Ajit Pawar

Strong sentiment across India to avenge Pahalgam terror attack: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday said there is a strong sentiment across the country to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 persons lost their lives. Pawar said the Indian Army will take decisive action against persons responsible for Tuesday's attack in Jammu and Kashmir, in which six tourists from Maharashtra were killed. Speaking at an event organised by the public health department here, the deputy chief minister said, "We have paid tributes to those who lost their lives in the attack, including six people from Maharashtra. There is a feeling across the country that the attack should be avenged. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken some key decisions such as suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, and all ties have been snapped with them (Pakistan)." Innocent tourists were killed in such a "cowardly attack", he said, adding that everybody has condemned the act and it should not recur. Pawar said, "I have no doubt that our Indian Army will elimin

Ajit Pawar defends Hindi in school, says Marathi still top priority

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has criticised political parties for opposing the move to make Hindi a mandatory third language for students in classes 1 to 5 in Marathi and English-medium schools across the state. He said those opposing the decision are raking up unnecessary disputes for lack of real issues. Marathi is our mother tongue and will always have first preference in the state, said Pawar on the sidelines of the inauguration of a national memorial dedicated to the Chapekar Brothers in Pimpri Chinchwad on Thursday. Hitting out at critics, Pawar said, Some people are creating disputes over the Hindi language only because they have nothing else to do. English is widely used across the country, and similarly, Hindi is spoken in many states. While there is a dispute over whether Hindi is the Rashtra Bhasha', I don't want to get into that. The Maharashtra government has decided that Hindi as a third language would be mandatory for students in classes 1 to 5 in Marathi and ...

Ladki Bahin scheme to continue, no question of scrapping it: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has said the government's flagship Ladki Bahin scheme to provide financial assistance to women will continue and that there is no question of scrapping it. Under the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, which is believed to have played a key role in the victory of the ruling Mahayuti (comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP) in the state polls last year, women are provided Rs 1,500 every month. Talking to reporters on Tuesday night, Pawar, who is also the state's finance minister, said, "The budgetary allocation for the implementation of the scheme has been made and there is no question of scrapping it." Earlier, state Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare on Tuesday said no change has been made in the amount of assistance paid under the scheme, but some 7.74 lakh women already getting Rs 1,000 under another scheme are being paid the difference of Rs 500. She was responding to media reports claiming the aid unde

Rana's extradition a big breakthrough, will expose 26/11 plot: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday termed Tahawwur Hussain Rana's extradition a major breakthrough and said it would help unravel the crucial details of the conspiracy behind the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The 64-year-old Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin, a key accused in the case, landed in Delhi in a special plane from Los Angeles Thursday evening. A special court subsequently remanded him in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for 18 days. Rana is accused of conspiring with David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani, and terrorist organisations Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HUJI) along with other Pakistan-based co-conspirators, to carry out the three-day terror siege that killed 166 people. Speaking to reporters in Pune, Pawar recalled being present in Mumbai during the 2008 attacks along with the then chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and home minister R R Patil. After the operation, we visited all the attack sites.

Kunal Kamra refuses to apologise for Shinde remark: 'I don't fear this mob'

I don't fear this mob & I will not be hiding under my bed, waiting for this to die down, said Kunal Kamra on his Eknath Shinde remark

'Derogatory statements can't be accepted': Fadnavis on Kunal Kamra row

Devendra Fadnavis pointed to the 2024 Maharashtra elections, saying that people had 'sent home' those they considered traitors and upheld the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray

NOC to be made mandatory for liquor vends in housing societies: Ajit Pawar

Ajit Pawar also told the legislative assembly that no permission to open new liquor shops has been given in the state since 1972

