News Reporter

A rat with a mounted camera on his head would help Indian armed forces in Intelligence Surveillance and Recovery (ISR) operation by entering the enemy territory soon. Scientists of DRDO’s Young Scientist Laboratory (DYSL-AT) created intelligence-augmented rat cyborgs controlled via a wireless micro-stimulator. The Rat cyborgs are undergoing Phase-I trials at DRDOs’ laboratory, informed P Shiva Prasad, Director of DYSL-AT on Thursday. P Shiva Prasad told mediapersons after the plenary session that the rat would be maneuried with electronic commands through semi-invasive brain electrodes. “This is the first time India has engaged in developing such technology,” he said, adding that some foreign countries already have the technology. In Phase-I, the operator always gives commands for all the turns and the rite will go accordingly. In Phase-II, the scientist can actually feed an image to the camera. When the rat finds the image in the camera it will stay there. He gave an example of the 26...

The proceedings at Legislative Council were stalled by Opposition benches demanding Agriculture Minister Abdul Sattar’s resignation over an illegal land regularisation order passed by him when he was a minister in the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. Deputy Chairperson Neelam Gorhe adjourned the house for the day due to the uproar. The High Court stayed Sattar’s order of regularising 37 acres of gairan land (grazing land) in Washim district for private use. Taking cue from the High Court’s order, Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Ambadas Danve raised the issue under Rule 289 of Council. He said, “Sattar illegally alloted the land when he was the Minister of State for Revenue in the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government.” The allotment took place on June 17, 2022 overruling orders of District Court and District Collector, stated Danve. Sattar illegally allotted plots, sand contracts, Agricultural Produce Market Committee at Ratnagiri, Aurangaba...

The Maharashtra government has made a big announcement for thousands of Industrial Training Institute (ITI) students in the State. There will be a gradual increase in the monthly stipend received by the students of government ITI institutes. For the past several years, the students were given a stipend of Rs 40. Now, the stipend will be increased to Rs 500.  Skill Development Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha informed the Legislative Council during question hour on Monday. The issue was raised by legislators Vikram Kale, Dr. Sudhir Tambe, Satish Chavan, Balaram Patil during question hour. For the last several years, the students of the Government ITIs in the State were being paid stipend Rs 40 per month. The MLCs underlined their demand and stated that the existing stipend of Rs 40 is minimal in the time of rising inflation. Responding to the query, Minister Lodha said that the process to table the proposal before the cabinet is underway. It is proposed to increase the tuition fee for ...

While speaking on the raging boundary dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka, Former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday demanded in the state Legislative Council that the Union government should declare ‘Karnataka-occupied Maharashtra’ areas as a Union Territory and the resolution in this regard should be passed in the house. He also fired a salvo at the Shinde-Fadnavis government for failing to corner the Karnataka government on the issue.  This was the first time Thackeray attended proceedings of State legislators after resigning as the Chief Minister in July. Thackeray said, “Marathi language and culture rooted in the Belgaum (Belgavi) area since 1800.  It is not just a case of language and border, but of ‘humanity’.” These Marathi-speaking people are facing atrocities from the Karnataka government, he said and demanded that the ‘Karnataka-occupied Maharashtra’ areas should be declared as Union Territory by the Central Government till the issue is pending before t...

Meritorious players of Mallakhamb will get the benefit of five per cent reservation quota in government jobs. Minister for Sports and youth welfare Girish Mahajan informed the Legislative Council on Monday. He was answering a question raised by MLCs Bhai Girkar, Pravin Darkar, Adv Niranjan Dawkhare, Nagorao Ganar, Ramesh Patil, Ramesh Karad. Mahajan said that All Indian Sports Association in its letter dated September 11, 2020 directed all states to give benefits of sports quota to meritorious Mallakhamb players for recruitment of Class ‘C’ posts. The Maharashtra government had already issued a Government Resolution on November 15, 2017. According to the resolution, the Mallakhamb players are eligible to get benefits of five per cent sports quota, he said. A committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary (Service). But direct recruitment of Mallakhamb players was not taken into consideration of the committee, he said. Some recommendations of the committe...

An Assistant Police Inspector (ASI) and a citizen were seriously injured when a speeding car rammed into a police nakabandi at NMC’s zonal office near Dhantoli police station.  The injured persons are identified as ASI Gajanan Naik and Pranay Giradkar.  A police official said that the incident occured on Sunday at 12.20 am. ASI Naik was part the police team deployed at Nakabandi point. Giradkar, who was passing through the road on a motorcycle, was stopped by the police for checking.  A speeding Maruti Swift car came from Mokshadham Square at great speed. When the police signalled the car to stop, the driver rammed the vehicle into the barricades. ASI Naik and Giradkar sustained grievous injuries in the accident. Before the police could arrest the driver, he accelerated the vehicle and sped away from the spot.  Profusely bleeding Naik and Giradkar were admitted to hospital. According to police, the condition of ASI Naik is stable while Giradkar is critical.  An ...

A woman attempt to set herself ablaze outside the Vidhan Bhavan on Friday to protest derogatory remarks made against iconic personalities, including Chhatrapati Shviaji Maharaj. The woman was identified as Kavita Chavan (28), a resident of Solapur. According to police, Chavan came near the Vidhan Bhavan complex at around 2.30 pm and poured yellow coloured combustible liquid (probably petrol) on herself. The police staff deployed at the gate noticed her action and over-powered. Before she could set herself ablaze, the police staff bundled her in the police jeep. The woman was seen questioning the police about derogatory remarks made against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Saints. She raised slogans of ‘Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Ki Jai’ when the police took her into custody. She was taken to Sitabuldi police station. Later, the police also conducted her medical check-up. A police officer said that the woman would be booked under provisions of Indian Penal Code.  The official said that c...