Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister (CM) Ajit Pawar on Monday said that the state government has decided to retain 'Shivbhojan Thali' and 'Anandacha Sidha'.In a written reply, Ajit Pawar has informed the Maharashtra Assembly that the state government has decided to not discontinue 'Shivbhojan Thali' and 'Anandacha Sidha', news agency ANI reported. Later, while speaking on the floor of the House, the Finance Minister said, "The media also highlighted the discontinuation of some schemes in this budget. Some respected members in this house have also mentioned this. All schemes are periodically reviewed, and those that become outdated are discontinued."He added that payments of some of the vendors of these schemes are pending, so initiatives are being taken to clear their dues at the earliest.Anandacha Sidha scheme was first introduced in 2022 during Diwali, providing four food items at a concessional rate of Rs 100 to families with saffron ration cards, ANI reported.This is in addition to the regular distribution of foodgrains. The beneficiaries of the kit include Antyodaya Anna Yojana and Priority households as defined in the National Food Security Act, 2013.According to ANI, the kit would also be distributed to the APL farmer (saffron) cardholders of fourteen districts that were identified as suicide prone districts (these include districts of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Amravati division and Wardha district from Nagpur Division).Notably, to provide food at discounted rates to the poor and needy people of the state, the Maharashtra Government started Shiv Bhojan Yojana in 2020.The Shiv Bhojan Thali includes two chapatis, one bowl each of cooked vegetables, dal and rice. The 'Shiv Bhojan Application' has been developed to implement the Shiv Bhojan Scheme.At present, the Shiv Bhojan scheme has a target of 2 lakhs thalis per day and 1,904 Shiv Bhojan centres are functioning in the state.According to the government, to maintain effective control over Shiv Bhojan centers, CCTV cameras are being installed and the geo-fencing facility has started in a 100-metre radius.A total of 18,83,96,254 Shiv Bhojan Thalis have been made available to the beneficiaries since the inception of the scheme till March 27, 2024, the Maharashtra Government stated. While responding to a debate in the Legislative Assembly on Monday, Pawar said that the core essence of the state budget is 'Developed India, Developed Maharashtra'. He also appealed to the opposition and said, "You can criticise the budget, you may criticise me, but when speaking in the heat of the moment, please avoid making statements that will hurt others as that will cause injustice and be ungrateful to those who have contributed to the development of the country." (ANI)
17 March,2025 01:58 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday announced one candidate each for the March 27 bypolls to the five seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, news agency PTI reported. The development comes after their ally in the Mahayuti government, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), declared candidates for three seats on Sunday. While the Shiv Sena has nominated Chandrakant Raghuvanshi, a prominent party worker from Nandurbar district, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's NCP has fielded Sanjay Khodke, whose wife had won the 2024 state assembly election, PTI reported. On Sunday, the BJP had announced the candidature of Sandeep Joshi, the former mayor of Nagpur and a close aide of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, along with state BJP general secretary Sanjay Kenekar and former Member of Legislative Assembly Dadarao Keche. The by-elections for these five seats are likely to be uncontested, PTI reported. The seats became vacant in the legislative council after the sitting members won the assembly elections last year. Shiv Sena's Amasha Padavi, NCP's Rajesh Witekar, and BJP's Pravin Datke, Gopichand Padalkar, and Ramesh Karad were the outgoing members who won the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024. Monday is the last day to file nominations for the March 27 by-elections. The nominations will be scrutinised on Tuesday, and candidates can withdraw from the fray by March 20. The election will be uncontested if no more than five candidates file nominations. The state legislative council has 78 members. Unlike the assembly, the council is not dissolved every five years, and members serve a six-year term. Of the 78 members, 30 are elected by the legislative assembly, 22 by local governing bodies, and seven each by teachers and graduates. Additionally, the Maharashtra Governor nominates 12 members from the fields of literature, arts, cooperatives, and social service. After the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly Elections, the council had 52 members. The Mahayuti alliance comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP has 32 members, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has 17. The BJP has 19 MLCs, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has six, and NCP has seven. In the MVA camp, Congress has seven members, NCP (SP) has three, and Shiv Sena (UBT) has seven. There are also three independent members. The opposition parties have not fielded any candidates till now. The MVA lacks sufficient numbers in the state assembly to secure a seat, and hence, they have refrained from contesting the election. (With PTI inputs)