Maharashtra govt proposes 6% tax on EVs costing more than Rs 30 lakh

The Maharashtra government on Monday proposed a 6 per cent tax on electric vehicles priced more than Rs 30 lakh in the budget for the fiscal 2025-26. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who also holds the finance portfolio, tabled the budget and announced a 1 per cent hike in the Motor Vehicle Tax on CNG and LPG vehicles. The government has also proposed a 7 per cent tax on vehicles used for construction activities, which will generate additional revenue of approximately Rs 180 crore. The state government has proposed a 6 per cent tax on electric vehicles above Rs 30 lakh and a 1 per cent tax hike on individual-owned non-transport four-wheeler CNG and LPG vehicles. The move will generate an additional revenue of approximately Rs 150 crore in 2025-26. Pawar also announced a 7 per cent tax on light goods vehicles (LGVs) carrying goods up to 7,500 kg, which will earn the state Rs 625 crore. The government has also increased the maximum limit of the Motor Vehicles Tax from Rs 20 lakh t

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar to present state budget in Assembly today

Notably, this will be the first budget for the newly-formed Mahayuti government and Pawar's 11th Budget as Finance Minister

Maharastra's economy to clock 7.3% growth in 2024-25: Economic Survey

Maharashtra's economy is expected to grow at 7.3 per cent as per the advance estimates of 2024-25, according to the government's pre-Budget Economic Survey tabled in the assembly on Friday. The report was tabled by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar who holds the finance portfolio. The survey said the Indian economy is expected to grow at 6.5 per cent during 2024-25. In the financial year 2024-25, agriculture and allied activities, industry and services sectors are expected to grow at 8.7 per cent, 4.9 per cent and 7.8 per cent, respectively, it said. The nominal GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product) for 2023-24 is estimated at Rs 40,55,847 crore as against Rs 36,41,543 crore in 2022-23, said the Economic Survey. The real GSDP is estimated at Rs 24,35,259 crore for 2023-24 compared to Rs 22,55,708 crore for 2022-23, it said. As per revised estimates, the share of Maharashtra's nominal GSDP in the all-India nominal GDP was the highest at 13.5 per cent during 2023-24, said the survey.

Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde resigns after aide held in murder case

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis confirmed the news, saying he had received the resignation of Dhananjay Munde

Ajit Pawar calls Pune rape 'shameful,' asks cops to ensure swift arrests

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday said he has directed the Pune police commissioner to investigate the alleged rape of a woman inside a stationary state transport bus at the Swargate depot and swiftly arrest the accused. A history-sheeter out on bail since 2019 allegedly raped the 26-year-old woman inside the parked bus at the busy Swargate depot of the MSRTC in Pune city on Tuesday morning. The accused, Dattatraya Ramdas Gade (36), is on the run, police said. In a statement, Pawar, who is the guardian minister of Pune district, said the incident at the Swargate bus station is "painful, infuriating, and shameful", and the accused deserves death penalty. "The incident of rape at the Swargate bus station is extremely unfortunate, painful, infuriating and shameful to all in civilized society. The crime committed by the accused is unforgivable and there can be no other punishment for him than death. I have directed the Pune police commissioner to personally look

Ajit Pawar unclear on target of Shinde's 'don't take me lightly' remark

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday said it was still unclear who was the target of Eknath Shinde's remark that he should not be taken lightly. Addressing the valedictory session of the 98th Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan here, Pawar wondered whether Shinde meant to say that Shiv Sena-UBT should not be taken lightly or someone else. Shinde, who spoke after Pawar, did not elaborate and merely said that the "don't take me lightly" comment was a reference to an incident that took place over two years ago. "Recently, Shinde used a phrase 'don't take me lightly'. It is still not clear who was the target of those remarks," Pawar said in the presence of Shinde, who is also deputy CM, at the Talkatora Stadium. "It is still not clear whether 'Mashal' should not be taken lightly or someone else should not take him lightly," Pawar said. 'Mashal' is the election symbol of Shiv Sena-UBT led by Uddhav Thackeray. Pawar also made it clear that there was no rift within

