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The Maharashtra government on Monday tabled supplementary demands of Rs 97,706.40 crore, including Rs 20,552 crore for the farm loan waiver scheme, with a net additional burden of Rs 74,817.66 crore on the exchequer. Notably, the Opposition has been demanding a complete farm loan waiver with minimal technical conditions. NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar protested earlier this month to press for removal of "stringent" conditions from the farm loan waiver scheme and demand a blanket loan waiver for farmers. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tabled the demands in the assembly on the first day of the legislature's monsoon session on Monday. Of the total supplementary demands, Rs 13,825.71 crore has been sought for unavoidable expenditure, Rs 66,559.40 crore for programme-related spending, and Rs 17,321.29 crore against expenditure to be supported through funds available under centrally sponsored schemes. Despite the gross demands of Rs 97,706.40 crore, the actual financial burden will be Rs ...
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has rejected claims attributed to six rebel MPs that they feared the party might merge with the Congress, asserting that the united Sena always supported Hindutva and sons of the soil. In his first comments on the impending split in his party for the second time in four years, Thackeray on Friday said the Shiv Sena was not born to merge with anyone. "It was created to fight for the rights of Marathi people and protect Hindutva," he said while addressing a gathering of Shiv Sena (UBT) workers here, marking the 60th foundation day of the united Shiv Sena, founded by his father, late Bal Thackeray. He slammed the rebel MPs for claims that they feared the Sena (UBT) might merge with the Congress. "If we didn't merge with the BJP despite being an ally for 30 years, how can we merge with the Congress. I fear the Maharashtra BJP might merge with the Shinde Sena," he remarked. He said we have had severe political differences with the Congress, but it
Voting began on Thursday morning for elections to 12 Maharashtra legislative council seats from local authorities' constituencies, with the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance seeking to consolidate its position after already securing five seats unopposed. Polling commenced at 8 am and will continue till 4 pm. Members of local self-government bodies, including municipal corporations, municipal councils and zilla parishads, are eligible to cast their votes. Although elections were notified for 17 seats, contests are being held in 12 constituencies as candidates of the ruling alliance have already been elected unopposed in five seats. The Mahayuti alliance comprises the BJP, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Sunetra Pawar-led NCP. It has already secured uncontested victories for BJP's Arun Lakhani from the Wardha-Chandrapur-Gadchiroli constituency, NCP nominees Vikram Kakade from Pune and Aniket Tatkare from Raigad-Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, and Shiv Sena candidates Ravindra Phatak from Thane and Dushya
Even as the Trinamool Congress grapples with an unprecedented split, Shiv Sena (UBT), another major player in the Opposition camp, is staring at a crisis, with "six to seven" of its nine Lok Sabha MPs inclined to switch to the ruling Shiv Sena and camping in the national capital, sources said on Tuesday. It is learnt that Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde was also headed to Delhi late on Tuesday. On its part, Shiv Sena (UBT) has dismissed the possibility of a split in its Lok Sabha ranks, with the party's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut claiming that all its MPs remain united. Sources told PTI that Shinde was expected to land in Delhi late on Tuesday. "Six to seven MPs are likely to switch sides," a leader of the Shinde camp said, claiming that the move was linked to a possible elevation in the role of Aditya Thackeray, son of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, who currently heads the party's youth wing. The leader claimed that the MPs likely to ma
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday rejected the Opposition's criticism over fuel and gas price hike, attributing the fluctuation in rates to the Iran-US conflict. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has deftly handled the situation and taken steps to contain fuel costs even as petrol, diesel and gas prices skyrocketed in other countries. The Opposition has criticised the Central government over the rise in prices of essential commodities. Earlier in the day, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said the government would pay a "political price" as frequent hikes in essential commodities were burdening the common man. "The whole world knows the situation of war, and no country remains untouched. In every country, petrol, diesel and gas prices are high. In India, the Prime Minister has done a lot to contain the prices. I feel that as long as the war situation remains like this, some things will continue, but we have also seen before that prices had fallen, so when demand a
The Maharashtra government has made students from the Maratha community eligible for educational concessions and benefits similar to those available to the Other Backward Class (OBC) category. Announcing the decision through a government resolution (GR) issued on Friday, it directed all implementing departments to make adequate budgetary provisions for these schemes and benefits, aimed at improving access to education and skills, in the current and future financial years. The move came days after Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange ended his hunger strike following talks with a government delegation, which submitted a 12-point proposal to him. According to the GR, the state's post-matric scholarship scheme applicable to OBC students shall also apply to Maratha students. Similarly, the Motor Vehicle Driver and Conductor Training Scheme will be available to OBC candidates and shall be implemented for Maratha candidates through the government's SARTHI portal. Scholarship schemes ...
