Ajit Pawar urges Centre to halt the illegal import of substandard raisins from China

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. File pic

Deputy Chief Minister and State Finance and Planning Minister Ajit Pawar has written to the Centre, urging urgent intervention to halt the illegal import of substandard raisins from China. These imports, which allegedly bypass customs duties and taxes, are causing significant financial losses to both grape farmers and the national exchequer, he said.

In letters addressed to Union Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Pawar outlined the detrimental impact of these imports on raisin prices in India, particularly during the peak marketing season.

As per a representation from the Maharashtra State Grape Growers Association in Pune, there has been a marked surge in the illegal entry of substandard Chinese raisins into the Indian market, his letters stated.

These raisins are reportedly being imported without paying the requisite duties, causing a drop in the prices of domestically produced raisins by Rs 100 to Rs 125 per kilogramme, which is directly affecting the livelihoods of grape farmers.

Pawar also highlighted that this situation not only disturbs fair market conditions but also results in considerable revenue loss for the Centre owing to tax evasion.

To address the issue, the Deputy CM has urged the Union Ministers to implement immediate and stringent measures to curb the illegal import of raisins, strengthen quality inspection protocols at ports, airports, and markets; ensure rigorous enforcement of import tax collection, and take urgent steps to stabilise raisin prices during the peak season, thereby safeguarding the interests of farmers.

The letters were written after the Maharashtra State Grape Growers Association highlighted the issues to Pawar.

Ajit Pawar urges citizens to participate in 'Viksit Maharashtra 2047' survey

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday urged citizens to actively participate in the ongoing 'Viksit Maharashtra 2047' survey aimed at shaping the state's long-term development vision, reported news agency PTI.

In a statement made in both the legislative assembly and council, Pawar appealed to all MLAs, divisional commissioners, district collectors, and chief executive officers of Zilla Parishads to encourage maximum public participation.

Following the successful completion of the government's 100-day action plan, the state government launched a 150-day campaign from May 6 to October 2, which includes drafting a comprehensive 'Viksit Maharashtra @2047' Vision Document.

To frame this vision, the government has outlined long-term goals under 'Maharashtra @2047', medium-term goals under 'Maharashtra @75', and short-term objectives. A total of 16 sectoral groups have been formed to prepare the draft document based on four key pillars: progressive growth, sustainability, inclusivity, and good governance, reported PTI.

The citizen survey, being conducted between June 18 and July 17, 2025, seeks to capture the opinions, expectations, aspirations, and priorities of the people to inform the vision document.

Pawar appealed to legislators to use public meetings, gatherings, and social media platforms to spread awareness about the survey and instructed all divisional commissioners, district collectors, and CEOs of Zilla Parishads to promote participation through their respective administrative setups, reported PTI.