MUMBAI, MARCH 22: Chief Minister Narayan Rane's assurance that he would meet the litterateurs who had resigned from various government committees and persuade them against their decision seems to have been conveniently forgotten by the government. For, today the state government told the legislature that the resignations had been accepted and there was no move to persuade the litterateurs to change their stance.As many as 13 famous poets, playwrights, and writers had resigned from government committees after Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray remarked that the Sahitya Sammelan was nothing but a market of bulls. Thackeray had added that all litterateurs were bulls and were up for sale in this market. After that, Rane had publicly said that he would meet the litterateurs and persuade them against the decision.But today, cultural affairs minister Pramod Navalkar told the Legislative Council in written reply to a related question that the government had accepted the resignations.``A total of 13 litterateurshad resigned till February 19, 1999, and all the resignations have been accepted,'' Navalkar said. The question was asked by Ranjit Deshmukh, Chhagan Bhujbal, Rajni Satav, Vyankappa Patki and others.OIL BAN: Road and Civil Supplies Minister Haribhau Bagde today informed that the ban on selling loose edible oil has been stayed till July 15, 1999. Bagde was replying a question by Ramkrishna More in the legislative council. The Union Government had on September 17, 1998 issued orders to all state governments that sale of lose edible oil be banned with immediate effect. The decision was taken as several people had died after consuming spurious edible oil in northern India last year.``The orders of the Union Government are under consideration. Different aspects like purchasing powers and habits of poor in rural areas as well as various problems faced by small scale oil producers will have to be taken into consideration before taking a final decision. Hence, the Union Government's orders have been stayed tillJuly 15, 1999,'' Bagde said.RATION CARDS: Food and Civil Supplies minister Haribhau Bagde today told the state legislature that 66 per cent applicants have been issued ration cards according to new colour code system of ration cards based on financial status of the family.Bagde was replying a question by Vyankappa Patki, Shishir Shinde, Ravindra Mirlekar and others in legislative council.``Families below poverty line are being issued yellow coloured ration cards. This will ensure that only genuine and needy buyers get adequate quota of civil supplies. Remaining families will soon get their ration cards,'' said Bagde.Replying to another question, Bagde said the Union Government had not increased the quota of civil supplies for Maharashtra. However, he said, the present quota of 60,460 tons of foodgrains was being distributed efficiently statewide.LIQUOR BAN Maharashtra government would ban sale of liquor and cigarettes near historic sites and protected structures in the state.Cultural Affairs Minister Pramod Navalkar made an announcement to this effect in the state Legislative Council responding to a supplementary by Shishir Shinde (Sena) on whether the state planned to ban the sale of above articles on the lines of the ban imposed by the temple administration of Tirupati.Meanwhile, a decision to announce Darbar Hall, Ganesh Buruj, Kaman and Kateri Praveshdwar - historical sites at the old palace of Sangli - as state protected monuments was under consideration, the minister said in his reply to a question by Shantaram Aher (Ind) and Vyankappa Patki (JD).To a query by Azar Hussain (Cong), Navalkar said that an honorarium of Rs 500-700 was being given to tamasha artistes and stated that about 12,000 artistes practised the folk art in the state.
