Maharashtra

Vietnam's Vingroup signs pact to invest $6.5 billion in Maharashtra

Vingroup Signs MOU with Maharashtra, Further Expanding its Multi-sector Ecosystem in India

Baramati bypoll: Sunetra Pawar files nomination papers for Apr 23 election

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Sunetra Pawar on Monday filed her nomination papers for the April 23 Baramati assembly bypoll. She filed the papers in the presence of her party colleagues Sunil Tatkare, Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dhananjay Munde and Hasan Mushrif as well as Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena, and state minister and BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule. The three parties comprise the ruling Mahayuti. Before filing her nomination papers, she made an emotional appeal to the people of Baramati to stand by her in the same way as they always supported her late husband Ajit Pawar. The death of then Deputy CM and NCP stalwart Ajit Pawar in a plane crash on January 28 necessitated the Baramati assembly bypoll. Sunetra Pawar said she was committed to carrying forward his legacy of development. Describing Ajit Pawar's demise as a "profound loss" not just for her family but for the entire state, she said, "Never in our dreams did we imagine t

May withdraw from bypoll if FIR filed in Ajit Pawar plane crash: Congress

The Maharashtra Congress on Monday said it will consider withdrawing from the Baramati assembly bypoll if a first information report (FIR) is registered in the plane crash that killed former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. State Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe, in a statement, rejected claims that the April 23 by-election should be held unopposed, and accused the BJP of adopting a "convenient" political stance. The Congress on Sunday fielded its state unit secretary, Akash More, against Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar for the Baramati bypoll, necessitated due to the death of sitting Nationalist Congress Party MLA and then deputy CM Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in the constituency on January 28. He had represented the seat in Pune district eight times, with some of his victories coming with record margins. While the Opposition NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) have extended support to allow the bypoll to be held unopposed, the Congress has maintained that it will contest it. Lond

Buddha's teachings relevant in conflict-ridden world: Eknath Shinde

The world needs "Buddha, not war" to navigate global conflicts, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ekanth Shinde has said, citing that Buddhism represents a socio-political revolution essential for social transformation. Addressing the 8th International Buddhist Dhamma Conference here on Sunday, Shinde characterised Buddhism as a movement for change. The conference was organised by the Buddha Ratna Sagar Welfare Foundation and attended by monks, scholars and followers from India and abroad. The deputy chief minister was conferred the Buddha Ratna award at the event. "Dhamma is a way of life based on truth, non-violence and compassion. Social transformation is possible only through the thoughts of Buddha," Shinde said. Buddhism represents a socio-political revolution and a path for social transformation, he said, asserting that the principles of the faith are highly relevant in the conflict-ridden world. "The world does not want war; it wants Buddha. Hate cannot end hate; it can onl

Police detain five following clash between two groups in Mumbai's Malad

Upon receiving information about the scuffle, Dindoshi police officers arrived and attempted to control the crowd

Baramati bypoll: Fadnavis backs unopposed win for late Ajit Pawar's wife

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday appealed to all parties to ensure an unopposed bypoll in the Baramati assembly constituency, necessitated by the death of then NCP president Ajit Pawar in a plane crash, to elect his wife and incumbent Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar. He urged consensus in backing Sunetra Pawar to respect Maharashtra's political traditions. Recalling past instances, Fadnavis cited the unopposed bypoll held after the death of NCP (undivided) MLA and former state home minister R R Patil. His wife, Suman Patil, was elected from the Tasgaon-Kavathe Mahankal assembly constituency following her husband's death in 2015. "All parties should show a large-hearted approach and ensure the by-election is held unopposed," Fadnavis told reporters. The BJP, which heads the Mahayuti alliance, shares power with the NCP and Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. NCP sources had said that Sunetra Pawar, currently a member of Rajya Sabha, will file her nomination on April 6 for the

