Maharashtra government receives legal notice over ₹1.58 crore unpaid bill for Davos trip
Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has received a legal notice from SKAAH GmbH, a Switzerland-based service provider, regarding an unpaid bill of ₹1.58 crore. The payment is allegedly due for hospitality services rendered to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and other officials during the World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Davos earlier this year.
The notice, dated August 28, was addressed to several entities, including the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), the Chief Minister’s Office, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and the WEF. According to SKAAH GmbH, while the MIDC has cleared ₹3.75 crore of the total amount, the remaining ₹1.58 crore is still pending despite multiple payment reminders.
Responding to the matter, MIDC CEO P. Velrasu stated, “I am not aware of any such notice. However, MIDC will check the vouchers and take necessary action. The matter based on merits will be decided at the earliest.”
The Davos trip has come under fire from opposition leaders, including Aaditya Thackeray from Sena UBT and NCP MLA Rohit Pawar, who have accused the government of overspending on the event. Pawar argued that the government’s actions could harm the state’s image at an international forum like Davos, which is vital for attracting global investments.
State Industries Minister Uday Samant confirmed the receipt of the legal notice but denied any excessive expenditure. “We have not overspent. It is MVA MLAs who are making these allegations. Our legal team will reply to this notice and see what the issue is,” Samant stated.
SKAAH GmbH has warned of potential legal action and claimed that the delay in payments has caused substantial financial damage, affecting their credit and overall financial situation. The firm also raised concerns about the potential impact on international relations between India and Switzerland if the issue is not resolved immediately.
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Congress being run by gang of urban Naxals, alleges PM Modi
Washim (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday alleged that the Congress is being run by a "gang of urban Naxals", and asked people to unite to defeat the "dangerous agenda" of that party.
He also accused the Congress of looting the poor and not improving their condition for its selfish politics.
"They (Congress) think that if we all unite, then their agenda to divide the country will fail," Modi said, addressing a rally in Washim district of Maharashtra after launching various projects.
"Congress only knows how to loot the poor and keep them poor for its selfish politics. It only knows how to divide people. We have to be alert and remain united. Congress is run by a gang of urban Naxals," he alleged.
Everyone can see how closely Congress stands with those people who do not harbour good intentions for India, Modi said.
"Drugs worth thousands of crores of rupees were seized in Delhi recently. A Congress leader is suspected to be the kingpin. Congress wants to contest elections from the money it gets by pushing the youth towards drugs," he said.
Modi alleged that Congress' thinking has been foreign from the very beginning.
"Like the British rule, this Congress family also does not consider Dalits, backward and tribals as their equals. They feel that India should be ruled by only one family. That is why they have always maintained a derogatory attitude towards the Banjara community," he said.
"Saints from the Banjara community inspired culture and spiritualism. Britishers harassed the community, but when they left, successive Congress governments continued the trend and prevented the community from coming into the mainstream," the PM alleged.
The PM also accused the Congress of leaving no stone unturned to make the lives of farmers miserable.
"The governments run by the Congress used the money meant for farmers and irrigation schemes for corruption," he alleged.
Modi asked people to beware of the Congress propaganda of false assurance of farm loan waiver.
"People in Telangana are still waiting for the loan waiver. In Karnataka, the Congress government stopped the irrigation schemes started by the BJP regime," he said.
Stating that Maharashtra has the capacity to lead the country to economic progress, Modi said the state government was giving double benefit to farmers in terms of financial assistance, in addition to what the central government was providing.
When the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government was in power, it put a speed breaker in the work of the Poharadevi pilgrimage centre upgradation, which was started during the chief ministership of Devendra Fadnavis. But it has now been completed at a cost of Rs 700 crore, he said.
As long as MVA was in power in Maharashtra, it worked with only two agendas - to stop the projects related to farmers and to commit corruption in the money of these projects. The funds sent by the Centre were being diverted away from the beneficiaries by that government, he claimed.
The prime minister, who launched various initiatives of Rs 23,3000 crore related to agriculture and animal husbandry sectors, expressed happiness over the completion of the Banjara Virasat Museum in Poharadevi.
This museum would introduce future generations to the ancient culture and vast heritage of the Banjara community, he said.
"Our Banjara community has played a big role in India's social life and journey of development," he said.
Modi paid tributes to several revered figures from the Banjara community, including Raja Lakhi Shah Banjara and Sant Sevalal Maharaj.
"The Banjara community has given many such saints who have given immense energy to the spiritual consciousness of India," he said.
The PM highlighted their efforts in preserving and nurturing the country's cultural legacy over centuries and lamented that during British rule the entire Banjara community was branded as criminals.
"Our government's every decision, every policy is committed to Viskit Bharat, and our farmers are a major foundation of this vision," PM Modi said.
Farmers in Maharashtra, especially Vidarbha, faced big hardships for many decades, he said.
On the disbursal of the 18th instalment of the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi worth about Rs 20,000 crore to around 9.5 crore farmers, the prime minister said the state government strives to provide double benefits to its farmers.
Speaking about providing assistance to beneficiaries of Ladki Bahin Yojna, the PM said the scheme is empowering the capabilities of 'nari shakti' (women power).
