Mumbai: On Saturday Maharashtras, Minister of Tourism and Protocol Aaditya Thackeray questioned the BJPs campaign in schools to teach students about the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act. A day after a couple of BJP leaders visited schools in the Mumbai Matunga area, the young Shiv Sena leader tweeted to spread awareness and correct misinformation about the law that sparked protest across the country. Also, Aaditya Thackeray suggested what the Bharatiya Janata Party or any other political leader should do to help educate the students. It is ridiculous to campaign abt an Act in schools. What is the need for justification for such political campaigning, if there is no ill intent? Schools ‘ politicization must not be accepted. When politicians want to talk about gender equality, helmets, cleanliness in classrooms! The leader of Shiv Sena tweeted. The BJP is pulling out all stops to dissipate concerns about CAA’s provisions and has launched a door-to-door campaign to reach out to three crore families to clarify perceptions of the act. The Shiv Sena had supported the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha but took a sharp U-turn in the Rajya Sabha by abstaining from voting for the new law when it was introduced in Parliament last December.
A few days ago, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). Through its Mumbai-based PPP operator Garuda Amusements Park (Nagpur) Pvt Ltd, the MTDC has planned to continue the garden and add fitness, recreation, entertainment, tourism, clubhouse and business activities to the extensive 44-acre land at a cost of Rs80-100 crore. Vinay Wavdhane, the executive engineer of MTDC, told TOI that the garden will remain open on the NMC’s lines to morning walkers and visitors. “The operator was advised to start the morning walker pass system. Even the entrance fees for morning walkers will remain the same, “he said. The commitment of MTDC to walkers in the morning will prevent public criticism. In a letter to the NMC, Jan Samasya Nivaram Manch’s office-bearers feared reversal to morning walkers. Wavdhane said the developer will need to grow the garden in accordance with the design plan, which will be approved by the MTDC within two years, followed by 28 more years of operation and maintenance.” The NMC had previously developed the garden on just 19 acres, and the remaining area was in an abandoned state. Now, the MTDC will make use of the whole land. Only 0.15-floor space index (FSI) is permitted to the operator concrete construction as the entire area is reserved as a green zone. There will be no multi-level structures, therefore, and all operations will be encouraged in a green and environmentally friendly way, “he said.
It will be the first-ever PPP project from MTDC and also the first one in the state’s urban city. The MTDC is likely to earn Rs1.50 crore per year from the project without any expenditure.The MTDC would add a bike lane along the current walking track, green gym and a leisure hut in the garden according to the proposed conceptual master plan. Amphitheater, exhibition & art gallery and herbal/botanical arena will grow the urban hut of 50 commercial shops. The play area for children will be transformed into a state-of-the-art amusement park with water park, fish aquarium, food court and shops for souvenirs. Left abandoned for decades by the municipal body, the developer will build the community center with banquet halls, party lawns, 20-room resort and kitchen. There will also be a clubhouse with a swimming pool, gym, table tennis court, card room, badminton court, lawn tennis court, squash room, bar-cum-restaurant, jacuzzi, steam bath, etc.
West Nagpur MLA Vikas Thakre said the NMC would take back the garden as people lose their property once it is built by the private operator. “Every private operator would try their own advantage. The green zone and the water body will be polluted by banquet halls, lawns, club house etc. Because of low fees, families visit the garden in large numbers. For all types of activities, the operator must keep high entry fees, “he said.” The move is opposed by people residing in adjacent areas such as Verma layout, Ambazari, Pandhrabodi, etc. I’m going to talk to people and raise the issue with the government if everyone wants the NMC to continue to look after the garden, “he added.
Gold and silver prices fell for the second day in India today, as fears arose from a further escalation of tensions between the US and Iran. In the case of MCX, gold futures prices decreased by 1% to 39,725 per 10 grams, after dropping by almost 600 in the previous session. Silver prices also fell today, with MCX futures falling 1.4% to 46,713 per kg. In global markets, gold prices fell from their nearly seven-year highs after US President Donald Trump’s remarks eased fears of further US-Iran hostilities. Comex’s gold futures closed at $1,561 an ounce after rising above $1,600 for the first time in nearly seven years on Wednesday. Trump said that Iran’s missile strikes at bases in Iraq did not harm US troops and that Tehran seemed to be standing. Iran later claimed that the attacks had “concluded” for now, while Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that the country “is not seeking an escalation or a war.”