17 March,2025 01:13 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Kalyan Taluka police said they have registered six Accidental Death Reports (ADR) since March 14 of people drowning during the Holi 2025 celebrations. In the latest, the body of a man was found on Saturday. According to the police, all six had died by drowning in the Apti River while celebrating the Holi festival in separate incidents. The river is located in the Kalyan tehsil of Thane district. Suresh Kadam, senior police inspector at Kalyan Taluka police station, requested citizens not to venture in the water. “On Friday, we registered five ADRs as people ventured into the river and drowned as the water level rose suddenly.” According to the latest ADR, 32-year-old Nasir Shaikh had ventured into the water as he had no idea of the depth and drowned. A video of the incident shows Shaikh drowning in the river. “He ventured into the river, and the level of the water increased. All efforts were made to rescue him,” said the senior officer. “His body was found on Saturday. We are investigating the matter. His family is in a state of shock due to his sudden demise,” the the senior officer added. In other incidents that also took place on the day of the Holi 2025 celebrations at the same spot, a group of 10 students allegedly ventured into the river, in which four died by drowning. The police have identified the deceased as Aryan Medar, 15, Omsingh Tomar, 15, Siddharth Singh, 16, and Aryan Singh, 16. One more person drowned on the same day during the Holi celebration, said police, adding that the deceased is yet to be identified.
17 March,2025 12:34 PM IST | Mumbai | Apoorva AgasheMaharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Monday paid tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his Jayanti. "Today is the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the beloved deity of Maharashtra, according to the date. Every year, Maharaj's birth anniversary is celebrated according to the 'tithi' and date. There are also disputes over this. Actually, Maharaj's birth anniversary should be celebrated for 365 days, as Maharaj was such a transcendental man. But to celebrate 365 days means that one should take some lesson from the life of Shivaji Maharaj for 365 days and walk in daily life," he stated in a post on X. According to the Hindu calendar, Shivaji Jayanti falls on March 17 this year. Accordingly, several events have been organised across Maharashtra to pay tributes to the Maratha warrior. "My entire life is influenced by the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. So I am never touched by depression or negativity and I do not want to take any shortcuts for instant success. I speak my mind to what I think is right, and while doing this, I maintain a deep faith in my goal of building a Maharashtra. I hope to always receive inspiration from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to build a Maharashtra that the world will envy," the MNS chief said in a post on social media platform, X. Thackeray further stated, "To dream of Swarajya at the age of 15, to chart its course, and to introduce its own currency, to reject the Persian language and create its own Marathi dictionary, to conquer forts one by one, to endure setbacks at a young age, and to never let the morale of his colleagues weaken, must have been a unique talent. There is a period in the middle of Maharaj's life where it seems to the casual observer that not much happens, but during that time, Maharaj planned a lot ahead. As our grandfather Prabodhankar Thackeray used to say, when there is a storm outside, one should sit quietly inside and store up strength, and when there is peace outside, one should create one's own storm. Looking at Maharaj's life, one always wonders where this understanding came from at such a young age." The MNS chief has also urged citizens to read the biographies of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. "While small setbacks or rejections can lead to depression in today's day and age, if everyone reads the biography of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at least once a year, they will realise how calmly Maharaj established the Swarajya even in such adverse circumstances," he wrote.
