Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs demand special session of Parliament on Maratha quota
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar/Thane (PTI): Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs Omprakash Rajenimbalkar and Rajan Vichare have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding convening a special session of Parliament to discuss the quotas being demanded by the Maratha and Dhangar communities.
Rajenimbalkar is MP from Dharashiv (formerly Osmanabad) and Vichare represents Thane.
"We have also demanded many times in the House to grant reservation to the Maratha and Dhangar communities. Marathas in every village of Maharashtra are on a hunger strike with Manoj Jarange. On the other hand, the Dhangar community which has got the benefit of reservation in other parts of the country is agitating peacefully in Maharashtra for reservation," stated a letter written by Rajenimbalkar.
The government has not been able to find the right solution till now. Considering this, a special session of Parliament should be called as early as possible, he added.
Vichare, in his letter, hailed the legacy of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and said the community had organised 57 morchas over the quota demand.
Many youngsters have ended their lives, he said, adding the PM must take into consideration the tense situation in Maharashtra.
Marathas are demanding reservations in government jobs and education under the OBC category, while the Dhangar (shepherd) community wants the ST (Scheduled Tribe) status.
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Minister Patil chairs industry meetings to chart growth for key sectors in Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister M B Patil on Tuesday chaired meetings with industry representatives from the aerospace and defence, machine tools, auto/EV, and green energy sectors to discuss sector growth and government support measures.
The meetings were attended by leading industrialists and their representatives, with some participating virtually.
Speaking on the occasion, the minister for Large and Medium Industries said Karnataka is at the forefront of the country’s aerospace and defence sectors.
He noted that Suzuki and Toyota plan to launch aerial taxi services in Japan by 2028, with Bengaluru-based Sasmos supplying electrical equipment for the project.
Industrialists suggested introducing similar “fly-taxi” services in Karnataka through an appropriate policy, which Patil said would be examined seriously.
The minister highlighted the need to establish testing centres and Common Facility Centres for the aerospace and defence industries and assured that these facilities would be provided.
Suggestions were also made to prepare a comprehensive roadmap for sector growth.
Karnataka has urged the Central Government to approve Defence Corridor projects in the Bengaluru North–Kolar–Chikkaballapur and Dharawada–Vijayapura–Belagavi regions.
Industrialists also suggested a corridor between Bengaluru and Mysuru, Patil said.
He said Karnataka aims to become a hub for defence electronics manufacturing, with plans to establish a 200-acre Defence Electronics Park and a 100-acre Avionics and Sensor Park.
These projects will be implemented once the Special Investment Region is operational, and land availability will not be an issue.
On the machine tools sector, Patil said the industry has recorded an annual turnover of Rs 36,500 crore and is witnessing steady growth.
Large-scale exhibitions have increased demand, and the state must strengthen its capabilities to develop control systems for heavy machinery. One testing unit is already operational in Bengaluru, with another planned for Tumakuru. Expansion of vocational training institutes in industrial areas is also underway.
In the Auto and EV sector, Vision Group members highlighted the need for a network of dry ports and more EV charging stations across the state.
Patil noted that the Tata Group is manufacturing EV buses in Dharawada for nationwide supply. Plans for mini excavator production and export facilitation were also discussed, along with the establishment of a testing facility for two-wheeler EVs.
For the Green Energy sector, the group emphasised the need for a suitable policy on battery-based energy storage and the establishment of data centres.
Patil assured that the government will seriously consider all suggestions and respond positively.
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