State governmnent has received Centre's approval for giving cash subsidy in lieu of kerosene quota through public distribution network, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anil Deshmukh has said.

The Direct Transfer of Cash Subsidy (DTCS) scheme proposes to transfer the subsidy component of kerosene price to the beneficiary's account enabling him to buy it in open market.

Even as just six per cent of the city’s area is reserved for open spaces as per the development plan, a recent study shows that over 60 per cent of these spaces are in reality not open and accessible to the common man.

As per a study funded by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), there are a total of 3,246 existing and proposed open spaces in the city as marked in the development plan of 1991. However, only 1,247 of these spaces are accessible to the public.

Despite expansion of private and public healthcare services in the city, the number of maternal deaths seem to be on the rise.

As per data collated by the civic body’s public health department, the number of maternal deaths have jumped 13 per cent to 239 in 2011 from 211 in 2010. The maternal mortality rate, which reflects the number of maternal deaths per 1,000 women has gone up to 1.4 in 2011 from 1.1 in 2010. This number was much lower at 0.8 in 2009.

After a year of partial respite from rising air pollution during last year, the city has seen a sharp rise in the level of air pollutants this year.

Extensive public and private construction and other related activities have led to a a rise in the level air pollution, according to the Environment Status Report (2011-12) of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The report also shows that levels of toxic pollutants like sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and suspended particulate matter (SPM) and ammonia (NH3) have increased drastically in all six BMC monitoring sites.

New Delhi In a major reprieve for developers in Maharashtra, a division bench of the Supreme Court passed an interim order on Tuesday allowing them to pay value added tax (VAT) till October 31, adding the amount would be refunded if the developers win the case.

The Supreme Court passed the interim order while hearing a special leave petition filed by the Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry and Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India (MCHI-Credai) and Credai-Pune against the levying of 5% VAT by the Maharashtra sales tax department.

Even as the city’s development authority hopes to complete the already delayed Wadala-Jacob Circle Monorail corridor by the end of next year, it is yet to secure space to set up the supporting infrastructure, such as sub-stations, staircases and fire-fighting rooms.

The plots identified by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to set up this infrastructure belong to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

A nine-member working group will examine the ecology expert panel report

The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel report, submitted by ecologist Madhav Gadgil last year, was further delaying the Rs 30,000-crore refinery project of Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) in Maharashtra, a senior official of the state-run oil marketing firm said. The project has already been delayed due to bureaucratic red tape.

The National Committee in Solidarity with Jaitapur Struggle — a group of like-minded political people opposed to setting up nuclear power projects — has asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to cancel the proposed plant in the coastal town of Maharashtra.

Citing concerns over the safety of the proposed reactors at Jaitapur and the financial credentials of the French company building them, the Committee has said the Centre and the Maharashtra government do not seem to have paid due attention to the serious objections raised by experts, parliamentarians, public figures and the local people.

With the monsoon not showing any signs of improvement, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday declared 123 talukas in the State as drought-hit.

The decision was taken here during a meeting of the Cabinet. The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, especially focused on the setting up of fodder camps in the affected villages. Officials said the State Relief and Rehabilitation Department identified the drought-hit areas according to norms stipulated in the Drought Prone Areas Programme.

New Delhi The Centre has sought details from the Maharashtra government about reasons for cancelling the licence of private seed firm Mahyco to sell Bt cotton seeds in the state.

The Union Agriculture Ministry has also asked Mahyco to submit its views, a senior government official said. On August 8, the state government had issued an order cancelling the licence of Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company (Mahyco) to sell Bt cotton seeds with immediate effect, following various complaints against the company for creating artificial shortage and charging higher prices.