17 March,2025 12:31 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentShiv Sena leader Shaina NC launched a scathing attack on Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction leader Sanjay Raut, saying that he has lost his mental balance and makes statements every morning without studying any facts.The Member of Parliament (MP) from Rajya Sabha had advised Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 15 to watch the movie 'Chhava' based on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and clarify if what the late Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader MS Golwalkar had said about the Maratha warrior was wrong.According to news agency ANI, Shaina NC stated that Raut wakes up every morning and when he does not have anything to speak, then he makes a controversial statements. She added that there is no division in India and no one can break the country."Sanjay Raut has lost his mental balance because every morning he makes statements without any facts. We give credit to the Prime Minister, Home Minister and all the leaders of NDA for the pace at which India is moving towards progress... When you (Sanjay Raut) wake up in the morning and you do not have any issue, then you make controversial remarks. There is no division in India... No one can break us ...", Shaina NC told ANI on Sunday. #WATCH | मुंबई: शिवसेना नेता शाइना एनसी ने शिवसेना (UBT) सांसद संजय राउत के बयान पर कहा, "संजय राउत अपने मानसिक संतुलन को खो चुके हैं क्योंकि हर सुबह वे बिना किसी तथ्य के बयानबाजी करते हैं। भारत प्रगति की ओर जिस रफ्तार से आगे बढ़ रहा है उसका श्रेय हम प्रधानमंत्री, गृह मंत्री और… pic.twitter.com/bHf4voLX9h — ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) March 16, 2025 Raut had made the comments while speaking to reporters in Mumbai. He had stated that no one can tell what is the mindset of Prime Minister Modi. "Previously, PM Modi has promoted films such as 'Tashkent Files', 'Kashmir Files', 'Chhava' and 'The Accidental Prime Minister'. If MS Golwalkar presented his views on Sambhaji Maharaj, then it is PM Modi's responsibility to watch the movie and claim that Golwalkar was wrong," Raut had said in response to All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Assaduddin Owaisi's statement. The Hyderabad MP had claimed that Golwalkar used the "worst words" for Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in his book 'Bunch of Thoughts and Hindutva'."The worst words for Sambhaji Maharaj were used by late RSS leader MS Golwalkar in his book Bunch of Thoughts and Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar also used the worst words for Sambhaji Maharaj", Owaisi had said on March 15. (With ANI inputs)
17 March,2025 11:16 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Indian stock market opened on a strong note on Monday, with both benchmark indices showing gains, news agency ANI reported.The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Sensex surged 290.59 points, opening at 74,138.49, while the National Stock Exchange (NSE) Nifty climbed 82.35 points to begin the session at 22,479.55.Among Nifty-listed companies, 38 stocks went up while 12 saw declines, ANI reported. IndusInd Bank, SBI Life, Bajaj Finserv, Tata Motors, and Larsen & Toubro emerged as the top gainers, while Infosys, HCL Tech, Wipro, BPCL, and Britannia were among the worst performers in early trade.The gains come amid mixed global cues. According to banking and market expert Ajay Bagga, China announced measures to stimulate domestic consumption, though the response to these actions has been lukewarm. However, Chinese industrial growth and retail sales data for the first two months of 2025 exceeded estimates, providing some optimism to Asian markets, ANI reported.He highlighted that the broader economic picture remains uncertain, with a possible slowdown in the US economy and fluctuating policies under President Donald Trump's second term."The US Fed FOMC meet will be the key policy meeting this