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday suggested reforms in the election process after NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule said she will introduce a bill to stop "horse trading" amid the withdrawal of opposition candidates in several seats ahead of the legislative council elections. The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi has accused the ruling parties of monetary inducements and pressure tactics, a charge denied by leaders of the BJP-led Mahayuti. Sule has said she would move a bill in Parliament seeking greater transparency in elections where allegations of horse trading arise. "If you understand that people can be won over through affection rather than money, then there will be no need to bring such a bill," Fadnavis told reporters while responding to a query on Sule's remarks. It's his personal opinion that there should be reforms in the election process, the chief minister said, adding that he had no objection to anyone introducing legislation for such reforms. Responding to
The Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday approved the 'Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karja-mukti Yojana' to provide farm loan waiver of up to Rs 2 lakh, and also introduced incentive benefits for those farmers who have repaid their loans on time. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, an official statement said. The scheme has three components -- loan waiver, one-time settlement (OTS) and incentive benefits -- and there will be no landholding criterion for eligibility, it said. Under the waiver component, farmers whose total outstanding short-term crop loans, including principal and interest, are up to Rs 2 lakh will be eligible for a complete debt relief. The loans must have been disbursed between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2025, remained overdue as of September 30, 2025, and unpaid till March 31, 2026. The farmers whose dues exceed Rs 2 lakh will be covered under the OTS component. Such borrowers will have to clear the amount
Seven persons have died in Pimpri Chinchwad after consuming suspected spurious liquor, while a similar angle is being probed in the deaths of three individuals in Pune in 24 hours, officials said on Friday. Eight persons have been detained in connection with the deaths in Pimpri Chinchwad, while three men suspected of consuming poisonous liquor are undergoing treatment at a hospital there, officials said. Speaking to the media, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he has ordered an inquiry into the seven deaths due to suspected hooch consumption. A total of eight persons, including a key bootlegger, have been detained in connection with the alleged supply of methanol-laced liquor to the Phugewadi area in Pimpri Chinchwad, said police. "Following multiple deaths in Phugewadi, we launched a probe. We found that seven persons have died so far due to suspected consumption of toxic liquor, and three others are undergoing treatment," said Sandip Atole, Deputy Commissioner of
Nida Khan, an absconding TCS employee accused in a case of alleged religious conversion and sexual harassment at the company's Nashik unit, was arrested in central Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar with police claiming that a local AIMIM corporator had provided her shelter. Following her arrest on Thursday, she was produced before the Nashik Road sessions court on Friday. The court remanded her in police custody till May 11. After her name figured in a First Information Report registered at Deolali Camp police station, Khan (27) had moved the sessions court last month seeking anticipatory bail, pleading innocence and citing her three months pregnancy. Rejecting the plea on May 2, the court had said there seemed to be a "systematic plan" of brainwashing the victim. Reacting to the development, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said it was clear that the AIMIM had a role to play in sheltering Nida Khan. "We will find out who was behind it. We will also find out wheth
Nashik TCS sexual harassment and religious coercion case accused Nida Khan was held on Thursday in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, a police official said here. She was held with the help of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar police and the crime branch of that city, Nashik police commissioner Sandeep Karnik informed. Khan is an accused in the Deolali Camp police station crime register number 156/26 here, he said. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Nashik police is probing nine cases of molestation and harassment at the IT major's Nashik unit. It had arrested eight persons, including a female operations manager, by registering nine FIRs after allegations of exploitation, attempt of forceful conversion, hurting religious sentiments, molestation and mental harassment of female employees at the TCS unit came to light. The SIT had launched a search for Khan in different parts of Maharashtra. She is accused of targeting employees in a WhatsApp group, pressuring them to pray and eat ...
