State To Screen Over 1.95 Cr Children; Programme To Be Launched Tomorrow

Pune: The state health department is set to screen over 1.95 crore children below 18 years of age across the state and provide free follow-up treatments if required through district and tertiary level hospitals as part of a new scheme under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). Called the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), the scheme, with an estimated state budget of Rs 130 crore for 2013-14, will be formally launched at Palghar, a tribal block in Thane, on Wednesday.

The Planning Commission’s Appraisal Has Stressed On Consistent Implementation Of Reforms And Holistic Urban Renewal

Pune: Urban planners and activists have criticized the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for their inapt handling of works done under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission (JNNURM). The PMC has spent crores of rupees meant for renewal of infrastructure to cover up the backlog in the provision of basic urban services, they said.

Pune: The proposal to reserve land in merged villages for bio diversity parks (BDP) has been officially passed. But the major tasks lies ahead as the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and citizens face a stiff challenge to protect the open tracks of lands from encroachers.

The state government has clearly put the responsibility on the civic body asking it to take care of the BDPs on its own. Environmentalists, on the other hand, say the PMC should devise a mechanism to protect the land from slums. Experts say that protecting public lands, parks and water bodies has become an increasingly uphill task. Adequate involvement of people, policy makers and politicians which is most essential for effective management of common resources in the city is shrinking rapidly.

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has alleged that Bombay Dyeing and Manufacturing Company Ltd obtained approval for its modified proposal to utilise 33,545 sq m of its 41,895 sq m mill land in Dadar-Naigaon in central Mumbai for commercial development “in cahoots” with a section officer working in the Textile Department.

A 38-storey residential-cum-commercial tower is under construction on the plot, popularly known as Spring Mills.

Shubhangi Khapre:SEZs were the mainstay of the last industrial policy. Where did the government fail?

BG:The SEZ subject is based on the premise of creating an entirely new entity meant to promote exports, brought to make industry more competitive. It was perceived as “anti-farmer”. Maharashtra had started 144 SEZs. In the meantime, due to opposition, the Centre introduced tax changes and imposed minimum alternate tax and dividend distribution tax on SEZ companies. Though the SEZ concept remained, it became non-viable. The question arose what to do with the land locked in SEZs, whether it can be put to good industrial use. The new industrial policy provides an option.

Poachers have devised an ingenious way of killing tigers by electrocuting the big cats in the remote and wild areas of Maharashtra.

MUMBAI: The National Human Rights Commission ( NHRC) held a review meeting in Mumbai on Thursday.

Mumbai: The state government has contested the Rs 1,000-crore suit filed over a 400-acre plot in Borivli-Dahisar and pointed out that the Kamathia family and their attorney Jayesh Shah were guilty of disobeying a 2011 Supreme Court order.

The SC order was over constructing illegal bunds and destroying mangroves on the land. Subsequently the high court had refused to intervene in the action initiated to recover Rs 1.24 crore from Shah, which was the cost incurred by the collector for razing the bunds.

Hopes Pinned On Central Aid

Mumbai:The summer is yet to set in, but 125-odd tehsils in 15 districts across the state are already experiencing one of the worst water scarcity situations in recent years. “Our debt burden has already crossed Rs 2.56 lakh crore. We are passing through a critical period, since we will require huge funds to tackle the situation. We will require an additional Rs 3,000 crore to tackle the situation. If the Centre does not come to our rescue, it will be bad for us,’’ a senior bureaucrat told TOI on Friday.

PUNE: Citizens' groups, NGOs and educational institutions in Pimpri-Chinchwad can give suggestions and information about any environmental issues or eco-friendly projects to the municipal corporation. The suggestions will be considered by the corporation which has now started the process of preparing the environment status report for the year 2012-13.

Pimpri-Chinchwad mayor Mohini Lande and municipal commissioner Shrikar Pardeshi have urged the citizens to submit details about any environmental initiatives, explaining its nature, scope and its impact. "Citizens who are alert about the environmental impact during cultural activities, management and conservation of natural resources, use of eco-friendly techniques to save environment can also send their views and reports to the corporation," Pardeshi said.