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In a letter dated March 8 sent to the state social justice minister, Chavan, an MLC from the graduate's constituency, said these students prepare for competitive exams held in May and allowing them to stay till then will be beneficial for them
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NCP MLC Satish Chavan has written to Maharashtra minister Sanjay Shirsat to allow Class XI-XII students of hostels of the social justice department to stay till May against the usual practice of asking them to vacate by February ahead of exams, reported news agency PTI.
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In a letter dated March 8 sent to the state social justice minister, Chavan, an MLC from the graduate's constituency, said these students prepare for competitive exams held in May and allowing them to stay till then will be beneficial for them.
"Class XI-XII students are told to leave the hostels in February. Classes go on till March and exams are held in April. Several students also prepare for competitive and entrance exams like NEET, JEE and CET for which they need to stay in the hostels till May. Students residing in the social justice department hostels are from rural areas and cannot afford to make private arrangements," he said in the letter, reported PTI.
The government should take a decision to allow them to stay till May, he added.
Aim is to create one crore 'Lakhpati Didis', says CM Fadnavis
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said his government will focus on the 'Lakhpati Didi' scheme to ensure the creation of one crore beneficiaries.
The scheme was launched by the Union government in 2023 and recognises women members of SHGs, who have an annual income of at least Rs 1 lakh from agriculture, animal husbandry, and small industries, as 'Lakhpati Didis'.
"The state government will focus on women empowerment through the Lakhpati Didi scheme. We aim to create one crore women beneficiaries with annual income of Rs 1 lakh. This will ensure financial independence for women and foster a circular economy. Over 23 lakh women have benefitted so far, with plans to add another 24 lakh this year," he said.
The target is to have one crore women beneficiaries earning Rs 8,000-Rs 10,000 monthly, creating a robust network of self-reliance, the CM added.
Incidentally, on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in the 'Lakhpati Didi Sammelan' in Navsari in Gujarat where he spoke on the success of the scheme and exuded confidence that the target of five crore beneficiaries nationwide would be achieved in the time to come.
Speaking to reporters after the state budget was presented in the assembly, the CM also underscored the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in agriculture.
"AI can revolutionize farming, from soil testing to flowering stages. It can reduce costs and improve productivity. We have introduced schemes to facilitate this transformation" Fadnavis said.
The Maharashtra government is exploring AI integration in agriculture to address challenges such as climate change, unpredictable rainfall, crop diseases, and labour shortages, he said, adding that AI-powered tools can analyse crop health, monitor soil conditions, detect pests, and optimise farm management practices.
Responding to a query on the state government's flagship Ladki Bahin Yojana, Fadnavis said some beneficiaries have come together to form a credit society in Nagpur with a seed capital of Rs 30 lakh.
"We are preparing such a network of societies at state and district levels. Ladki Bahin Yojana beneficiaries can invest the financial aid in gainful ventures, which can create a circular economy," he said.
The Maharashtra government on Monday allocated Rs 36,000 crore for the Ladki Bahin scheme but did not announce a hike in the allowance.
(With inputs from PTI)
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