Data available with The Indian Express showed that out of the 2,60,189 applications received for ex-gratia claims, the state has approved a total of 1,96,680, disbursing a whopping Rs 966.375 crore so far against the initial estimation of Rs 700 crore. (File)Mumbai, Maharashtra News Live Updates (August 12): Against the state government’s official Covid-19 death toll of 1.48 lakh, the number of applications approved for ex-gratia payment of Rs 50,000 for Covid-19 casualties has exceeded by 32 per cent. Data available with The Indian Express showed that out of the 2,60,189 applications received for ex-gratia claims, the state has approved a total of 1,96,680, disbursing a whopping Rs 966.375 crore so far against the initial estimation of Rs 700 crore. The discrepancy between approved applications and the state’s official toll is because of the Supreme Court’s expansion of the denotation of Covid-19 death.
In other news, the Eknath Shinde-led government has cancelled a few more appointments made by the Uddhav Thackeray government. On Thursday, an order issued by the cooperation department cancelled the appointment of Shahaji Kshirsagar as the president of the state accounts committee for cooperatives.
Meanwhile, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is setting up nine mini waste-to-energy or biomethanisation plants with the capacity to process two metric tonnes (MT) of organic waste per day. These will be located across Mumbai with the aim to help reduce wet waste going to the Deonar and Kanjurmarg dumping grounds. At present, Mumbai sends about 6,500 MT of waste to the two dumping grounds, and has been planning decentralised waste management and segregation at each ward.
The Jalna Municipal Council (JMC)'s chief officer has suspended a clerk of the civic body and instituted a departmental inquiry against three other officials for alleged irregularities in collection of fines of Rs 18 lakh during the coronavirus pandemic, said a senior official on Thursday.
The chief officer has also ordered registration of a police complaint against the suspended clerk, Santosh Agnihotri, he said.
The three erring officials who will face departmental inquiry are deputy chief officer Mahesh Shinde, store keeper Raju Jogi and office superintendent Vijay Phulambrikar, said the senior official. (PTI)
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday visited Dare, his village in Satara district, for the first time since occupying the top post of the state. He was accorded a warm welcome by the villagers.
"I have come to my native village for the first time after taking charge as chief minister. I am overwhelmed by the affection showered on me by the people of the village," he said.
There is a big scope for tourism in this western Maharashtra region and the state government will take steps to promote tourism in the area, Shinde said.
Asked about the allocation of portfolios, Shinde said it will happen soon. "Questions were asked when the cabinet expansion will take place. Like the cabinet expansion happened, the allocation of portfolios will also take place soon," he said. (PTI)