Ashirwad Appointed Nagpur Collector, Vasumana Pant Takes Charge in Chandrapur Nagpur: Kumar Ashirwad, a 2016 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, has been appointed as the new Nagpur district collector as part of a statewide reshuffle of IAS officers. Currently serving as Solapur collector, Ashirwad is expected to assume his new role in Nagpur on Saturday. A graduate of IIT Kharagpur in civil engineering, Ashirwad, born on March 10, 1988, has previously held positions as assistant collector, assistant secretary, and a stint in Gadchiroli. Speaking to The Times of India, Ashirwad emphasized the administrative importance of Nagpur, stating that his initial focus will be on understanding local challenges and reviewing ongoing development projects. "The first two to three months will involve extensive interactions and knowledge gathering," he said, highlighting the need for careful coordination and governance in the region. Ashirwad’s appointment marks a significant shift in the administrative structure of Maharashtra. Vipin Itankar, who had been serving as additional collector of Nagpur, will now take on his primary role as commissioner of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and additional charge as commissioner of the Maharashtra Agricultural Cooperative Development Corporation (MADC) and the Maharashtra Industrial and Investment Corporation (MIL). This transition underscores the state government’s efforts to streamline responsibilities and ensure efficient governance. The reshuffle also includes several other key appointments across the state. Satyam Gandhi has been named CEO of the Amravati Zilla Parishad, while Varsha Ladda will assume the role of Amravati Municipal Corporation commissioner.#vasumana_pant #kumar_ashirwad #nagpur_collector #chandrapur_collector #maharashtra_state_seeds_corporation
65 Diesel Aapli Buses Likely to Be Off Roads from Today Nagpur: The ongoing fuel crisis has begun to impact the city’s public transport system, with as many as 65 diesel-run Aapli buses likely to be taken off the roads starting Wednesday. A Pune-based operator informed the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) that it would no longer be able to continue operations due to fuel shortages. Civic officials confirmed that services will continue with minimal disruption, relying on the city’s large fleet of 385 electric buses to maintain connectivity. The NMC operates a total of 580 buses under the Aapli Bus service, including 195 diesel buses managed by three Red Bus operators. These diesel buses include 150 midi buses and 45 mini buses that serve key routes across the city. One of the operators, Pune-based Travel Time, has informed the civic body that it will be unable to operate its 65 diesel buses due to the fuel crisis. Additional municipal commissioner Vasumana Pant confirmed the details on Tuesday. Pant assured that commuters would not face significant inconvenience, stating that the administration has enough electric buses to compensate for the diesel fleet’s reduction. “Even if one operator is unable to run its diesel buses, we have enough electric buses. We will optimise their deployment and ensure services continue smoothly,” she said. Nearly 55,000 daily commuters rely on diesel-run buses, which complete over 2,500 trips each day. Officials expressed concern that if fuel shortages persist, the number of diesel buses on the roads could decrease further. However, the bulk of ridership is already being handled by the electric fleet. Of the 385 electric buses, 46 are non-AC, operating on 61 routes to serve nearly 1.15 lakh passengers daily, completing around 4,500 trips.#nagpur_municipal_corporation #vasumana_pant #nmc #travel_time #aapli_bus_service
Labour Officer Faces Show Cause Notice for Misusing Authority Nagpur: A civic administration official has been summoned for allegedly misusing his position by signing official documents as an administrative officer, a role far beyond his designated authority. Labour officer Arun Pipurde was issued a show cause notice by additional municipal commissioner Vasumana Pant, accusing him of violating administrative protocols. The notice alleges that Pipurde signed official documents and issued directives in the capacity of an administrative officer during periods when the post was vacant. According to sources, the irregularities occurred twice during the absence of the administrative officer. The first instance followed the end of Ravindra Pagey’s contract and before Sonam Deshmukh assumed the role. Later, when Deshmukh was transferred and the post again became vacant, Pipurde allegedly continued signing and issuing department letters as if he held the administrative charge. Department insiders claimed Pipurde signed between 10 to 15 letters and internal communications, directing staff and issuing official instructions—actions reserved exclusively for the administrative officer. A senior transport department official stated that Pipurde exploited the transition period to act as the department head. The misuse came to light recently, prompting immediate action from civic authorities. The official emphasized that this was a clear violation of administrative hierarchy and noted that the inquiry would determine whether the misrepresentation led to any procedural lapses or unauthorized decisions. Pipurde reportedly informed officials that the signatures were made during the transition period when the administrative officer’s post was vacant.#nagpur #labour_officer #arun_pipurde #additional_municipal_commissioner #vasumana_pant