The Maharashtra cabinet on Wednesday approved the Artificial Intelligence Policy 2026 which envisages an investment of Rs 10,000 crore in the sector and creation of 1.5 lakh employment opportunities. The government proposes to establish six AI Excellence Centres and five AI Innovation Cities under the policy, said an official statement. Aligned with the central government's "India AI Mission", this policy will promote research, innovation and responsible governance, it added. The policy puts emphasis on building AI infrastructure in the state. It also aims to enhance the use of AI in industries, public services and administration. It is being implemented on the lines of India AI Mission, and establish 'Maharashtra AI Mission'. "Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis noted that in the coming years about 70 percent of jobs will be reshaped by AI, and therefore the policy should be periodically updated in line with changing times and technologies. The policy aims to attract more than Rs 10,
Former Rajya Sabha member and noted paediatrician Dr Gopalrao Patil passed away in Maharashtra's Latur city on Tuesday morning following an illness, family sources said. He was 94. Patil breathed his last at a private hospital here at 7.12 am, they said. He served as a Rajya Sabha member from the BJP between 1994 and 2000 and contributed to key parliamentary committees, including commerce, external affairs, and railways. Patil was also a visionary educationist. He founded the Shiv Chhatrapati Shikshan Sanstha, which runs Rajarshi Shahu College in Latur. Born on October 3, 1931, at Kavtha village in Dharashiv district, Patil pursued his medical education from Osmania University, Hyderabad, and went on to become one of Latur's most respected child specialists. His free medical services in rural areas had earned him the affectionate title of 'Devmanus' among locals. He had also served as a lecturer in a medical college in Kurnool, Hyderabad and worked as a medical officer in Kurund
State-owned gas utility GAIL (India) Limited on Tuesday said it will invest Rs 3,800 crore in setting up 700 MW of solar power capacity across Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, as part of its push towards clean energy and net-zero goals. In a statement, the firm said it will develop a 600-MW solar project with a 550-MWh battery energy storage system at the TUSCO Solar Park in Jhansi, primarily to meet the captive power needs of its petrochemical plant at Pata in Uttar Pradesh. It will also set up a 100-MW solar project with a 22-MWh storage system in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Maharashtra, to cater to its PDH-PP plant in Raigad. The projects are aimed at boosting renewable energy capacity and ensuring round-the-clock power supply through integrated storage solutions. Upon commissioning, GAIL's installed renewable energy capacity is expected to rise to over 1,000 MW from the current 147 MW. The company said the move aligns with its strategy to expand its green energy portfolio while
Eleven people were killed and two severely injured after a van collided with a cement mixer on a bridge in Maharashtra's Thane district on Monday, police said. The fatal crash occurred around 10.45 am on the Raita bridge in Govili village of Murbad, an official from the district rural police told PTI. The van heading to Murbad from Kalyan collided head-on with a cement mixer coming from the opposite direction, he said. At least 11 occupants of the van have died, and two injured have been shifted to the central hospital at Ulhasnagar, Murbad tehsildar Abhijit Deshmukh said. Six of the victims have been identified, and the process of identifying the others is underway, a senior police official said. The deceased included eight men and three women, he said. Following the accident, traffic was affected on the road from Kalyan to Ahilyanagar for a few hours. The stretch has now been cleared, he said.