YEH MERA INDIA
Austerity, my foot!
Crores spent on renovating State ministers’ bungalows
Mumbai: Austerity seems to be a thing of the past: the Congress-NCP regime has splurged more than Rs 5 crore on renovation of its ministers’ bungalow within 100 days of assuming office.
The glaring disclosure was made by the government in response to an RTI query posed by a TV news channel.
Leading the bringe was none other than Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, who has refurbished his bungalow at a cost of Rs 65 lakh. Incidentally, the proposed expenditure on maintenance of ‘Varsha’ is Rs 96 lakh.
Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal is no laggard either, having proposed an expenditure of Rs 43 lakh for renovations. Thus far, an expenditure of Rs 10 lakh has been incurred on repairing and decking up his bungalow.
Others who have not thought twice before spending taxpayers money are Revenue Minister Narayan Rane (Rs 44 lakh); power minister Ajit Pawar (Rs 29 lakh); Jayant Patil (Rs 38 lakh); Rajendra Darda (Rs 38 lakh); Balasaheb Thorat (Rs 26 lakh); Jaydatta Kshirsagar (Rs 88 lakh); Sunil Tatkare (Rs 50 lakh); Patangarao Kadam (Rs 48 lakh); and Anil Desmukh (Rs 72 lakh). Even Home Minister R R Patil who likes to project his rustic image and flaunt his rural roots, is not far behind and has spent Rs 29 lakh on renovations.
The renovations include wood flooring, wall paneling, veneering, gypsum board and false ceilings. Glazed shutters for doors, windows and partitions, polished porcelain tiles in toilets, etc.
Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackray has attacked the government for splurging so much money on renovating bungalows for ministers who hardly do any work. He said it was strange that while poverty was driving farmers and labourers to commit suicide, ministers were wallowing in a life of luxury at the cost of the taxpayer.
Mumbai: Austerity seems to be a thing of the past: the Congress-NCP regime has splurged more than Rs 5 crore on renovation of its ministers’ bungalow within 100 days of assuming office.
The glaring disclosure was made by the government in response to an RTI query posed by a TV news channel.
Leading the bringe was none other than Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, who has refurbished his bungalow at a cost of Rs 65 lakh. Incidentally, the proposed expenditure on maintenance of ‘Varsha’ is Rs 96 lakh.
Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal is no laggard either, having proposed an expenditure of Rs 43 lakh for renovations. Thus far, an expenditure of Rs 10 lakh has been incurred on repairing and decking up his bungalow.
Others who have not thought twice before spending taxpayers money are Revenue Minister Narayan Rane (Rs 44 lakh); power minister Ajit Pawar (Rs 29 lakh); Jayant Patil (Rs 38 lakh); Rajendra Darda (Rs 38 lakh); Balasaheb Thorat (Rs 26 lakh); Jaydatta Kshirsagar (Rs 88 lakh); Sunil Tatkare (Rs 50 lakh); Patangarao Kadam (Rs 48 lakh); and Anil Desmukh (Rs 72 lakh). Even Home Minister R R Patil who likes to project his rustic image and flaunt his rural roots, is not far behind and has spent Rs 29 lakh on renovations.
The renovations include wood flooring, wall paneling, veneering, gypsum board and false ceilings. Glazed shutters for doors, windows and partitions, polished porcelain tiles in toilets, etc.
Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackray has attacked the government for splurging so much money on renovating bungalows for ministers who hardly do any work. He said it was strange that while poverty was driving farmers and labourers to commit suicide, ministers were wallowing in a life of luxury at the cost of the taxpayer.
‘Tonsure protest’ by Vasai Legislator
Vasai: Vasai MLA Vivek Pandit who is on an indefinite hunger strike, in protest of the merger of 49 villages in the newly formed Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC), intensified the agitation by tonsuring his head. Pandit and other agitators including women had their head shaven outside the civic office. The municipal councils of Vasai, Nalasopara and Virar were merged in July 2009, to form the VVMC, triggering massive agitations by locals in protest of the inclusion of 49 villages in the newly formed civic body. "I would not hesitate if the fight for non inclusion of the villages would cost even my head." Pandit said after tonsuring his head.
Vasai: Vasai MLA Vivek Pandit who is on an indefinite hunger strike, in protest of the merger of 49 villages in the newly formed Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC), intensified the agitation by tonsuring his head. Pandit and other agitators including women had their head shaven outside the civic office. The municipal councils of Vasai, Nalasopara and Virar were merged in July 2009, to form the VVMC, triggering massive agitations by locals in protest of the inclusion of 49 villages in the newly formed civic body. "I would not hesitate if the fight for non inclusion of the villages would cost even my head." Pandit said after tonsuring his head.
This is Mumbai police
Mumbai: This 48-year-old businessman will never approach a police officer again. Reason: The man recently went to the local police station to register a complaint against his brother. He told the on-duty officer that he wished to file a complaint. In response, the officer started abusing him and beat him up.
