MAHARASHTRA

MahaRERA is yet to clear 6,191 complaints despite the passage of six years since the implementation of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act in the state.

Though MahaRERA has been working on identifying the lapsed projects, consumers feel the complaints need to be addressed at the earliest by setting up more benches across the state and ensuring more hearings.

Data available on the MahaRERA website showed that the total number of complaints registered was over 19,000 and 12,961 have so far been disposed of.

Despite screening every newly diagnosed tuberculosis (TB) patient for Covid, the TB-Covid coinfection rate has remained under than 1% inMaharashtra.

Going by the state Health departments latest report, 709 of 1.36 lakh patients with underlying TB subjected to compulsory Covid screening between January and September this year tested positive for coronavirus, pegging the states TB-Covid coinfection rate at 0.5%.

The coinfection rate is very low compared to Covid infection rate among the general Population, which at a minimum is up to 3%.
Experts have, however, stressed on extensive studies to gauge TB patients exact vulnerability by expanding the Covid diagnosis.
Currently, TB patients are screened compulsorily for Covid, but only once. Despite TB being a chronic disease, the status of Covid infection is not captured periodically unless the patient exhibits worsening symptoms, experts have underlined.

A HISTORY of active as well as latent TB can also increase the risk of contracting the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Nearly 2 lakh people are diagnosed with TB every year in India. In the state, nearly 20,000 are diagnosed per month. In 2018, an estimated 1 crore people contracted TB worldwide.
Maharashtra started screening TB patients for Covid-19 the after Union Government-issued bi-directional screening of Covid-19 and TB started in September 2020.

Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) chairpersonSusieben Shahhas said thatNashikwould soon get a child rights park where people, in general, and children, in particular, would be informed about the rights of children.

It is important that children know what their rights are, and only then will they be able to demand or defend their rights, the chairperson observed.

The chairperson also pointed out that the child welfare committees should focus on getting child rights informers much like the Police who have informers who give crime-related information.

A month after saying it would direct theMaharashtraState Backward Class Commission (MSBCC) to collect empirical data on OBCs as soon as possible in order to restore their political reservation in local bodies, the state is yet to release funds of Rs 435 crore for the survey.
The state said the delay is because of a difference of opinion on data collection method. While the MSBCC wants to conduct a full caste census, the government feels random sampling and use of secondary data will suffice. We have asked thecommission secretary to request the MSBCCto consider the request and get back to us, said a senior official.

Another key issue is the ability to define the political backwardness of OBCs. Designing a questionnaire for this is more difficult than one which is used to establish the economic backwardness of a community. In March, the SC had struck down the 27% OBC quota for local body polls on the grounds that the combined quota of SC, ST and OBCs could not exceed the 50% cap. The SC asked for empirical data on OBCs in each local body to allow for a restoration of the quota within the 50% cap.

The state faces local body for six zilla parishads and their panchayat samitis on October 6. The State Government decided to issue an ordinance to provide for the OBC quota in rural local body polls by amending the states gram panchayat law. The quota had been quashed by the SC in March. The ordinance allows for OBC quota in rural bodies with the rider that once combined with the SC and ST reservations, the combined quota will not cross the 50% limit. Also, the OBC quota will not cross 27% of the seats, in keeping with the existing state legislation. However, theState Election Commissionsaid the ordinance would not apply to the upcoming zilla parishad polls.

Mumbai and Bangalore are out of the global top-100 listing and are presently rating at 106 and 110, respectively, in today’s QS Best Student Cities Ranking edition. While Mumbai misplaced 29 places, Bengaluru fell with the aid of 21 sites in the ninth edition of the rankings added out by way of global more excellent schooling analysts QS Quacquarelli Symonds.

Globally, the results, which allow students to evaluate one hundred fifteen premier instructional destinations, see London retain its reputation as the worlds exceptional pupil town for the 0.33 consecutive edition. It is accompanied by Munich, which rises from Fourth to Second. Seoul, which jumps from Tenth to joint Third, the bronze-medal position with Olympic hosts Tokyo.