week. We expect the Fed to remain on hold, citing the uncertainty around Trump 2.0 policy. The key statement to watch from a data dependent Fed will be if it sees the balance shifting to shoring up slowing growth rather than containing inflation. Fed futures are pointing to 3 more rate cuts by the Fed in 2025 and markets will be watching the Fedspeak for any signals towards this," noted Bagga.Reciprocal Tariffs by Trump administration remain a concern A major concern looming over global trade is the upcoming Reciprocal Tariffs announcement by the Trump administration, which will come into effect from April 2. If India manages to negotiate postponement or exemption on key export items, the markets could react positively.However, Bagga warned, "Expect volatility leading up to April 2nd. While FPI sales intensity has been waning, past trends suggest that this might not necessarily indicate stability."Despite the positive start to the day, market analysts have advised caution owing to the prevailing global policy uncertainty. With the Federal Reserve meeting this week and the upcoming tariff announcements, market movements are expected to remain volatile.Investors will be keeping a close eye on developments in US trade policies and potential economic slowdowns, which could impact foreign investments in India. However, India's strong FII inflows in FY24 and ongoing free trade negotiations with the UK, Canada, and the EU suggest long-term resilience in the country's economic outlook. Meanwhile, in the commodities market, gold briefly crossed the USD 3,000-mark before settling slightly lower, ANI reported. Oil prices saw an uptick following US airstrikes on Yemen-based Houthi strongholds, while metals markets are closely monitoring China's stimulus policies.(With ANI inputs)
17 March,2025 10:28 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMumbaikars can expect hot weather conditions this week too, as the maximum temperature is likely to touch to 35 degrees Celsius. According to the latest Mumbai weather updates from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Mumbai is expected to experience a "partly cloudy sky towards afternoon/evening in city and suburbs" on Monday. The temperatures will range from a cool 21 degrees Celsius in the morning to a warm 34 degrees Celsius during the day. The relative humidity is 71 per cent. The sun rose at 6.45 am and will set at 6.49 pm. According to the Mumbai weather updates of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the Santacruz observatory in suburban Mumbai is likely to record a maximum temperature of 34 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 21 degrees Celsius. The weather department's data showed that the city observatory in Colaba recorded a maximum temperature of 33 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 22 degrees Celsius. The IMD’s latest Mumbai weather update forecasts a "mainly clear sky in city and suburbs" over the next 24-hour period. Mumbai weather updates: City's AQI in 'good' category On Monday, the Central Pollution Control Board’s SAMEER app reported in its latest Mumbai weather updates that the city’s air quality remained in the 'good' category, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 92 at 10.05 am. As per the SAMEER app dashboard, many areas across Mumbai showed 'good' AQI. Bandra Kurla Complex recorded 'moderate' air quality with an AQI of 108 while Malad recorded an AQI of 124. Byculla, Borivali and Ghatkopar recorded 'good' air quality with an AQI of 61, 74 and 72, respectively. Meanwhile, Worli, Chembur and Kurla also recorded 'good' air quality, with an AQI of 88, 95, and 97, respectively. According to data from the SAMEER app, Navi Mumbai recorded air quality in the 'good' category with an AQI of 98, while Thane registered a 'good' AQI of 76. The air quality index from 0 to 100 is considered 'good', 100 to 200 'moderate', 200 to 300 'poor', 300 to 400 'very poor' and from 400 to 500 or above 'severe'.