Gold may see some profit booking as a softening of the rhetoric that the US and Iran have allayed fears about a major military conflict, SMC Global Securities said in a statement.” Gold can dip down to 39,800 while taking resistance near 40,300 while silver can test at 47,000 while taking resistance near 47,500,” the brokerage said. Meanwhile, holdings of the world’s largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, SPDR Gold Trust, fell by 1.05% to 886.81 tons on Wednesday, she added.
Gold prices soared to a record high of 41,293 per 10 grams in the previous session in India after Iran retaliated for a US drone strike that killed an Iranian military officer last week, raising fears of rising Middle East tensions. Next on the Gold Trader Watch: Release of U.S. employment data by the Labor Department on Friday. Gold has made a strong start to the year, driven by rising hostilities in the Middle East. Prices have seen new highs in India over the past week in the wake of a global rally and a rupee decline against the US dollar. India imports most of its gold requirements. Prices on domestic markets include 12.5% import duty and 3% GST. Gold prices rose by about 25% in domestic markets last year, lifted by a global rally in the midst of US-China trade tensions, bribing and easing the US Federal Reserve’s monetary policy.
In the silver lining for the city’s guardians, the 2018 national crime data just released shows that Nagpur can no longer be synonymous with the’ crime capital name, which was once used by the opponents of the then Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, to corner him on the assembly floor. During a media briefing earlier this week, City Police Chief BK Upadhyay reported that there was a 10% decrease in the crime rate in 2019 compared to the previous year. The assertion was validated with the release of the 2018 crime statistics by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), where Nagpur’s position is much lower than that of most categories of serious crimes in the nation. In most of the categories, Nagpur is third in the state after Mumbai and Pune, excluding the category of’ Crime rate,’ registered under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Special Local Laws (SLL), where it has surpassed 19 such places nationwide by more than two metres. While Nagpur has a crime rate of 688.6 per lakh, Mumbai is 309.9/lakh, while Pune is the lowest (277.9/lakh) in Maharashtra. Nagpur is ranked 12th in the same category as the crime rate in India. Upadhyay said that the crimes were under control and that the numbers had both been visibly and statistically reduced.
“This is a safe city. The power is always trying to stay on its feet and to further develop the scenario, “he said. The city is number 12 in the country for rape, with 69 crimes registered in 2018, and the third in the state after Mumbai (319) and Pune (103)—making it statistically safer for women. Under Section 354 of the IPC, the city holds the 10th place in the nation with 274 offenses in the category of’ Assault on Women with the intention of insulting her modesty.’ It is third in the state after Mumbai (2,038), second in the nation, followed by Pune (406). In the category of’ Total offenses affecting the human body,’ Nagpur ranks 14th in the nation with 2,619 offences, and third in the state with Mumbai (11,585) number two in the country and Pune (2,903) ranking 12th. In the category of murder, the city is the 12th in the nation and the third in the state with 72 such crimes, one less than that in Pune. Mumbai is the fourth in the nation and the first in the state to commit 164 murders. In the category Attempt to Murder,’ the city ranks third in the state and 11th in the nation with 77 crimes, after Pune (127) and Mumbai (280). In economic offenses, Mumbai is the nation’s first with 4803 crimes, while Nagpur is the 15th with 534 crimes. Pune is the 12th in the country with 777 crimes. The city is also relatively safer for senior citizens, with 207 offenses— the sixth in the nation and the second in the state after Mumbai (1,043) at the top of the chart. Pune, with 169 crimes, is safest in the state for the elderly population as per national crime data. Nagpur is third in the state for crimes against children and sixth in the country for 538 crimes. Mumbai has the highest crime against children in the state and the second in the nation, with 2,538 crimes.
Polling for six ZPs in Maharashtra-Nagpur, Akola, Washim, Dhule, Nandurbar and Palghar (332 seats)-and Panchayat Samitis (664 seats) in their jurisdiction took place on Tuesday and the results were declared on Wednesday.
