Sandeep A Ashar

Since the Thackeray government took over reins in November 2019, Mehta, first as the state’s Chief Secretary and later as Thackeray’s Principal Advisor post retirement, had served as a key link between Thackeray and the bureaucracy and his political allies

According to the latest revised estimates for tax devolution to states in 2020-21, Maharashtra will now get Rs 33,742 crore as its share from the divisible pool in the ongoing fiscal, which is Rs 14,758 crore lower than the originally budgeted amount of Rs 48,500 crore.

Earlier this month, an affidavit filed by the MPSC in the ongoing Maratha quota case in the Supreme Court had triggered a major political storm in Maharashtra.

Still scrambling to raise finances to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, Maharashtra, the worst-hit Indian state, is wary that the cost of mass vaccination, if not borne by the Centre, will end up burdening the debt-heavy state’s exchequer.

Committing to increase the share of electricity from non-fossil fuel categories to 40 per cent of total capacity by 2030, the central government has launched a program to promote solar power plants across the country.

The state government earlier considered resuming the services from January, the fear of the UK variant of the novel coronavirus forced it to defer this plan.

Chairman-cum-managing director Radheshyam Mopalwar, a retired IAS officer re-employed on contractual basis, speaks to Sandeep Ashar on various aspects of the revival and the way ahead.

The Centre, which holds 50 per cent equity in the original Metro corridor, has conveyed that it won’t be in a position to contribute more than 10 per cent of the project’s construction cost.

On Thursday evening, sources said that Thackeray held detailed deliberations with his Principal Advisor Ajoy Mehta, Chief Secretary Sanjay Kumar and senior officials for finalisation of the legal strategy.

With the HC expected to hear the matter next month, Thackeray, in a bid to make a stronger case for Kanjurmarg, had on January 6 formed the chief secretary-led panel to re-evaluate the integration option and the suitability of the sites.

The Act, which was eventually repealed in 2007, had imposed a ceiling on the extent of vacant land that could be held in urban areas in order to prevent the concentration of such lands in a few hands.

Newly-appointed Mumbai Congress president Ashok (Bhai) Jagtap speaks to The Indian Express on the plans to go solo in BMC polls, the 'Mazhi Mumbai, Mazhi Congress' campaign, factionalism within the party and the promise of free water to slums.

In a move that will significantly bring down construction costs, the Uddhav Thackeray government had recently announced the slashing of applicable construction premiums by 50 per cent for all ongoing and new projects across Maharashtra till December 31, 2021.

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) had earlier issued instructions to all state units, asking them to organise simultaneous protests in this regard on January 15.

Questions are being raised over the latest approval since the Thackeray government had last year reversed approvals sanctioned by the previous Devendra Fadnavis government to these very projects.

After declaring its intent of contesting the BMC elections independently, the Mumbai Congress has drawn up a plan to regain its lost support base among voters. And to do so, it has opted for the “tried and tested” plan of wooing city’s slum voters with freebies.

The government’s latest stimulus package includes measures for lowering upfront costs of construction projects and is focussed on creating an ecosystem that aids domestic demand and building of more homes.

While RR values are market values of a property determined by the state every year for the payment of stamp duty in the course of property transaction, construction premiums payable by the developer are also linked to these values.

In a step that will significantly bring down construction costs, the Cabinet announced lowering of construction premiums by 50 per cent across Maharashtra till December 31.

The government is hoping that the rush to avail the sop fuels the property market as witnessed in the case of the previously announced stamp duty concessions.

K V Krishna Rao, Professor of Centre for Urban Science and Engineering at IIT-Bombay, will also be a part of the panel that has been asked to submit its report within a month.

While the earlier Shiv Sena-led government in Maharashtra had exempted the concert from paying entertainment duty in 1996 itself, a division bench of the Bombay High Court had set aside the old order for “non-application of mind” while remanding the matter back to the government.

Despite objections raised by the BJP and reservations of ally Congress, sources said that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is set to roll out the special package.

There is unease in the Thorat camp over the style of functioning of AICC in-charge of the state H K Patil and it is learnt that the state Congress chief has offered to step down if the situation does not improve.