MAHARASHTRA BUDGET 2009 - WHAT'S IN FOR SHIRDI.

[Guest guest]

Rs.6,500-crore Package finalised for North Maharashtra.Mumbai, July 22 (IANS) With an eye to the forthcoming assembly elections, the Maharashtra government Wednesday announced a Rs.6,509-crore package for northern parts of the state, pledging development of four airports and setting up a terminal market in the temple town of Nashik.The package – coming barely a month after a similar one was announced for the coastal Konkan region – envisages spending an average Rs.2,000 crore annually over the

next three years for the allround development of the northern

districts..Among the major highlights are airport development projects in the ‘wine country’ of Nashik, Jalgaon, Dhule and Shirdi, famous as the abode of Sai Baba, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan announced Wednesday evening after presiding over a special cabinet meeting held in Nashik.Besides an airport, Nashik will get a terminal market and free-cooling facilities, cold storages and ripening chambers in Dhule and Nandurbar.The north Maharashtra, or Khandesh, includes districts of Nashik, Jalgaon, Ahmednagar, Dhule and the tribal-dominated Nandurbar.An amount of Rs.320 crore has been earmarked for the development of the tribal areas of Nandurbar, including for roads, sport complexes and a library.For the forest regions, there is a proposal to set up in Ahmednagar a hospital for wild animals and a centre for housing and treatment of leopards.Apart from these, various infrastructure and developmental projects

will be taken up across the region, including flyovers, hospitals, schools and colleges, technical institutions, government buildings, sports and cultural facilities, tourism development, industrial development, health care facilities, drinking and irrigation water supply and agriculture.Source - http://www.sindhtoday.net/news/1/33200.htmShirdi Airport will be Ready in Three Years. htmetro, Hindustan TimesMumbai, July 23, 2009 If you frequently visit the temple town of Shirdi, then this might come as good news.The six-hour road journey from Mumbai to Shirdi will be reduced to

about 40 minutes if the airport plans announced by the

government on Wednesday go smoothly.The cabinet meeting at Nashik on Wednesday decided to finish the land acquisition process in two to three months.The government has acquired 400 hectares at Shirdi, with 70 per cent land owners in agreement, spending Rs 40 crore. A greenfield project, the airport is estimated to cost Rs 263 crore and will be developed through a trust formed under the chairmanship of the chief minister.“Shirdi sees several tourists and it is important to develop this airport soon. We are hoping to complete the project in about three years,†said Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal.Another airport land acquisition at Jalgaon was also discussed. The Rs 200-crore airport will be developed by the Airport Authority of India.“There is also a need to maintain the existing ones,†Bhujbal said. The cabinet has decided to allot Rs 30 crore for passenger services at Nashik airport

and Rs 15 crore for Dhule airstrip.Source - http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=6b567c14-99bc-4d1d-b9b4-24c4be633fbcMaharashtra to Share 50% cost of Projects on Rail.2009-07-03Mumbai: The Maharashtra Government has accorded 50 per cent budgetary provision of the total project cost for laying five new rail lines. `Maharashtra is the first State to make such budgetary provisions. With this provision, the State expects to seek huge allocations for these rail lines from tomorrow`s rail budget,` a senior official said. The State has accorded priority to undertake five rail lines which include Ahmednagar-Beed-Parali-Vaijanath, Wardha-Nanded, Manmad-Indore and Wadasa-Desaiganj-Armori-Gadchiroli and Pune-Nashik Golden

Triangle. Railway Budget-For this, the Government has committed to provide 50% budgetary allocation of the total project cost. These rail lines would prove vital in connecting rural areas to the cosmopolitan ones. The survey of these lines has been completed and report has been submitted to the Rail Board. Chief Minister Ashok Chavan had already written a letter in this connection requesting Banerjee to include these projects in the current budget and grant maximum assistance for building up these projects on priority basis.The need to boost and strengthen the industrial belt of the State has also been given thrust by the Government. A new railway line between Pune connecting Pune-Nashik (265km) involving an expenditure of Rs.1044 crore would provide the much needed connectivity to the Golden Industrial Triangle of Mumbai-Pune-Nashik has also been proposed.Banerjee gives final touches to

Railways Budget.The ongoing projects include Baramati-Lonand (54km), Amravati-Narkhed (138km), Puntamba-Shirdi (17.80km), Miraj-Latur (374km), Solapur(Hotgi)-Gadag (284km), Panvel-Roha (75.44km), Diva-Kalyan (10.73km), Panvel-Jasai JNPT (28.5km), Pakni-Solapur (16.28km), Pakni-Mohol (17km), Akola-Purna (210km), Jabalpur-Gondia (285km), Chhindwara-Nagpur (149.52km), Kalumna-Nagpur (6.16km), Projects falling under Mahanagar Transport like Kurla-Thane Additional Pair of lines(10km), Thane-Turbhe-Neral-Vashi (23.03km), Belapur-Seawood Uran Railway project (27km), Borivali-Virar (25km) for widening of existing railway lines, doubling of existing railway lines and electrification. `Maharashtra expects to get sufficient funds from the rail budget to complete these projects in the stipulated time period,` the official said. Apart from this, survey of Jalgaon-Udhana

doubling (306.93km), Yavatmal-Murtijapur-Achalpur (221km,) Pune-Miraj-Kolhapur doubling (326km), Jalna-Khamgaon-Shegaon has been completed and the report has been submitted to the Railway Board.Source - http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?a=jhdmjjabajf & title=Maharashtra_to_share_50_cost_of_projects_on_railSairam,rOhit beHal

recommends that you upgrade to the new and safer Internet Explorer 8.