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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Fadnavis hero of BJP's victory

Mumbai: In a resounding testament to his strategic prowess, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has emerged as the architect of the BJP’s impressive election victory in the state. The way he orchestrated the campaign, crafted his message, and selected candidates has left observers and allies alike hailing his mastery of the political landscape. Even as the Municipal Council results unfolded, most of the political analysts were reminded of the Mahayuti’s resounding victory during the assembly...

Fadnavis hero of BJP's victory

Mumbai: In a resounding testament to his strategic prowess, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has emerged as the architect of the BJP’s impressive election victory in the state. The way he orchestrated the campaign, crafted his message, and selected candidates has left observers and allies alike hailing his mastery of the political landscape. Even as the Municipal Council results unfolded, most of the political analysts were reminded of the Mahayuti’s resounding victory during the assembly elections last year. While Fadnavis played crucial role even in those elections, the credit for those results was given primarily to the then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, under whole leadership the Mahayuti had contested the election. However, Fadnavis, who took the charge of the state last year after the assembly elections, successfully demonstrated that even after a year in the saddle, he has been able to not just keep the popularity of the Mahayuti intact, but has actually increased it. Fadnavis’ strategy was built on a delicate balance of people-centric initiatives, social pragmatism, and a keen understanding of the state’s complex political dynamics. His relentless focus on development, coupled with a sharp eye on social arithmetic, helped the BJP connect with voters across demographics. Grassroot Workers Yet another decisive factor that worked in favour of Fadnavis was the positive reinforcement that he provided to the grassroot workers of the BJP in particular and Mahayuti constituents in general. These elections of Nagar Palika and Nagar Panchayats are considered to be the elections driven entirely by the grassroot political workers. Through is tiring campaign trail Fadnavis assured these grassroot workers that he would stand by their side and for them in their testing times. “Grassroot workers are the real nerves for any political party. Fadnavis not just reached out to people for them, but also presented the grand vision of developemnt for their respective areas, making the victory easy for them. When juxtaposed with leaders like Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, who didn’t even address a single rally for these elections, the importance of Fadnavis’ efforts from the point of view of grassroot workers emerges taller,” said one of the senior officials of CMO, while highlighting the difference between Fadnavis and the opposition leaders, who, in his opinion left the grassroot workers of their respective parties alone to fight for themselves. Stark Contrast State BJP president Ravindra Chavan highlighted the stark contrast between Fadnavis and his opponents. Fadnavis, who addressed over 50 large rallies to campaign for these elections, never criticized any of the opposition leaders. His single minded focus was on the development agenda that he has set for the state and explaining to people as to how he has been advancing it. He reached out to people over phone and through the internet to places where it was impossible for him to reach due to time constraints. Even in those short interactions he could convince the people that he is well aware of their issues and aspirations and he also assured them of solutions to their problems. On the contrary the opposition leaders tried to spread a false narrative against him. Social Fabric Apart from Fadnavis’ ability to strike a chord with the masses through his rallies, Fadnavis also demonstrated his grasp of the state’s social fabric by ensuring representation to various communities in the candidate selection process. The BJP’s list of candidates was a testament to his ability to balance competing interests and create a diverse yet cohesive team. Fadnavis’ leadership style, often described as decisive and inclusive, has earned him recognition as one of the BJP’s most effective leaders in the state. His ability to navigate complex political situations, including the split in the Shiv Sena and the alliance with Eknath Shinde, showcased his strategic acumen. As the BJP’s star campaigner, Fadnavis cramped the opposition’s style by projecting himself as a leader above narrow politics. His emphasis on good governance, transparency, and accountability resonated with urban voters, who are increasingly looking for leaders who can deliver results. The results are a testament to Fadnavis’ ability to connect with the people and his party’s commitment to serving them. As he looks to the future, the onus is on him to deliver on his promises and take Maharashtra to new heights.

Surplus ethanol leaves the industry uneasy

THE ETHANOL CONUNDRUM - Part - 1


Entrepreneurs unhappy as expansion plans stall

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Kolhapur: An ambitious government programme that once drew enthusiastic participation from industry is now threatening to trip up the very sector it sought to promote. India’s ethanol manufacturing industry is grappling with a paradox: despite strong policy backing, assured pricing and generous financial incentives, producers are staring at excess capacity and inadequate procurement orders.


The Centre’s push to blend ethanol with petrol — initially pegged at 30 per cent — was accompanied by long-term financial support, low-interest loans and firm purchase guarantees. The policy certainty encouraged rapid capacity addition, with manufacturers investing heavily and ramping up production. However, supply has now far outstripped demand, leaving the industry anxious about how to absorb the surplus.


Unless addressed urgently, industry insiders warn, the situation could echo the collapse witnessed during the UPA years under then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, when policy uncertainty led to a near-decimation of the ethanol sector.


The ethanol blending programme was conceived against the backdrop of rising foreign exchange outgo on fuel imports, increasing pollution from fossil fuels, and mounting surplus sugar stocks during crushing seasons. In 2018, the Centre unveiled the National Bio-Energy Policy, setting targets of 10 per cent ethanol blending by 2022 and 20 per cent by the end of 2025.


Sugar Stability

A robust floor price for ethanol brought stability to the sugar sector, with surplus sugar diverted towards ethanol production. The 10 per cent blending target was achieved well ahead of schedule. The government expanded the scope to include ethanol production from grains, bringing the food processing sector into the fold.


To promote grain-based ethanol — from cereals, mixed grains and maize — the Centre rolled out long-term credit and interest subvention schemes. Before the scheme’s deadline in 2024, over 196 entrepreneurs came forward, leading to a rapid build-up of ethanol plants and a sharp rise in production. But procurement orders issued by oil marketing companies (OMCs) have now left many of these investors worried.


At present, India’s installed ethanol production capacity stands at about 19.9 billion litres (1,990 crore litres). With several projects nearing completion, capacity is expected to touch 22 billion litres by the end of December. In contrast, achieving 20 per cent blending requires only about 13.5 billion litres of ethanol.


Accordingly, OMCs have issued procurement orders for around 14.82 billion litres — barely 50 per cent of the available capacity. This effectively leaves half the ethanol produced without buyers. Some plants have received orders for just 30 per cent of their capacity, forcing producers to consider shutting operations for over 45 days, and in some cases up to three months.

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