Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar will soon select competent candidate for state women’s panel chairperson: Mushrif

Kolhapur: Minister for medical education Hasan Mushrif of NCP on Thursday said deputy chief minister and party president Sunetra Pawar would soon convene a meeting to finalise the appointment of the next chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women, which fell vacant after the resignation of Rupali Chakankar amid her alleged links with arrested astrologer Ashok Kharat.Speaking in Kolhapur, Mushrif said the Mahayuti alliance understanding assigned the post to NCP, giving the party the right to select the next chairperson. "Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar will soon call a meeting of key party leaders. She will appoint a competent person capable of handling this responsibility," he said.Termite-infested demonetised currency notes with face value of Rs 25 crore lying with district cooperative banks in Maha: MinisterCabinet minister Hasan Mushrif, who is also chairman of the Kolhapur District Central Cooperative (KDCC) Bank, on Thursday raised concerns over demonetised currency notes with the face value of Rs 25 crore lying with district central cooperative banks in Maharashtra. He said the currency notes, deposited during the 2016 demonetisation drive, had deteriorated over time due to damage caused by termites."The demonetised currency notes have been lying unused for nearly 10 years. The Supreme Court directed us to approach the Union finance ministry and we have already done so. If the currency notes are not accepted, we will approach the Supreme Court again," Mushrif said, adding that KDCC Bank alone held demonetised currency notes of value Rs 25 crore and that the issue remained unresolved despite repeated representations.60,000 farmers awaiting 2008 farm loan waiver benefitsReferring to the 2008 farm loan waiver implemented by the then UPA govt, Mushrif said nearly 60,000 small farmers were still awaiting benefits. "The National Bank for Rural Development (Nabard) found the loan waiver of Rs 112 crore to 60,000 small farmers violated rules and seized the amount. The dispute has continued for 18 years," Mushrif said."The high court ruled in favour of KDCC Bank, but Nabard challenged the verdict in the Supreme Court. The SC asked Nabard and KDCC Bank to resolve the matter through discussions, and if required, with Centre's intervention," he said, while expressing doubt that Nabarad would concede. He said the final hearing in the Supreme Court was scheduled for May 5.