17 March,2025 10:13 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAfter mid-day highlighted how cracks had developed on newly made cement concrete roads at DN Nagar and Juhu, it has come to light that three other arterial roads in Andheri West—Jankidevi School Road near Lokhandwala, the Jai Prakash (JP) Road section near the Indian Oil signal and Dattaji Salvi Road near Veera Desai Road—that were concreted around three years ago are in a similar state. Meanwhile, four days after this newspaper’s report on the state of DN Nagar and Juhu stretches was published, repair work was yet to be started. Jankidevi School Road When mid-day visited this stretch on Sunday afternoon, several minor cracks were visible. At one spot, the road surface was uneven. A resident who wished to be identified only as Sreeharsha said, “The CC [cement concrete] road was built a few years back and within such a short span it has started developing cracks at a few places, highlighting the shoddy work done by the contractor. No monitoring takes place, exposing a failed system where no one is held accountable for compromising the quality of the road.” The Jankidevi School Road near Lokhandwala in Andheri West. PICS/ASHISH RAJE Sushiela Bhakkar, another resident, said, “The stretch connecting Jankidevi School to Lokhandwala Back Road, a vital route for residents and commuters alike, was constructed with cement concrete (CC) around two and a half to three years ago. However, recent developments have raised concerns among locals. Why is a road that’s barely three years old showing signs of deterioration? Sreeharsha, Andheri West resident Shouldn’t the contractor who undertook the initial construction be held accountable for the quality of work? It is only fair that the authorities ensure the earlier contractor is tasked with repairing these cracks before they become a bigger issue. Moreover, as the new construction progresses, lessons must be learned to prevent it from meeting the same fate.” Sushiela Bhakkar, a resident, who highlighted the menace of illegal parking on Jankidevi School Road Illegal parking, combined with unauthorised rickshaw repair work along the same stretch, is another source of frustration for residents. Not only does this worsen congestion, but it also obstructs pedestrian pathways, creating inconvenience and safety concerns for those who use this road daily. “The cracks in the road are more than just surface-level damage. They are cracks in accountability, in oversight, and the promise of better infrastructure. The time to act is now,” Bhakkar added. Dattaji Salvi Road The CC road from the RTO junction signal to Veera Desai signal was made over a stormwater drain. Apart from being cracked, there was also a stretch where the road surface has become uneven. mid-day has highlighted how, on a daily basis, thousands of vehicles use this important arterial stretch to travel between Veera Desai Road and the New Link Road signal near the RTO. Dattaji Salvi Road, the surface of which is marred, was concreted less than a year ago, according to locals Simran Singh Ailawati, a resident of Veera Desai Road, said, “Despite the stretch from the RTO junction to Veera Desai being concreted less than a year ago, the BMC has dug up the road and cracks have appeared, raising questions about the quality of the work done by the contractor. The BMC elections have been delayed and there are no corporators who can amplify the voices of citizens. It’s high time the authorities started acting against errant contractors and holding them accountable for shoddy work. All across the city, roads have been dug up, inconveniencing commuters during morning and evening peak hours.” A resident, Yogesh Joshi, said there was no need to concrete the road again. “Despite Dattaji Salvi Road being in good condition, around over a year ago, the road was concreted and since then, waterlogging has increased in the area, inconveniencing residents. The newly made CC road has developed cracks at a few places, which clearly shows that the contractor had been cutting corners,” Joshi said. Jai Prakash Road A visibly cracked Jai Prakash Road in Andheri West This arterial stretch from Apna Bazar towards the Indian Oil junction signal, and during our visit, we found that the lane towards the signal was cracked in several spots. According to locals, this road was concreted less than two years ago. There was also a stretch where the surface was uneven. Abhijit Bangar, additional municipal commissioner, was unavailable for comment by press time. Expert Speak Girish Arekar, Senior Indian Road Congress memberWhen mid-day shared pictures of the cracks that have appeared on the three roads with senior Indian Road Congress member Girish Arekar, he revealed that several factors could be at play. “One of the reasons why cracks have developed is temperature variation, which may have taken place, causing thermal expansion and contraction to happen. The variation in proportion of the material used for making CC road can also lead to cracks. Another factor could be the high number of vehicles, including ones, using a particular stretch,” he said.
