Gunthewari layouts that are still with NIT but will need to spend Rs 30.45 crore on providing civic amenities in those areas.

A source in NIT said Nagpur Metropolitan Region Development Authority (NMRDA) will execute Koradi temple development, Futala multimedia show, Tajbagh dargah embellishment, Chicholi museum, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar convention center, etc. NMRDA will also build the houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

The Rs 2.36 crore is the carry forward from 2019-20 according to the budget document. NIT expects revenue of Rs 311.30 crore in 2020-21, of which Rs 118.57 crore is capital receipts, Rs 80.66 crore is revenue receipts and advances, and Rs 29.70 crore deposits are to be given.

Capital spending in 2020-21 is expected to be crore Rs 147.09, revenue spending will be crore Rs 106.70, advances and deposits will be crore Rs 54.68. The next fiscal will be spent on Total Rs 308.47 crore.

Nagpur: In an indication of the increasing popularity of Hindi plays, the ongoing competition for the 51st Maharashtra State Hindi Theater draws a decent response from amateurs of city theatre. As the number of Hindi plays being performed has increased the audience has risen. However, a’ houseful’ tag still seems a distant dream for a Hindi play.

Directors, writers and theater artists all agree that in Nagpur, where Marathi theater is dominant, Hindi theater finds its feet. However, they feel that there is still a lack of good promotion skills in Hindi theatre.

Vaidehi Chawre, the theater fest coordinator, said that although the response is decent, it has not yet been possible for the players to gain a full house. She adds, “The ongoing rivalry for Hindi theatre does not draw anticipated viewers. Perhaps due to the show slots. For example, not everyone is OK with morning shows on weekdays.

“Salim Sheik, a well-known writer, and director who works predominantly in the Marathi theatre, but also dabbles in the Hindi theatre, is pleased to see the number of good Hindi plays being staged in Nagpur increasing. “I believe that in the city there has been an increase in love and respect for Hindi theatre, and Vidarbha at large, since the last few years. There were times when it was a task to chase for a handful of good Hindi plays. Yet, there are plenty of well-written plays there now, “he said.

Agreeing with Sheik, the actor of the theatre, Lalit Ghavghave, believes there are a select few good Hindi plays that are staged, perhaps once a month or so. “Here, the Hindi people carry a Marathi essence too. I believe that Hindi plays should be promoted equally so that the audience enjoys the beauty of quality theatre in both languages, “he said.

However, Virendra Ganvir, whose play also took place in the theater competition, feels that both Hindi and Marathi plays have an equal audience set. “There are fewer people showing up for Hindi plays than the Marathi ones, but if any play carries a good story and acting, it’s always going to outshine,” he said.

There are more factors at play than just the language in promoting Hindi theatre in the city. “Government must choose appropriate timings before planning any Hindi competition at the state level. No one will take leave, during office hours, to watch a play at 12 noon, “Salim Sheik added.

Writer-director Shital Dodke feels that choosing appropriate centers will also promote the smooth staging of these plays, “The plays are usually held at different centers. Despite the increase in viewership, are we gaining enough viewers? For such contests it needs further publicity and an adequate season, “he said.

Chamber of Small Industry Associations(COSIA), Vidarbha Chapter requested the allocation of parcels for expansion to existing MSME units in MIDC areas on a priority basis in the Memorandum of Issues on Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises submitted to Shri Ashok Dharmadhikari, Jt Director of Industries, Nagpur, which was also set up by Mr. Sanjeev Kumar in the District Level Coordinating Committee(DLCC),

The Memorandum stated that existing industries, which have been established for so many years and need to expand their activity with the need for small pieces of land in their area, have either been denied or their application retained or primarily rejected or are requested to move to another area where they have been entertained as allocations for new proposals with enormous land requirements

The only matter related to MIDC for Minimum 40% BCC Requirement For New Allottees was discussed. While MIDC granted a stay and exempted the old allottees from that clause, COSIA urged the authorities to consider the new cases on the basis of the type of industry rather than requiring all the occupants to comply with that clause, since the industrial requirement of construction differs from that of the building. In the case of heavy manufacturing industries, open space is needed to carry out their manufacturing activities in open space. There are industries that need open space for convenience to store their heavy and bulky raw material/finished goods in open space.

