Maharashtra Govt Tries to Make Hay While Sun Shines
Ahead of assembly elections, the Maharashtra government seems to be in a hurry. Barely a day after announcing some major decisions, the state cabinet yesterday decided to open its coffer for more spending. Prominent among these decisions was to privatise five airports in the state. The government might have thought that people will fail to notice the significance of choice of these airports. Three of these airports fall in the assembly segments of three prominent leaders of ruling party.
According to cabinet decision, privatisation of airports at Latur, Baramati, Osmanabad, Nanded, and Yavatmal, which are currently operated by Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) will be done by Reliance Airports Developer Ltd. (RAD) For airports at Yavatmal, Nanded and Latur, RAD had quoted Rs 27 Crores while for other two airports it was Rs 36 Crores. In lieu of this amount, RAD will get custody of land measuring 601.56 hectares with additional properties for 95 years.
"Reliance Airport Developer bid of Rs 27 crore for Nanded and Latur and Rs 36 crore for Baramati and Osmanabad airports were highest and MIDC was granted permission to accept it," an official release said.
It is to be noted here that Nanded is home constituency of chief minister Ashok Chavan. Likewise Latur is home to former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Baramati is home to union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar. While Chavan and Deshmukh belong to Congress party, Pawar heads Nationalist Congress Party. That these airports were chosen for the privatisation points to the ploy of the state leadership as much as possible to appease their vote bank. The announcement for state assembly elections is expected any day. Once it is done, no leader will be able to make new announcement. Hence everybody is in hurry to declare sops.
As regards Nanded, barely two months ago, Chavan had organised a meeting with the farmers near Nanded city who were protesting against the acquisition of their lands. When Deshmukh was chief minister, government had tried to acquire the lands but failed in doing so. Farmers were demanding a much higher price and had even resorted to pelting stones at the MIDC officers went for the discussions. Facing a stiff opposition, Deshmukh had discarded the move but Chavan, being from Nanded himself, was confident of resolving the issue.
At present, the air service from Nanded reaches to Latur and Mumbai. But reportedly the service attracts not much response.
Ahead of assembly elections, the Maharashtra government seems to be in a hurry. Barely a day after announcing some major decisions, the state cabinet yesterday decided to open its coffer for more spending. Prominent among these decisions was to privatise five airports in the state. The government might have thought that people will fail to notice the significance of choice of these airports. Three of these airports fall in the assembly segments of three prominent leaders of ruling party.
According to cabinet decision, privatisation of airports at Latur, Baramati, Osmanabad, Nanded, and Yavatmal, which are currently operated by Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) will be done by Reliance Airports Developer Ltd. (RAD) For airports at Yavatmal, Nanded and Latur, RAD had quoted Rs 27 Crores while for other two airports it was Rs 36 Crores. In lieu of this amount, RAD will get custody of land measuring 601.56 hectares with additional properties for 95 years.
"Reliance Airport Developer bid of Rs 27 crore for Nanded and Latur and Rs 36 crore for Baramati and Osmanabad airports were highest and MIDC was granted permission to accept it," an official release said.
It is to be noted here that Nanded is home constituency of chief minister Ashok Chavan. Likewise Latur is home to former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Baramati is home to union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar. While Chavan and Deshmukh belong to Congress party, Pawar heads Nationalist Congress Party. That these airports were chosen for the privatisation points to the ploy of the state leadership as much as possible to appease their vote bank. The announcement for state assembly elections is expected any day. Once it is done, no leader will be able to make new announcement. Hence everybody is in hurry to declare sops.
As regards Nanded, barely two months ago, Chavan had organised a meeting with the farmers near Nanded city who were protesting against the acquisition of their lands. When Deshmukh was chief minister, government had tried to acquire the lands but failed in doing so. Farmers were demanding a much higher price and had even resorted to pelting stones at the MIDC officers went for the discussions. Facing a stiff opposition, Deshmukh had discarded the move but Chavan, being from Nanded himself, was confident of resolving the issue.
At present, the air service from Nanded reaches to Latur and Mumbai. But reportedly the service attracts not much response.
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