QS ranks cities with people of at least 250,000 and at least two universities in the QS World University Rankings.

The Department for Promotion of and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has granted Maharashtra an in-principalapprovalto establish a MegaLeatherFootwear and AccessoriesCluster Parkin Ratwad, located in the Raigad district in Konkan. The allocation of grants for such a cluster signifies Maharashtras growing strength in the sector and would further revolutionize the state’s leather sector, enabling the state to take a leading position infootwearand apparel exports, said an industries department release.

The Mega Leather Footwear andAccessoriesCluster Park measuring 151 acres is expected to serve as a hub for the leather industry collaboration, innovation, and Growth by integrating manufacturers, suppliers, designers, and artisans.

Maharashtra currently ranks 8th among largest producer and exporter of leather goods in the country. The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) alone contributes to 21% of the nation’s leather exports, highlighting the state’s crucial role in the industry. The labor-intensive nature of the leather industry and its substantial multiplier effect makes it a Catalyst of EMPLOYMENT generation, with a focus on benefiting the weaker sections of Society.

The establishment of the Mega Leather Footwear and Accessories Cluster Park in Raigad will mark a milestone in Maharashtra’s economic growth trajectory.

The scheme ‘Indian Footwear and Leather Development Programme (IFLDP)’ has financial outlay of INR 1700 crore until March 31, 2026. As a sub-scheme of IFLDP, the ‘Mega Leather Footwear and Accessories Cluster Development’ (MLFACD) scheme aims to develop Leather Industries clusters to integrate forward and backward linkages and capitalize on economies of scale.

The MIDC is collaborating with Council of Leather Export (CLE) and Leather Industry development Corporation Maharashtra (LIDCOM) in the state to conduct the market research and stakeholder outreach for leather cluster development. Key highlights of the leather cluster include its proximity to Dighi Port, ample access to power, water and CETP Infrastructure and an existing industrial ecosystem. In addition, a Logistics park is also proposed near the site which will enable strong connectivity linkages and quicker fulfillment times.

Maharashtrais among the top three states in the country to have high buffer stock of coal for its seven coal-fired power stations. Jharkhand andOdishaare the two other states ahead of Maharashtra, each with a buffer stock of 12-13 days.

The current situation is in stark contrast to the struggle with buffer stock that Maharashtra faced in April this year, when demand for electricity soared and the coal with generation Plants was in short supply. With the onset of monsoon, the demand for power has reduced from 23,000 megawatt in summer to 19,000 megawatt now.

Mahagencos coal buffer stock has improved as 4.1 lakh tonne of the 30 lakh tonne to be imported has reached the state. The top Mahagenco management will continue to monitor the coal supply to avoid any shortage that the state had faced in September last year due to a significant decline in coal supply due to rain-related issues.

The escalation proposal was submitted to the state finance department by theMumbai Metro Rail Corporation(MMRC), which is implementing the 33.5km rail link betweenCuffe Paradeand Seepz, in February.

It is also learnt that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which is funding almost 60% of the total project cost, has not released funds for Metro 3 for the past year.

The Nashik (NMC) has given a work order to a private agency to set up and operate the construction and demolition (C&D) waste recycling plant at Pathradi on the outskirts of the city.
The civic body has identified around seven acres at its existing compost plant atPathardiin the city to construct the C&D waste recycling plant.

The civic body will bear a part of the construction cost. NMC is supposed to receive grants of Rs7 crore from the government, including Rs3.5 crore under the Swachh Bharat Mission and another Rs3.5 crore underthe nationalclean air programme. These will be diverted for plant construction, while the remaining cost will be borne by the private agency.

It’s almost six years to thecentral electricity authority(CEA) enacting a provision to appoint chartered electrical safety engineers to conduct safety audit and certification of electrical networks (in flats, housing societies, hospitals and commercial complexes besides industrial units) every two years.

However, shockingly states such asMaharashtraare sitting on this crucial amendment that can save lives and properties from electrical fires and fix responsibility on the owners and auditors.