policy

First India Bureau

Anil

Parab is the party’s chief whip in the House

First India Bureau

Mumbai: In an apparent move to further corner the faction led by former CM Uddhav Thackeray, Chief Min ister Eknath Shinde has sought that Vi plove Bajoria replace Shiv Sena - Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray

(UBT) MLC Anil Par ab as the Shiv Sena's chief whip in the Up per House. Shinde wrote to state Legisla tive Council's deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe, who is part of the Thackeray camp, with his demand. The Budget session of the Maharashtra legislature began on Monday.

Amid the high voltage political and legal battle between the two factions, Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar last week said he had not received representation from any group claiming to be a separate party in the Lower House. He said that there is only one Shiv Sena with 55 MLAs which is led by Shinde and legislator Bharat Gogawale has been recognised as its chief whip. Bharat Gogawale, the Shiv Sena's chief whip in the state Assembly, on Sunday evening directed “all” Sena MLAs to “remain present fulltime during the Budget session”, adding, “If any legislator does not follow it, he/she will face action.” The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Shinde bloc in the state currently does not have a majority in the Upper House.

“We have given a letter asking the Legislative Council's deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe to appoint Viplove Bajoria as the Shiv Sena’s chief whip in the House. Gorhe will have to accept it. Shinde is the

We have given a letter asking the Legis lative Council's deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe to appoint Viplove Bajoria as the Shiv Sena’s chief whip in the House. Gorhe will have to accept it. Shinde is the Shiv Sena leader and accepting his letter to change the chief whip is the precedent.

Bill Gates, RBI Guv talk fin inclusion and microfinance

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates on Tuesday met Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das and discussed various issues including financial inclusion, payment systems, microfinance and digital lending among others.

“Mr.@BillGates visited RBI Mumbai today and held wide ranging discussions with Governor @DasShaktikanta #RBI #rbitoday #rbigovernor #shaktikantadas #BillGates," RBI said in a tweet.

The Gates Foundation pursues a lot of activity in India including the promotion of financial inclusion, the health sector and climate change. Billionaire businessman Gates is also engaged in large-scale philanthropy activities.

“Had an excellent meeting with @BillGates on financial inclusion, payment systems, microfinance and digital lending, etc,” Das said in another tweet.

In a recent article, Gates had said climate change and global health are inextricably linked. “Hotter temperatures will make poverty reduction harder by increasing food insecurity and the prevalence of infectious diseases and diverting resources away from those who need them the most. It's a vicious cycle,” he had said.

“The poorer a community is, the more vulnerable it is to climate change. And the more impacted a community is by extreme weather events, the more entrenched in poverty it becomes. To break the cycle, we need to make progress on both problems at the same time,” he added.

Shiv Sena leader and accepting his letter to change the chief whip is the precedent,” Gogawale said on Tuesday.

Notably, during a hearing in the Supreme Court last week, senior advocate NK Kaul who appeared for the Shinde-led group assured the SC bench that it would not take steps like issuing whip or initiation of dis-