Mumbai, Feb 7 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has asserted that the state government would provide ample security measures to ensure the smooth screening of Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan''s upcoming flick ''My Name Is Khan''.

Chavan clarified his government''s stand while reacting to the Shiv Sena''s declaration not to allow the screening of the movie.

Shahrukh Khan did not apologise for backing the participation of Pakistani cricketers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament.

Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan harshly criticized Shiv Sena and MNS over their recent remarks on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan.

The CM added that both Rahul and SRK will be provided security as per the SPG rules.

While talking to media persons, Mr. Chavan said, "Raj and Uddhav are playing dirty politics. They have shown how low they can stoop."

He also said that the the legal action will be taken against those who take the law into their own hands.

On Tuesday, the monorail planned for the city of Mumbai underwent trial run on its upcoming network. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) chose the 61st Republic day for the train run in the city.

The Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ashok Chavan, flagged off the rail from Wadala station of the network. The test run was for 108-metre on the Republic Day.

New Delhi, Jan 9 - Pitching Maharashtra as an attractive investment destination, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan Saturday called upon overseas Indians to invest in the state's skill development and education programmes.

"Much more international involvement is needed to improve and expand skill development, and education in general," Chavan said here at a plenary session on skill development on the concluding day of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) 2010, the annual conclave of the Indian diaspora.

"I believe overseas Indians can, must and will join us in this great endeavour. You can do so with your financial resources, to establish chairs, or institute scholarships or endowments," he said.

Mumbai, Dec 24 : Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS), which is lobbying for a separate state of Vidarbha to be carved out of Maharashtra, Thursday dismissed the government's Rs. 10,000 crore economic package for the region as "an eyewash".

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan Wednesday had announced the Vidarbha Package aimed at the economic revival of the backward and Maoist-hit eastern Maharashtra to be implemented by 2011.

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has decided to get three government projects, collectively worth Rs 8,476 crore, examined by independent consultants.

The three projects are the Mantralaya makeover, the redevelopment of the government staff colony in Bandra (E) and new toll schemes for Mumbai’s entry points.

The move is an intensification of Chavan’s cold war with his deputy Chhagan Bhujbal, who had pushed for these schemes. The projects had been proposed before the state elections in October, but Chavan put them on hold saying the new government would decide on them.

The occasion was solemn, but some politicians cared little for that.

The only-by-invitation tribute ceremony that the state government held on Thursday evening at Gateway of India was expected to be a disciplined affair. But as the programme progressed, many attendees felt that the common citizens outside the half-empty state enclosure were far more heartfelt.

The event started late by almost an hour reportedly because the politicians, including Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and state Home Minister R. R. Patil, delayed their arrival.

Mumbai, Nov 26 : The state's security apparatus was fully prepared and geared to tackle any kind of terror attacks in the future, Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said here Thursday on the first anniversary of the 26/11 terror strikes.

Speaking at a special memorial function organised this (Thursday) morning by the Indian Merchants Chamber (IMC) Memorial for the victims of the 26/11 terror attack and the July 11, 2006 serial train bombing near Churchgate, Chavan said a flag march was taken out in the morning from Hotel Oberoi Trident to Chowpatty to instil public confidence.

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan indicated on Monday that former city police commissioner Hasan Gafoor is in big trouble for making allegations in a section of media that some of his senior colleagues did not respond to the situation during the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai last year.

Mumbai, Nov 21 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on Saturday assured the journalists delegation that strict actions will be initiated against the attackers of IBN Lokmat offices in Mumbai and Pune.

A journalist delegation led by Rajya Sabha member Vijay Darda and CNN-IBN Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai met Chavan at his official residence here.

The delegation demanded Chavan to make attacks on media a non-bailable offence.

When Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said the performance of Congressmen in the State Cabinet would be evaluated he was serious.

Chavan is now thinking of applying the ‘result framework document (RFD)’ (see box) method of performance appraisal to his 18 party colleagues in the Cabinet.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently introduced this method for all Union ministers.

New Delhi, Nov 19 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has said there is no controversy in the state over the use of Marathi and Hindi languages.

Addressing reporters here on Wednesday, Chavan said both Marathi and Hindi have equal importance, and therefore, respect should be paid to them.

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has given the administration five days to conduct a detailed inquiry and assess the damage Cyclone Phyan caused in Maharashtra.

Chavan has asked for a comprehensive report by Tuesday.

The CM has also directed the government to disburse the stipulated ex-gratia amount. The amount could be between Rs 10,000 and Rs 50,000 depending on the damage.

Mumbai, Nov 9 : Portfolios have been allocated to ministers in the new Maharashtra State Cabinet by Chief Minister Ashok Chavan.

While Chavan will handle the urban development and the cultural affairs ministries, R. R. Patil has been given the home department.

The revenue department has been given to Narayan Rane, while Jayant Patil and Baban Rao Pachpute has been given the charge of rural development and tribal development respectively.

Mumbai, Nov. 7 : Congress leader Ashok Chavan and Nationalist Congress Party leader Chhagan Bhujbal took oath of office and secrecy as Maharashtra's Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister respectively on Saturday evening here at Raj Bhawan.

Ashok Chavan along with 37 other cabinet ministers were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor S C Jamir here at the Raj Bhawan, as the Congress-NCP alliance formed government after a wait of 16 days since poll results of the State Assembly were announced.

The new Government has 18 ministers from the Congress party and 20 from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

Mumbai, Nov 7 : A new Democratic Front government headed by Ashok Chavan took office in Maharashtra Saturday evening.

Governor S. C. Jamir administered the oath of office and secrecy to Chavan, of the Congress party, at the Raj Bhavan in the evening.

Nationalist Congress Party leader Chhagan Bhujbal took oath as deputy chief minister. (IANS)

Mumbai, Nov 6 : After a 15-day long wait, Maharashtra chief minister-elect Ashok Chavan Friday staked formal claim to forming the new government with the support of 170 legislators.

The swearing-in ceremony of the new Democratic Front government will be held here Saturday evening.

Chavan, along with deputy chief minister-designate Chhagan Bhujbal and top office-bearers of both Congress and Nationalist Congress Party met Governor S. C. Jamir at the Raj Bhavan and submitted the letters of support of 170 legislators.

Mumbai/New Delhi, Nov 6 - The new Maharashtra cabinet will be sworn in Saturday, Chief Minister-elect Ashok Chavan said Friday, a day after the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) broke the deadlock over power sharing.

Chavan and Deputy Chief Minister-designate Chhagan Bhujbal of the NCP would call on Governor S. C. Jamir in the evening and stake formal claim to form the new state government.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on Wednesday said the new government will be formed in 48 hours.

Talking to the reporters, Chavan said the two parties would soon finalise the power sharing formula and the government is likely to be formed in 48 hours.

His statement comes a day after Maharashtra Governor Jamir summoned Chavan (Congress leader) and Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal (who represents NCP) and told them to formed the government within a couple of days. He also told that he would have to consider other options (such as imposing President's rule) in case they failed to form the government.

Talks between the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are stuck in a deadlock as the allies failed to arrive at a mutually acceptable power sharing formula.

Senior leaders, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, his party colleague Praful Patel and Congress General Secretary AK Antony and Congress political secretary Ahmed Patel held talks for the second day on Thursday in New Delhi.