Ajit Pawar warns contractors against submitting false bills for work

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has alleged that many contractors are submitting bills and receiving money for development works without carrying them out, warning that such practices won't be tolerated. He was speaking on Saturday at a programme in Partur in Jalna district where ex-MLA and Congress leader Suresh Jethliya joined his Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The deputy CM rued that the quality of development work remains substandard despite substantial government expenditure, and vowed to not let contractors join his party. Bills are being submitted and money is withdrawn without doing work. Don't come to my party (NCP), said Pawar, who is also the state's finance minister. He also urged government officials to do their job sincerely. The government spends crores of rupees on salaries and pensions, yet quality work is not being done. We implemented the Seventh Pay Commission, and now we will introduce the Eighth Pay Commission. Why is responsibility not being

Ajit Pawar urges people to avoid undercooked chicken amid GBS concerns

Pawar further emphasised the importance of proper food preparation

Maharashtra govt contemplating use of AI in agriculture sector: Ajit Pawar

The Maharashtra government is considering the use of artificial intelligence (AI) on an experimental basis in the agriculture sector to boost productivity and reduce production costs for farmers, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Monday. During a review meeting here, Pawar directed the state agriculture department to work with the cooperation department to assess the technical and financial feasibility of the project. State Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate, Minister of State for Agriculture Ashish Jayswal, Minister of State for Cooperation Pankaj Bhoyar, President of the All India Grape Growers Association Kailas Patil, and other senior officials attended the meeting. Pawar said, "As crucial factors like crop health, soil carbon levels and soil health can be monitored using AI, we can use it on an experimental basis in the agriculture sector to boost productivity and reduce product cost for farmers." He said the transformation has to be practical and financially viable f

Ajit Pawar warns party workers against involvement in extortion rackets

Amid the political row over the murder of a sarpanch, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday asked NCP workers in Beed district not to get involved in extortion attempts targeting development projects. Asking his party workers to maintain a "clean character", the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief said political interference will not be tolerated in the administration. His remarks come against the backdrop of the arrest of Walmik Karad, a close associate of state NCP minister Dhananjay Munde, in an extortion case linked to the murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in Beed district. The opposition has been demanding Munde's ouster in the wake of the arrest of his associate and to facilitate an impartial probe into the murder of Deshmukh. Pawar arrived in Beed on Thursday morning, his first visit since becoming the district guardian minister. Addressing a gathering of NCP workers, he said, "Maintain a clean character. Everybody should take care not to mingle with

Beed sarpanch murder: Activist Damania seeks action against Dhananjay Munde

Activist Anjali Damania on Wednesday said she would file a Public Interest Litigation and make even the chief minister a respondent if the Maharashtra government did not act against minister Dhananjay Munde within four days. Speaking to Marathi news channels, Damania, who met deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar two days ago, said she had given all necessary documentary evidence about Munde's 'nexus' with extortion case accused Walmik Karad. "I have given the government an ultimatum of 96 hours....I will wait for four days...to see if action is taken against Munde. Else I will file a PIL and make chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy CM Ajit Pawar respondents and personally liable," she said. She had provided evidence about alleged financial dealings of Karad and Munde and also about a firm in which they are partners getting a contract from a government company, she said. Munde, a leader of the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), is facing the heat since the murder of

Sharad Pawar says no party issues discussed at meet with nephew Ajit Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party (SP) president Sharad Pawar on Friday sought to downplay his closed-door meeting with estranged nephew and Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar in Pune, and asserted no issue related to their respective parties was discussed. Speaking to reporters in Kolhapur city, the former Union agriculture minister insisted discussion at the meeting solely centred around a sugar industry project. Asked about the possibility of rival NCP factions, headed by him and Ajit Pawar, coming together and if this issue was touched up in the meeting, the veteran politician asserted no party-related matter was discussed. "In the meeting, Ajit Pawar, myself and people associated with the (sugar industry) project were present," he said. The two politicians were in Pune to attend the annual general body meeting of the Vasantdada Sugar Institute (VSI), which is headed by the senior Pawar. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar is a member of the Pune-based VSI, a prominent research institute of the sugar

Jalgaon accident: Identification of bodies to be completed soon, says doc

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday said that the incident occurred after rumours of fire in the train