Senior ministers, on Tuesday, at the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, raised strong objections against the administration’s move to bypass them while taking crucial decisions. Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and Minister of Energy Nitin Raut were at the forefront, voicing against the administration’s move to keep ministers in dark and seek cabinet approval. They also objected to the Department of Information Technology’s proposal to take over 76 per cent stakes held by Tata Consultancy Company in a joint venture to provide internet-based, online citizen services in the state through Maharashtra Online.
Bhujbal brought to Thackeray’s notice that his signature was missing on the proposal moved by his department seeking the cabinet’s approval for the procurement of Rabi wheat worth Rs 30 crore from the central government.
Bhujbal took strong objection to keeping him in the dark until the issue was brought in the cabinet meeting. “Incidentally, the file was cleared by CM Uddhav Thackeray, DCM Ajit Pawar, Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta and the department secretary, but my signature was not taken,’’ said Bhujbal.
Bhujbal said, even though the department secretary met him before the cabinet meeting, he did not discuss the subject of the procurement of Rs 30 crore rabi wheat from the central government. “When I raised a strong objection, Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde, amongst others, supported me saying that the minister's signature is a must before bringing any subject for cabinet clearance,’’ he noted.
Following Bhujbal’s objection, the cabinet did not clear the proposal and kept it pending for another meeting.
In another case, Raut pointed out that he was not aware of the department’s proposal to seek government guarantee for the Rs 20,000 crore loan to be raised by MSEB Holding Company, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company, Maharashtra State Power Generation Company and Maharashtra State Power Transmission Company. The loan was proposed to meet the liquidity shortfall by these companies post COVID-19.
Raut told the cabinet that he could clear the file just before today’s meeting. He pointed out that such instances of bypassing the ministers should be avoided in the future.
Maharashtra Cabinet on Tuesday decided not to procure 10,000 Remdesivir vials from Bangladesh or from local producers and allow its use till the Indian Council of Medical Research and the Ministry of Health give approval. Public Health Minister Rajesh Tope, on Saturday, had announced that the government will purchase 10,000 Remdesivir vials from Bangladesh, as research shows that it cures COVID-19 early. However, the state cabinet decided not to clear any decision. It will wait for the final approval from ICMR and the Health Ministry.