Marital discord alone not basis for abetment of suicide charge: Bombay HC

A spouse cannot be accused of abetting the suicide of his or her partner merely because there was marital discord between the two, the Bombay High Court has said while quashing a case lodged against a woman for abetting the suicide of her husband. The HC's Nagpur bench, in its order passed last week, held that matrimonial discord is common in domestic life and suicide cannot be attributed to any of the spouses merely because there was a matrimonial dispute. It added that there has to be instigation or direct incitement from the accused to the victim to end life. "In such cases, it cannot be held that due to abetment from one partner the other committed suicide," the court said. The bench allowed the plea filed by a 49-year-old woman, a teacher by profession, seeking to quash the abetment of suicide case filed against her in 2019 by the Amravati police. A single bench of Justice Urmila Joshi Phalke said that in the present case both the husband and the wife had levelled allegations

Why Maharashtra government has closed 6.8 million Ladki Bahin accounts

Around 6.8 million Ladki Bahin scheme accounts were closed in Maharashtra. The scheme costs the state exchequer around ₹3,700 crore every month

Maharashtra RERA approves 1,060 housing projects around Gudhi Padwa

MahaRERA approved 1,060 housing projects around Gudhi Padwa, including new registrations, extensions and corrections, with maximum activity in MMR and Pune regions

Maharashtra ignored over 10k audit queries, ₹891 crore lapses possible: CAG

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has flagged "systemic deficiencies" in Maharashtra's governance, identifying Rs 891 crore in possible financial irregularities across more than 10,000 audit queries that various departments ignored despite repeated reminders over a decade. The CAG, in the report tabled in the recently concluded budget session of the state assembly, criticised the delay by departments in filing action taken notes (ATNs), stating that the state's inability to address queries in 2,408 inspection reports (IRs) undermined "executive accountability" and "legislative oversight". The CAG has raised queries over the accounts, some dating back over a decade, but the departments have left them unanswered. As many as 2,408 IRs, containing 10,340 paragraphs (queries), were pending settlement as of June 2023, reflecting a significant backlog, even as a separate local audit for 2022-23 raised 2,119 objections involving revenue implications of Rs 891.29 crore, ...

'PNG supply to restaurants, eateries in Maharashtra increased by 20%'

The supply of Piped Natural Gas (PNG) to commercial establishments in Maharashtra has been increased by 20 per cent, state Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal has said, offering relief to restaurants and eateries. The government has decided to ease PNG distribution to businesses, the minister said on Sunday. "From March 23, until further notice, commercial PNG supply has been increased by 20 per cent," he added. With this, supply to the commercial sector will rise to 50 per cent. Restaurant and eateries were hit after the war in West Asia broke out, as it impacted the supply of commercial cooking gas. Several food joints have been forced to suspend operations due to the gas supply disruptions. The conflict involving US-Israel and Iran has led to a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the main transit route for Gulf energy supplies. Bhujbal said the PNG distribution to commercial establishments, ever since the crisis hit, was initially raised to 20 per cent, followed by

Capex pours into 3 states, yet efficiency blooms elsewhere: Report

UP, Maharashtra, and Gujarat dominate capital expenditure, while Karnataka and Telangana lead in capital efficiency, highlighting divergence in investment patterns across states

Sunetra Pawar forwards Rupali Chakankar's resignation to CM Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, who heads the ruling NCP, on Saturday said she has forwarded the resignation of Rupali Chakankar, who stepped down as the chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women, to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for further action. Chakankar on Friday tendered her resignation after facing flak from the opposition parties over her association with rape-accused 'godman' Ashok Kharat. Chakankar, who is also the NCP women's wing chief, submitted the resignation letter to Sunetra Pawar on Friday. Prior to that, Chakankar met CM Fadnavis, who asked her to resign, sources said. In a statement, Sunetra Pawar said Chakankar decided to step down in view of the prevailing situation and the ongoing inquiry into the arrest of self-styled godman Ashok Kharat. "Chakankar has tendered her resignation considering the current circumstances and the investigation underway. To ensure that the probe is conducted in a fair and transparent manner, I h