17 March,2025 09:55 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavWhile BMC records show 14,954 dog sterilisations in 2023, animal activist Santosh Shirke has claimed that sterilisations surgeries conducted under the dog birth control programme have actually plummeted from 24,000 in 2017, to under 12,000 in 2023. Shirke attributes the alarming decline to undue political interference and manipulation of tenders in municipal corporations. Shirke, who is based in Pune and represents the Federation of Animal Welfare Organisations, has raised serious concerns over the dwindling numbers of dog sterilisation surgeries across Maharashtra and other parts of the country. In a letter to the chief minister, he has alleged gross negligence by civic officials. Shivani Sharma, a resident of Lokhandwala, feeds stray dogs. File pic “The federation is seeking nothing extraordinary. We need to balance human rights and animal welfare. Such political interference and constant pressure is leading to citizens taking laws into their own hands, resulting in the brutal treatment of dogs and puppies,” said Santosh Shirke, secretary, Federation of Animal Welfare Organisations. “For the last several years, the number of birth control surgeries for dogs per month has been going down drastically. This has led to a rise in dog bites,” said Manoj Oswal, president of Janice Smith Animal Welfare Trust. Political influence Shirke and Oswal alleged that certain political leaders seek absolute control over the “lucrative” dog control programme, focusing on high-budget cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune. These leaders have allegedly written direct letters to municipal commissioners, pressuring them to allocate tenders to specific organisations while side-lining others. Manoj Oswal, president of Janice Smith Animal Welfare Trust (right) Santosh Shirke, secretary, Federation of Animal Welfare Organisations “In many instances, municipal commissioners have been compelled to transfer tenders to non-bidding parties or lower-ranked bidders (L2/L3) while bypassing the legitimate winners. In some cases, work orders have been suspended or stopped entirely due to political pressure,” said Shirke. Call for transparency Animal welfare advocates and civic activists are demanding an independent inquiry into the alleged manipulation of municipal tenders. They insist on transparency in awarding contracts to ensure that experienced and qualified organisations handle dog sterilisation efforts rather than politically favoured entities with no expertise. According to the guidelines laid down by the Animal Welfare Board of India, the number of dogs can be controlled only if 30 per cent of the dogs are sterilised every year. Considering the current stray dog population in Mumbai, it is necessary to sterilise 32,000-34,000 dogs every year and a minimum of 365 dogs every month. Rising dog bite cases Data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Deonar Abattoir office reveals a sharp rise in reported dog bite cases in Mumbai from 2020 to 2023. Obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act last year, the data has raised serious concerns about public safety and animal welfare. Social activist Jeetendra Ghadge, who filed the RTI and is part of The Young Whistleblowers Foundation, said, “The rising cases show the failure of sterilisation programmes. I haven’t received 2024 data yet, but I’m sure cases have increased. The stray dog population is growing, and I see no intervention from the civic body.” Neal Shah, a Charni Road resident, said, “I have been feeding dogs for the past decade and currently feed at least 80 to 100 dogs daily. I started with five to ten dogs, but the number gradually increased. Whenever I see a rise in the number of stray dogs, I report this to animal NGOs and the BMC, which helps get them sterilised. However, dog bites increase when animals are hungry or unsterilised, and this needs urgent attention from the civic body.” Ghadge added: “BMC should not only address stray dog populations but also establish a dedicated portal for reporting complaints related to cruelty towards stray dogs and also towards pet dogs by their owners.” ‘A serious concern’ Speaking to mid-day, Pawan Sharma, founder and president of Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare, said, “Community animal population is a serious concern across the country, and ABC programmes are the only legal, ethical, and humane solution to address it. Unfortunately, the current focus has