Mumbai: This 48-year-old businessman will never approach a police officer again. Reason: The man recently went to the local police station to register a complaint against his brother. He told the on-duty officer that he wished to file a complaint. In response, the officer started abusing him and beat him up.
Lesson in activism
Mumbai: A series of thefts in two weeks in the same locality stuns residents. Complained to the police, who turn down their request to patrol the area. So, the residents begin policing the streets themselves. Form groups and keep vigil every night. Catch the thief and hand him over to the police.
Mumbai: A series of thefts in two weeks in the same locality stuns residents. Complained to the police, who turn down their request to patrol the area. So, the residents begin policing the streets themselves. Form groups and keep vigil every night. Catch the thief and hand him over to the police.
Husband, in-laws harass woman for giving birth to girl
Mumbai: The police have registered a case against four members of a family for allegedly harassing Almas Memon (27) because she gave birth to a girl.
The Pydhonie police have booked Memon’s husband, Salim (42), brother-in-law Javed(27), sister-in-law Shainez(38) and Shainez’s husband, Ashraf(40), for harassing her.
"My in-laws started harassing me some months after our marriage in 2002,"said Almas. "They always demanded money from me," claimed the 27-year-old. But their demands increased after she gave birth of her daughter, Muskan, in 2007.
"They wanted a boy and always used to ill-treat me for having given birth to a girl," she claimed.
"My family paid them money three to four times and tried to settle the problem," added Almas. But they continued the harassment and even assault on some occasions."
Almas alleged that they used the money to repay some loans taken previously by Ashraf.
Memon walked out of her in-laws house in December last year.
"My family tried to settle the dispute but nothing worked out," Almas added.
The police arrested Salim, Javed and Ashraf and the next day the local court remanded the trio to police custody for a day. Shainez was brought to the local court.
"The court remanded all four of them to judicial custody. The court is likely to hear their bail applications," said Jigna Dedhia, Memon’s advocate.
Mumbai: The police have registered a case against four members of a family for allegedly harassing Almas Memon (27) because she gave birth to a girl.
The Pydhonie police have booked Memon’s husband, Salim (42), brother-in-law Javed(27), sister-in-law Shainez(38) and Shainez’s husband, Ashraf(40), for harassing her.
"My in-laws started harassing me some months after our marriage in 2002,"said Almas. "They always demanded money from me," claimed the 27-year-old. But their demands increased after she gave birth of her daughter, Muskan, in 2007.
"They wanted a boy and always used to ill-treat me for having given birth to a girl," she claimed.
"My family paid them money three to four times and tried to settle the problem," added Almas. But they continued the harassment and even assault on some occasions."
Almas alleged that they used the money to repay some loans taken previously by Ashraf.
Memon walked out of her in-laws house in December last year.
"My family tried to settle the dispute but nothing worked out," Almas added.
The police arrested Salim, Javed and Ashraf and the next day the local court remanded the trio to police custody for a day. Shainez was brought to the local court.
"The court remanded all four of them to judicial custody. The court is likely to hear their bail applications," said Jigna Dedhia, Memon’s advocate.
Bihar IAS officer missing after vigilance raids
New Delhi: Citing irregularities, especially tendering defects, a Parliamentary panel has called for an enquiry and fixing of responsibility for losses of up to Rs 246 crore in selling surplus property of units under the Textiles Ministry.
It said the properties sold through the National Textiles Corporation Ltd (NTC), which was set up by the government to manage 119 sick textile mills, have failed to realize their optimum value.
"The Committee are of the considered view that the Ministry and the company (NTC) have not made any sincere efforts to realize optimum value of the properties sold," the report of the Committee on Public Undertakings presented to Parliament said.
It added, "…all the cases of loss… should be thoroughly enquired into at the highest level in the Ministry of Textiles and responsibility fixed for such costly lapses.
The Committee cited audit findings, which said that the NTC "suffered losses or lost opportunities" to earn Rs 245.97 crore on account of defect in tender documents (Rs 185.1 crore), inconsistencies in the guidelines (Rs 49.60 crore), sale below registration price (Rs 10.43 crore) and reserve price (Rs 84.35 lakh).
It said the properties sold through the National Textiles Corporation Ltd (NTC), which was set up by the government to manage 119 sick textile mills, have failed to realize their optimum value.
"The Committee are of the considered view that the Ministry and the company (NTC) have not made any sincere efforts to realize optimum value of the properties sold," the report of the Committee on Public Undertakings presented to Parliament said.
It added, "…all the cases of loss… should be thoroughly enquired into at the highest level in the Ministry of Textiles and responsibility fixed for such costly lapses.
The Committee cited audit findings, which said that the NTC "suffered losses or lost opportunities" to earn Rs 245.97 crore on account of defect in tender documents (Rs 185.1 crore), inconsistencies in the guidelines (Rs 49.60 crore), sale below registration price (Rs 10.43 crore) and reserve price (Rs 84.35 lakh).
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