All MSRTC buses will be electric by 2037: Maharashtra transport minister

All buses in the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) fleet will be electric vehicles (EVs) by 2037, state Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik has said. Speaking in the legislative council on Monday, Sarnaik said it is envisaged that all vehicles in Maharashtra will be EVs by 2047. As a step towards it, the MSRTC plans to have all electric buses in its fleet by 2037, he said. "MSRTC currently has 22,000 buses in its fleet. It also has 800 electric buses. By 2037, all buses in the MSRTC fleet will be electric. This will be done in a phased manner. MSRTC will be the first transport corporation in the state to convert its entire fleet to electric," the minister said in the House. As per the Maharashtra Electric Vehicle Policy 2025, a 100 per cent toll waiver is given to EVs using the Atal Setu, Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the Samruddhi Mahamarg, Sarnaik added. Financial sops are also given to those who opt for EVs and charging infrastructure is being created at every 25

Adani Power shares rise 5% after securing 1,600 MW MSEDCL supply contract

Adani Power stock was trading at ₹151.35, up by 3.3 per cent from the previous session's close of ₹146.57

Projects worth ₹17,000 crore announced in Vidarbha to boost economy

An integrated green steel plant and a coal gasification project will come up in Bhadravati in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district with an estimated investment of Rs 17,000 crore, providing jobs to more than 10,000 persons and giving a boost to the economy of Vidarbha, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said on Saturday. Addressing a gathering in the MIDC area of Telwasa in Bhadravati where he laid the foundation stones of the two mega projects, the Union Minister of Coal and Mines said the initiative will result in generation of high value items like ammonia nitrate, green steel and hydrogen, which need to be imported in large quantities at present. "It is part of efforts to make India atmanirbhar, which is the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Coal plays a key role in the industrial development of the nation. Out of seven such projects nationwide, four are being established in this specific region," he said while lauding Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' leadership for keeping ...

Govt may revoke recognition of schools not teaching Marathi, warns minister

Maharashtra Minister Dada Bhuse on Friday warned of strict action against schools, including those affiliated with national and international boards, that fail to comply with the legislation making Marathi mandatory for Classes 1 to 10. Bhuse informed the state assembly that the government will launch inspections and potentially revoke the recognition of schools if they fail to adhere to the norms regarding the teaching of Marathi. He stated that Marathi was made mandatory for students of Classes 1 to 10 in all schools in the state, including those affiliated with national and international boards, and that the state had already enacted legislation and issued a notification on March 9, 2020. While some schools following international curricula may offer Marathi as a second or third language, teaching the language itself remains compulsory, the minister said during the Question Hour. In view of concerns raised by MLAs alleging that some prominent international schools were not offer

Maharashtra makes permits mandatory for passenger e-autos, e-bikes

The Maharashtra government has decided to make permits mandatory for passenger-carrying electric rickshaws and e-bikes to ensure uniformity in rules in the sector, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced on Friday. The decision comes at a time when the transport department has said it would stop issuing new permits for autorickshaws (with yellow-and-black registration plates) in the state, and has temporarily suspended permits issued to three operators to use e-bikes. Until now, electric rickshaws were not required to obtain a separate permit for passenger transport, Sarnaik's office said in a release. However, considering the rising number of electric vehicles, the state has decided to make permits compulsory for e-rickshaws and e-bikes to ensure uniform regulations in passenger transport, it said. As per the latest decision, taken in accordance with a central notification of June 30, 2016, the passenger-carrying e-rickshaw and e-bikes will be required to feature number plates

Maharashtra on track to contribute $1.5 tn to India's GDP: Dy CM Shinde

Deputy CM Eknath Shinde says Maharashtra is on track to contribute $1.5 trillion to India's GDP as infrastructure expansion and investment drive the state's growth

Maharashtra set to become first trn-dollar sub-national economy: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that the state is on track to become India's first trillion-dollar sub-national economy in the coming years, driven by sustained industrial growth, infrastructure expansion, and increasing technology adoption. Acknowledging that social media poses various challenges, he said the state currently has no plans to ban it for those under the age of 16. The chief minister made the remarks during an on-stage conversation with actor Aamir Khan at the 'Lokmat Maharashtrian of the Year Awards 2026' organised by Lokmat Media Group at Gateway of India here on Tuesday. Fadnavis said Maharashtra already holds the position of India's largest sub-national economy and continues to strengthen its global economic standing. "If Maharashtra were an independent country, it would rank among the world's top 30 economies. With sustained growth momentum, Maharashtra is on track to become India's first trillion-dollar sub-national economy in the coming ..