Govt fund should not be used for building any statue: Union minister Nitin Gadkari
Mumbai, Jun 18: Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said he was against erecting any statue using government funds.
He also said people do not value things which are given for free.
Gadkari was speaking in Nagpur at the ground-breaking ceremony for the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on the premises of the Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU).
"I welcome the move of the committee which is constructing the statue from the contribution given by the people. I feel that government funds should not be used for erecting the statue. People do not value things which are given for free," the BJP MP said.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Smarak Samiti was formed in Nagpur in 2015 and the work, including obtaining necessary clearances and permissions, has been going on since then.
Gadkari also announced to donate Rs 5 lakh to the works undertaken by this committee.
"Even if someone donates Rs 11 or Rs 51 for this work, it should be seen as the person's attachment to the work and teachings of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
"There is no need to seek financial support from the Nagpur Municipal Corporation, the Nagpur Improvement Trust, the Maharashtra government or the RTMNU," he added.
Gadkari said people should bear some cost of the work so that they will realise the importance of the work or service.
"It is good that lakhs of people have come forward and contributed to the committee," he added.
Gadkari said Shivaji Maharaj's thoughts and teachings should be spread from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.
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No unannounced load shedding in Kerala, outages due to overload, says Minister
Palakkad (PTI): Kerala Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty on Saturday said there was no unannounced load shedding in the state, attributing recent power interruptions to temporary overload caused by high consumption.
Clarifying concerns raised from various parts of the state, the minister said the disruptions are not deliberate but occur when demand peaks, particularly between 10 pm and 11 pm.
"It is not being done intentionally. Power consumption has risen sharply, and when there is excessive and indiscriminate usage, the system experiences overload, leading to natural supply interruptions," he told reporters here.
His remarks come amid complaints that several areas have been witnessing frequent power cuts, often lasting around 15 minutes and occurring multiple times during the night.
Krishnankutty said the state's power demand has crossed 6,195 MW, putting pressure on the supply system. He added that around 70 per cent of Kerala's electricity is procured from outside, and existing power banking arrangements have been exhausted.
"We have approached the Regulatory Commission seeking permission to purchase more power. However, this will come at a higher cost," he said.
The minister said the government is trying to avoid increasing electricity tariffs and urged consumers to exercise restraint in usage to help manage the situation.
Responding to opposition criticism over the ruling LDF's earlier claims of a decade without power cuts, he said the current situation is not unique to Kerala.
A power crisis is emerging across the country, he said, and sarcastically asked the Opposition to take note of the role of natural factors in this.
Krishnankutty expressed confidence that the situation would improve within two days, while cautioning that long-term energy security would depend on enhancing in-state power generation.
He also warned that future generations could face serious challenges if adequate electricity production capacity is not developed within Kerala.