On Friday, the Shiv Sena called the election result in Nagpur Zilla Parishad (ZP), where the BJP was ousted from power by the Congress as “sensational and surprising.” Polling for six ZPs in Maharashtra-Nagpur, Akola, Washim, Dhule, Nandurbar and Palghar (332 seats)-and Panchayat Samitis (664 seats) in their jurisdiction took place on Tuesday and the results were announced on Wednesday. The BJP lost control of the ZP in Nagpur, the home district of Devendra Fadnavis and Nitin Gadkari.The BJP won only 15 of the 58 seats in the Nagpur ZP, where the Congress had a handsome 30 seats, while its ally, the NCP, had 10 seats. The editorial in’ Saamana,’ the mouthpiece of the ruling Shiv Sena, pointed out that except for Dhule, the BJP had suffered defeat in the remaining five district councils.
In these five districts, the Congress, the NCP, the Shiv Sena and Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) have done “very well,” the Marathi daily said. The editorial stated that the defeat of the BJP in the hometown of Fadnavis, the former Chief Minister, and Gadkari, the Union Minister, was “sensational and shocking” and the result shows that the rural population was “fed up” with the party.” Congress was doing well in the Assembly elections in Nagpur (held in October) and now the District Council of the BJP is wrestling,” Sena said. The paper said in Nandurbar and elsewhere that if the Congress had fought the elections in alliance with the Shiv Sena, the BJP would have been “finished.” The Senate is in power in Maharashtra in coalition with the Congress and the NCP. In the 56-member Nandurbar ZP, both the Congress and the BJP won 23 seats each, while the Sena, which had no previous presence in the Council, had seven seats.” No party can get power in the district council without the support of the Shiv Sena. The anger of losing power in Nandurbar was so much that BJP goons attacked Sena party office in Akkalkua,” the paper noted. However, despite losing in Nagpur, the BJP emerged as the single largest party in these ZP polls, winning 109 of the 332 seats on offer.
State Energy Minister Dr Nitin Kashinath Raut has been appointed as the new Guardian Minister of Nagpur, while Dairy Development Minister Sunil Chhatrapal Kedar has been given additional responsibility as Wardha District Guardian Minister.Their names have appeared in the list of newly appointed Guardian Ministers across the various districts of Maharashtra. Released by Uddhav Thackeray, Minister of State, on Wednesday.
Along with Raut and Kedar, 34 other members have also been elected Guardian Ministers in various districts.
This is the full list,
1. Pune-Ajit Anantrao Pawar
2. Mumbai City–Aslam Ramadan Ali Sheik
3. Mumbai Suburb — Aditya Uddhav Thackeray
4. Thane-Eknath Sambhaji Shinde
5. Rayagada–Aditi Sunil Tatkar
6. Ratnagiri–Anil Dattatraya Parab
7. Sindhudurg-Uday Ravindra Samant
8. Palghar-Dadaji Dagdu Bhuse
9. Nashik–Chhagan Chandrakant Bhujabal
10. Dhule, Abdul Nabi Sattar
11. Nandurbar, Adv KC Padvi
12. Jalgaon-The Gulabrao Raghunath Patil
13. Ahmednagar— Hasan Miyalal Mushrif
14. Satara–Shamrao alias Balasaheb Pandurang Patil
15. Sangli–Patil
16 of the Jayant Rajaram. Solapur-Dilip Dattatray Walse-Patil
Taking a firm stand on the broken Nagarik Sahkari Rugnalaya, the Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) canceled its lease of land on North Ambazaria. In addition, NIT also ordered the administrator to demolish the hospital building in a dilapidated state. It can be said that the hospital has been shut down since 2013.On 24 December, the chairperson of the NIT held a hearing and, eventually, on 7 January, an order was issued to revoke the lease of Nagarik Rugnalaya. The developer was asked to remove the system within the next 30 days.
Otherwise, the NIT will demolish the buildings and the expenses will be recovered from the Rugnalaya government. NIT allocated 5.482 m2 of land on the North Ambazari road to build a hospital in the 1970s on a 30-year lease. The lease included a provision that if the Rugnalaya were unable to operate the hospital, the land would be returned to the NIT. Due to several factors, the hospital was unable to operate and it was decided to hand it over to a private party. In 2007, the Rugnalaya management signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the M / S Quality Care Health Group, but it did so. 2010: In 2010,Expression of interest was invited and the Dr. Arneja Cardiology Institute was chosen to establish a modern hospital.