The issue of garbage disposal in the MIDC region was also highlighted in the memorandum, since the MIDC areas in Hingna, Butibori, Kalmeshwar and other parts of Vidarbha are deprived of regular garbage disposal and cleanliness, while industry regularly pays MIDC maintenance fees and Gram Panchayat taxes as well. All authorities shift responsibility on each other’s shoulders & the environment remains unclean & unhygienic.

In addition, the drainage system in MIDC areas in this region has an ancient Soak Pit system that needs to be replaced with a drainage pipe system to avoid barbaric scavenging of humans.

The memorandum demanded that ESIS Hospital in Hingna and Butibori Industrial Area Industrial Areas be pending for a long time, but the demand has not been met so far. Also, the basic amenities in Kalmeshwar Industries Areas are long pending & supply of basic amenities such as state transportation bus facilities for employees working in Kalmeshwar Industries City, Parking Area, CCTV Camera at prominent locations and daily 24×7 water supply must be introduced on a top priority basis.

Bye Pass Road on Central MIDC Road connecting Wadi & Hingna MIDC area needs to be made operational on a warfare basis as Wadi and Hingna Industrial commuters are currently using the main Ambazari-Hingna road to enter their respective regions. It road has heavy traffic movement due to the presence of schools, colleges and hospitals all along its path and the passing of this route by Metro Rail will further aggravate the traffic problem on this route in the future.

To address this serious problem there is a by-pass road on the Central MIDC road connecting the industrial area of Hingna and Wadi, only a small patch of 3000 sq.mtrs (12025 meters) of this road is currently in the possession of Ordinance Factory, Ambazari. This is an earlier portion of Railway Track used by O.F. Now it is of no use to them and the whole stretch of the balance has already been turned over to N.M.C., only this small patch remains with them for lack of proper O.F. approach/negotiation. And authority to the MIDC.

CETP in MIDC Hingna Area is part of the development of infrastructure that MIDC is carrying out in the newly developed industrial area, Hingna MIDC Area, which is one of the oldest and most important industrial areas of the state. CETP has become a basic necessity for any industrial area over a period of time and it is really necessary for MIDC Hingna.

Employers are required to deduct professional tax above 10,000/-per month from the employees ‘ salary draw. In the current scenario, even an unskilled worker’s minimum wages are more than 10,000/-per month. That means workers on pay are all required to pay a professional tax of 150/-per month. For industries, this is not only cumbersome but also anti-labor. This is a long-overdue concern that needs to be addressed urgently, the memorandum said.

Mr. Mayank Shukla & CA Julfesh Shah submitted the memorandum and urged the authorities to take immediate action to address these important industry issues. Also present was Shri. G.O.Bharti, GM DIC.

Nagpur: None of the rattling Maoist and police guns, nor the acute backwardness of her native village, nestling deep in the forest on the border of the Maharashtra-Chattisgarh border, could sway Komal Madavi’s determined steps.

The daughter of a farmer’s father and mother, who is a nurse at a primary health center (PHC) in the Maoist-affected district of Gadchiroli, 22-year-old Komal became the first woman doctor of the Madia tribe, one of three tribal groups identified as particularly vulnerable in the State.

Komal, a student at Yavatmal Shri Vasantrao Naik Government Medical College and Hospital, gained that distinction when the results of her final year were announced earlier this month. Her younger sister, Payal, who is studying at GMCH Nagpur, will probably follow her feat in another two years’ time.

Komal’s vision now is to open a hospital in her village that is suffering from backwardness owing to Maoist issues. “I’ve seen how my own people are suffering from even getting basic medical facilities which have always pushed me to become a doctor. Another motivation was my mom being a nurse. During my early days during school, I still wrote an essay or prepared a speech about my dream of becoming a doctor. Soon, it had started running in my blood, “an elated Komal said aspires to become a surgeon.

The siblings originate from a village where people still struggle for basic amenities and poor infrastructure. Solitary bus service is available and the nearest railway station in Telangana state is more than 100 km away. It has a small PHC to cater to the local population’s medical needs. Sironcha is more than 45 km from the nearest town and 230 km from district headquarters. The place had to be turned into a fortress during 2019 national and state elections so voting could take place.

Komal, who studied at ZP school in her village till Standard IV, would only speak Madia language when she was admitted to Dharmarao High School in Sironcha in Standard V as her mother was transferred to the new place from Zinganur. The first of many difficulties she faced was learning Marathi. She scored 84% in her board review despite the odds.

Kasa, a school dropout after Standard VII, Komal’s father may not have an academic background, but he nurtured a dream for his elder daughter. His decision to send Komal for higher secondary education in Nagpur meant another fight for her. The girl had to adapt to the life of the city and fight home-sickness too. This took a toll on her board exam score.

It also reflected in her National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) performance which she was unable to clear in 2013. “I wanted to quit but I was egged on my father. I managed to crack that easily in 2014, “Komal recalled.

Komal’s acceptance of their district’s Maoist movement is positive. “They may have been around me but never even once came in my way or bothered my family. Unlike anywhere else, one has to come here to see and feel the serene nature, the beautiful villages, and forests… Gadchiroli is more than just Maoists,’ she said.

Nagpur: MSEDCL submitted a petition to the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) calling on the Commission not to impose penalties on it for failure to meet renewable energy goals by 2022-23. Despite repeated efforts by MSEDCL to procure power through renewable energy sources, the discom claimed that it did not receive bidders ‘ responses.

MSEDCL had a previous proposal from the Commission to increase the solar target to 13.5 percent from the existing 2.5 percent by 2024-25. The discom contended it was pretty stiff, and that it would not be able to achieve it despite best efforts. By 2024-25 total solar capacity of 12,500 MW would be required to reach the target against the current 4,200 MW capacity. It takes a lot of time to expand the capacity through the competitive bidding process and there were many other factors beyond its control, the discom had said.

The company had floated offers a few weeks ago to buy 1,350MW with a cap of Rs3.15 per unit but only got bids for 5MW. The discom elevated the maximum price for attracting producers. It raised the cap to Rs3.30 per unit, and the tender floated again. Through this petition, MSEDCL urged MERC to revise the ceiling tariff rate for 11 kV-level solar projects with capacity 2 to 10 MW. The hearing on this petition was expected to be held on February 18th but has been indefinitely postponed.

On the one hand, by introducing an unprecedented grid support charge (GSC), MSEDCL is unable to reach its solar goal and on the other, by opposing customers on the solar rooftop.

Nagpur: It is illegal to transport rods, pipes, bamboo and other goods that protrude from the body of a vehicle. However, the traffic police are allowing such vehicles to ply freely. A challan is issued at most. As should be the case, the vehicle is not stopped from any further journey.

Traffic police deployed to Japanese Garden Square on Monday morning caught a vehicle with iron frames and tin sheets jutting out of it. The driver was given a challan by two cops but allowed him to take his vehicle. The iron frames on both the front and rear sides were jutting. According to law, the content should be contained within the vehicle’s body and a red sign should be on the back to alert other motorists. There was no such sign on that vehicle.

In accordance with the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, it is a punishable offense under Section 190(2), with a fine of up to Rs2,000 and provision to detain the vehicle as well. Sadar zone traffic police have just issued a challan for Rs200.

With TOI in mind, the cop admitted vehicles carrying material should not be allowed to ply until the goods are unloaded. He could not justify why the vehicle was allowed to move on without unloading the goods. Drivers took advantage of this practice as they could not be fined again by the traffic police on the same day for the same offense.

TOI also noticed a cycle rickshaw carrying bamboo that crossed busy Bole Petrol Pump Square on Amravati Road in a similar way. The rickshaw puller sprang the red signal, too.

Deputy commissioner Chinmay Pandit has always taken action against such vehicles by the traffic police. In 2019, 63,514 vehicles were penalized either for loading goods that exceeded vehicle height or for having goods jutting out.

Traffic activists say that is not sufficient. In addition to being a danger to other road users, particularly two-wheeler riders, allowing drivers to transport goods in such an unsafe way is also a contempt for the order of apex court.

Pandit admitted that such vehicles should not be permitted to ply and be assured of looking into the matter.

Nagpur: In schools, children learn how to make the best of waste. But in a workshop organized by South Central Zone Cultural Centre (SCZCC), city-based artists and painters took the concept to a high level with creative minds making some of the finest pieces of art.

The center has come up with an innovative idea where scrap and unnecessary items are collected in different organizations and offices to make the best out of the waste. The workshop, titled’ Scrap Workshop,’ will be held at SCZCC from 22 to 28 February. Students and artists demonstrate the best of their ability to produce beautiful objects.

Milind Limbekar, a painter and artist, has taken on the task of using scrap wood to make a huge selfie frame. “I’m working on making a major selfie point that will mimic Nagpur oranges, Zero Mile horses and many more. Hard to do wooden work was a bit difficult but the process was enjoyable, “he said.

Another artist who participates in the workshop, Manoj Chopade, has made a feminine figure of a Bharatanatyam dancer. “I used full scrap metal to piece together the figure. I added descriptions of the dancer’s dress pleats and stance, “he said.

Raw and scrap material such as halogen lights, sheets of metal, and spotlights are given to the artists who make the best of it. “I made a kinetic sculpture for which I used material for the medium metal scrap. Local artists have a great opportunity to show creativity through the craft, “Shekhar Tandekar said.

Students from the fine arts department support these artists and also learn the skills of precision creating these humongous objects. “It was a very successful session, as we are assisting the artists. Every day, we are learning new things, “said fine arts student Nilesh Varbhe.

The event is coordinated by Shashank Dande, program officer at SCZCC, with Muktadevi Mohite, head of the fine arts department. Scarp material is made available to the artists.

Dande said, “This is a great opportunity for fine arts department students as they spend quality time learning and understanding the art. Artists have teams of students and helpers who see to weld and arrange, “he said.

“The laboratory aims to teach people about the importance of turning waste material into eye-catchy artistic pieces of art. Scrap material was collected and provided to the artists whose creative minds immediately began making the best out of it, “Mohite said.

Nagpur: Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan gives youth who take part in its various initiatives a new identity and strength. It also makes them feel proud to be an India, said Parliament member Dr. Vikas Mahatme, Rajya Sabha.

He inaugurated the National Integration Camp under the’ Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat ‘ campaign today at Mission India campus on Nagpur’s Khadgao Hill. This camp, which runs from 21 to 25 February 2020, was organized by Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYAS). At this camp over 300 youth from around 14 states have gathered to display their cultural talent.

Mr. Udaybir, District Youth Coordinator, gave the outline of the 5-day camp. Yuva Kendra Nehru, Nagpur. Mission India Manager Dr. Regi Lukas said, “We’ve got one life and we’ve got to make the best of it,” and he also said how we can contribute to the development society and the nation as well.

Sharad Salunkhe, Deputy Director, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, Maharashtra, and Goa; Hitendra Vaidya, Coordinator of District Youth, Nehru Yuva Kendra, Bhandara; Snehal Basutkar, Coordinator of District Youth, Nehru Yuva Kendra Amravati; Shivdhan Sharma, Coordinator of District Youth, Nehru Yuva Kendra, Wardha; Shruti Dongare, Coordinator of District Youth, Nehru Yuva Kendra, Gondiya. Mr. Hitendra Vaidya, Manager for Youth in the District. Nehru Yuva Kendra, Bhandara delivered a thank you vote.

Nagpur: Only 3% of all Earth’s water is fresh and fit for consumption. Of this, 68.7 percent are in the form of glaciers, 30%  are groundwater and only 0.3% are readily available surface water in the form of lakes and rivers, said Sandeep Shirkhedkar, an alumnus of the Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology and state government consultant on Saturday.

Having given a lecture on’ Rainwater harvesting urban and rural water conservation systems,’ organized by the Chitnavis Centre’s Eco Club, he said that everyone should act responsibly and use water wisely.

He said, “Northern India’s groundwater supplies are being depleted according to a NASA satellite survey. That is a grave situation. By the year 2040, one in every four children will thirst, according to WHO. We have entered a situation today where we draw 300-year-old water from the confined groundwater table aquifer. Do we have the right to do this, “he ordered.

Speaking of Nagpur, he said, “A sample study of the rainfall in the city has revealed that it has been the same since the last 20 years (1000 mm). The amount of rain falling is the same but the strength is rising. According to him, all of Nagpur’s monsoon water will fall at this pace in just 10 days.” Shirkhedkar pointed out that the world’s next war is likely to be for water.

“There are so many conflicts between nations, governments, villages and even families over the water. Water usage needs to be optimized. “He concluded the solution to the water crisis lies in building large reservoirs. “Apart from large reservoirs, river linking, small reservoir construction, river diversion, watershed management, water use optimization, community and individual initiative will go a long way.

“Shirkhedkar has designed a wide variety of large and small conservation projects. He spoke about rainwater harvesting, habitat protection, conservation systems, water treatment, do’s and don’ts, people’s participation and numerous case studies.