been limited to dogs, while other animals such as cats, pigs, mules, donkeys, horses and abandoned cattle continue to multiply unchecked.” “The BMC has the resources and potential to set a benchmark in animal welfare. If executed effectively, its model could be replicated across other cities and towns, significantly improving the conditions of community animals.” Official Speak Dr Kalimpasha Pathan, General Manager of the Veterinary Department and Deonar Abattoir at BMC, said, “We are the only urban body consistently meeting the stipulated targets for sterilisation and vaccination. Other parts of the country lack the robust mechanisms that we have in place to systematically carry out sterilisation programs. Currently, 12 to 13 organisations are working with BMC for the sterilisation of both cats and dogs,” Pathan said. Reported dog bites 2020 610 cases (all stray dogs) 2021 634 cases (all stray dogs) 2022 1141 cases (all stray dogs) 2023 1123 cases (1 involving a pet dog) 2024 192 cases (up to March 2024, all stray dogs) Dog licences issued 2020 2581 2021 4019 2022 6605 2023 5953 2024 1563 (up to March 2024) Dog sterilisations done year-wise Year Number of sterilisations done 1994 2975 (first year) 2015 6414 2016 11,967 2017 24,290 2018 21,886 2019 18,912 2020 14,407 2021 17,534 2022 10,484 2023 14,954 2024 13,559 (upto September) Source: RTI report
17 March,2025 09:35 AM IST | Mumbai | Dipti SinghOver the past decade, Maharashtra’s expenditure on pensions and retirement benefits has surged by 303 per cent—from Rs 18,643 crore in 2015-16 to Rs 75,137 crore (budget estimate) in 2025-26. Between 2018 and 2026, the state’s spending on social security and other benefits for retired employees has increased by Rs 56,494 crore. In just one year—between 2024-25 and 2025-26—this cost is expected to rise by 25.24 per cent. According to the 2025-26 state budget presented on March 10, the finance department has projected an expenditure of Rs 75,137 crore for pensions and retirement benefits, an increase of Rs 15,099 crore from Rs 60,038 crore (revised estimate) in 2024-25. A senior mantralaya official expressed concern over the widening gap between revenue receipts and expenditure. “The situation is currently manageable, but without financial discipline, it could spiral out of control in the coming years,” the official warned. While government expenditure is rising sharply, revenue growth is not keeping pace. Pension costs have increased four times in the last decade, but revenue receipts have grown by only 203 per cent in the same period—from Rs 1,85,036 crore in 2015-16 to an estimated Rs 5,60,964 crore in 2025-26. In 2015-16, pensions and retirement benefits accounted for 10.08 per cent of the state's total revenue receipts. By 2025-26, this figure is projected to rise to 13.3 per cent. The ruling Mahayuti government (BJP, Shiv Sena—Eknath Shinde, and NCP—Ajit Pawar) has estimated revenue receipts of R5,60,964 crore while allocating Rs 75,137 crore for retirement benefits. This rising financial burden is said to be one of the reasons that has led the state to hold back on key welfare commitments. It has refrained from increasing financial assistance under its flagship Ladki Bahin Yojana from R1500 to R2100 and has also avoided announcing a complete loan waiver for farmers. Despite the state's mounting debt and growing pension liabilities, former Maharashtra finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar has demanded a farm loan waiver. Last week, while speaking on the budget, the senior BJP leader argued that a waiver would cost R20,000 crore—less than the annual rise in pension and salary expenses. mid-day had recently reported on Maharashtra’s growing debt burden. According to the state budget, Maharashtra’s debt stock has risen from R3.24 lakh crore in 2015-16 to R9.32 lakh crore in 2025-26, with interest payments alone amounting to R64,659 crore. In the run-up to the state elections, the Mahayuti government launched the Ladki Bahin Yojana, offering R1500 per month to women. The Opposition MVA (Congress, Sharad Pawar-led NCP, and Shiv Sena—UBT) had promised to increase this to R3000 per month if elected. To counter this, Mahayuti pledged a hike to R2100 per month during its campaign. Earlier this month, after presenting the budget, CM Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar assured that Mahayuti would fulfill all election promises, including the Ladki Bahin hike and farmer loan waivers. However, they declined to specify a timeline for implementation.