Dr Bhalchandra Subhedar, the city’s senior physician, had filed a PIL before the Bombay High Court of Nagpur, challenging the Development Agreement between Nagpur Nagrik Rugnalaya and Dr Arneja.The High Court quashed and set aside the deal, and subsequently the Supreme Court also dismissed the SLP filed by Dr Arneja. Since then, the hospital building has been in ruins. Dr. Bhalchandra Subhedar filed another PIL through Adv Akshay Sudame seeking the establishment of a committee to investigate and submit procedures for the re-establishment of the hospital and direction against NIT to initiate proceedings for the cancelation of the allocation of land to the Rugnalaya. On 17 December 2019, a division bench consisting of Justice Sunil Shukre and Justice Rohit Deo ordered NIT to complete a two-month investigation into the cancelation of the allocation to Rugnalaya.Pursuant to a notice given by the High Court, NIT informed the Rugnalaya of the reasons why the allocation should not be cancelled.
Gold prices in India soared to record highs today as the Iran-US conflict escalated after the Persian Gulf nation fired missiles at several bases housing US troops in Iraq. Investors are going to turn their attention to the US response. On MCX, February’s gold futures rose by 1.5 per cent or almost 630 to a record high of 41290 per 10 grams. Silver futures on MCX jumped 1.4% or almost 700 to 48,785 per kg. Gold prices are rising in times of political and economic instability.
In India, gold is beginning to scorch this year in the midst of growing tensions in the Middle East and the weakening of the rope against the US dollar, Since reporting a 25% rise in 2019. The rupee traded today at 72.01 against the US dollar in early trade. In four days, the price of gold is about 2,000 per 10 grams. In global markets, gold prices rose 2% to reach the main $1,600 mark, a nearly seven-year peak, as investors sought refuge in safe-haven metal in the midst of the worsening Iran-US crisis. Spot gold rates have risen by more than 2 percent to as much as $1,610.90. Among other precious metals, silver prices jumped 1.2 percent to $18.60 per ounce, while platinum increased 0.3 percent to $973.95. Elsewhere, palladium hit a fresh all-time high of $2,056.01 an ounce.
The Middle East crisis erupted again after Iran attacked military facilities in Iraq, hosting American troops in its first retaliatory attempt to kill a U.S. top general last week. It was not immediately clear whether there were casualties or major damage as a result of the attacks. The U.S. reported the attack with President Trump tweeting: “Missiles fired from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. The assessment of casualties and losses is now underway. So far, so strong! We have the most powerful and well-equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will make a statement tomorrow morning.”Apart from the geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, gold is likely to move further from the US monthly non-farm payroll data due on Friday, says Abhishek Bansal, Chairman of the ABans Group of Companies. The US Federal Reserve will also use payroll data to determine the policy direction in 2020, he said.Analysts say that gold prices will remain supported in the middle of the Middle East crisis. Reflecting investor sentiment, the holdings of the world’s largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, SPDR Gold Trust, rose by 0.10 per cent to 896.18 tonnes, on Monday, compared to Friday, while speculators increased their bullish positions in COMEX gold and silver contracts in the week to 31 December, according to SMC Global Securities Ltd.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray appointed guardian ministers for all 36 districts on Wednesday, with his son Aadity taking charge of the Mumbai Suburban district. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will be Ministered of State for Pune. Aslam Sheikh, Minister of Textile, will be the Mayor of the Mumbai City District. The requirements followed were that the parties which have the maximum number of MLAs in a particular district would be named to the board of directors of that district. The Shiv Sena, the Congress and the NCP are part of the Thackeray-led government. The Minister of Urban Development, Eknath Shinde, will be the guardian ministers of the Thane and Gadchiroli districts, while the Ministry of Food and Civil Supplies.PWD Minister Ashok Chavan will be in charge of Nanded and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat of the Kolhapur district.
The Union Budget 2020-2021 will be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 1 February, as the first phase of the budget meeting will begin on 31 January and will remain in force until 11 February.
The Union Budget 2020-2021 will be introduced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 1 February, as the first phase of the Budget Session will begin on 31 January and will remain in force until 11 February. The second phase of the Budget Session will take place from 2 March to 3 April. All eyes will be on Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who will be presenting her second union budget on 1 February, as many are waiting for tax relief, particularly for the middle class and people running small businesses. Many would also hope that Sitharaman will take action to put the economy on a fast track after witnessing a decline in the growth rate in the last few quarters.Nirmala Sitharaman was praised for lowering the rate of corporate tax that brought a huge and required relief to the corporate world in the country, so this time the business sector would have hoped for something similar, which seems to be dim at the moment.