17 March,2025 08:27 AM IST | Mumbai | Sanjeev ShivadekarKarjat gets a dual infrastructure push as yet another rail corridor is in the pipeline. The rapidly developing hub has caught the attention of a high-level panel affiliated with the Prime Minister’s Gati Shakti Master Plan, which is now evaluating a new corridor between Karjat and Badlapur. Meanwhile, the Karjat-Panvel project achieved a significant milestone over the weekend with the arrival of its first train. As part of the push for the Prime Minister’s Gati Shakti National Master Plan, the Badlapur-Karjat 3rd and 4th line expansion project was evaluated on Friday at the 89th meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG), chaired by the joint secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). The progress of other infrastructure projects in the road, railway, and Metro sectors was also reviewed during the meeting. While work on the Kalyan-Badlapur 3rd and 4th line project is already underway, with 21 per cent completed and an expected deadline of December 2026, the new corridor will extend the project from Badlapur to Karjat. The 32.46 km-long Badlapur-Karjat brownfield project aims to decongest the Mumbai-Pune-Solapur-Wadi-Chennai corridor. “The existing two lines between Kalyan and Karjat carry a mix of mail/express, goods, and suburban trains. Satellite towns like Badlapur, Ambarnath, and Ulhasnagar require better suburban rail connectivity to Kalyan and Mumbai. However, the current services, which terminate at Ambernath, Badlapur, Karjat, and Khopoli, cannot be expanded due to saturation on the Kalyan-Badlapur section,” an official explained. In another major development for Karjat, the first train entered the new Panvel-Karjat suburban corridor on Saturday. The End Unloading Rake (EUR), a specialised train designed for transporting and unloading long rail panels (10 or 20 panels) at the worksite, was led by a diesel locomotive. The corridor, which connects the old townships of Panvel and Karjat via a new alignment, features the suburban system’s longest tunnels and bridges. “In a significant milestone for the Panvel-Karjat suburban corridor, the first End Unloading Rake (EUR Rake) entered the section from Mahope station at 5 am today. The train is carrying 260-metre-long, 60 kg rail panels sourced from the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), which will be used to install long-welded rail tracks. This marks a crucial step in enhancing connectivity and capacity on the Panvel-Karjat corridor, benefiting suburban passengers and freight operations alike,” said Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation chief spokesperson Sunil G Udasi. “Earlier, track linking between the Up line of the Panvel-Karjat Suburban Corridor from Mahope to Chikhale was completed using temporarily sourced rails from Central Railway. Now, with the arrival of the specially designed EUR train, work on laying the new rail track will begin immediately. The train is transporting rails for the 7.8 km stretch between Mahope and Chikhale stations. Once this section is completed, further track linking will take place at Karjat and Chowk stations, with more rail shipments expected soon,” he added. mid-day had earlier reported how the Panvel-Karjat railway project, developed under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project 3 (MUTP-3), is set to be a game-changer. The Central Railway has already readied three local trains for operations on the new line. Once completed, the project is expected to accelerate development in Panvel, Karjat, and the Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA). The expected deadline for completion is December 2025. While the existing line mainly caters to freight and a few long-distance passenger trains, the new double-line corridor will allow local trains to run between Mumbai and Karjat via Panvel. The entire stretch includes three tunnels, two rail flyovers, 44 major and minor bridges, 15 road underbridges, and seven road overbridges. The three tunnels (total length: 3164m) include the 219m-long Nadhal Tunnel, the 2625m-long Wavarle Tunnel—the longest in Mumbai’s suburban system—and the 320m-long Kirawali Tunnel. All three tunnels are now complete, and track-laying has begun. Voices Nitin Parmar, a former member of the Zonal Railway Users Consultative Committee‘The two new projects will benefit not just Karjat but also small townships like Bhivpuri, Neral, Shelu, Vangani, and Badlapur. With increasing residential populations in these areas, the current limited train services make commuting difficult. These projects will give the entire region a much-needed boost’ Sureshbhau Lad, Former MLA‘This is great news for all Karjatkars. These new developments will fast-track Karjat’s growth. The two corridors will act as engines of progress. We are grateful to the prime minister and all those involved in making this happen. Now, we eagerly await operations to begin’ Sameer Sohni, Commuter‘Extending railway lines is a good move, but we need to consider the actual benefits of the Badlapur-Karjat extension, especially since Badlapur-Kalyan is not yet four-lined. The Panvel-Karjat railway project is a strong future investment and highly profitable, but the Badlapur-Karjat line’s development should be reassessed’
17 March,2025 08:21 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarADVERTISEMENT
