Page 16 - Maharashtra

Registration of Mumbai properties up 4% at 88,639 units in Jan-Jul: Report

Mumbai real estate market continues to see strong demand, as registration of properties rose by 4 per cent to 88,639 units during the January-July period, according to Knight Frank. As many as 84,866 units were registered in Mumbai's municipal region during the first seven months of the last calendar year. The data relates to transactions in both primary and secondary property markets. The government's revenue from these registrations rose by 13 per cent year-on-year to Rs 7,854 crores, real estate consultant Knight Frank India said, citing data from the Maharashtra government. On both metrics, the consultant said that Mumbai recorded the strongest performance since 2013 for the January-July period. Shishir Baijal, Chairman & Managing Director, Knight Frank India, said, "Mumbai's residential market continues to show steady buyer confidence." In July, the registration of properties increased 2 per cent to 12,579 units as against 12,373 units in the same month last year. Commenting

Maha govt mute spectator to rising crime, Rs 4,900 cr freebie scam: Sule

NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule on Saturday slammed the BJP-led Mahayuti government for failing to address the rising crime rate in Maharashtra, accusing it of being a mute spectator as miscreants had no fear of the law. Speaking to reporters here, the Baramati MP claimed that a Rs 4,900 crore scam had taken place in the Majhi Ladki Bahin Yogana, the government's flagship scheme that provides a monthly assistance of Rs 1,500 to women. She said parts of the state, including Pune and Beed districts, have witnessed a steady surge in crimes, while the government remains a mute spectator. "People have lost faith in the system. There is no fear of the law. Who is backing these criminals? Instead of looking into these questions, the government chooses to stay silent," she said. Sule criticised the delay in the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the 2022 murder of Parli-based businessman Mahadev Munde. "Only after Munde's wife, Dnyaneshwari, attempted self-immolation an

Five FIRs filed over communal violence in Pune's Yavat; around 500 booked

Police have registered a total of five FIRs against more than 500 persons in connection with the communal violence in Yavat village of Pune district that broke out over an alleged objectionable post on a social messaging platform, officials said on Saturday. While the youth who uploaded the objectionable post has been arrested, 17 others have been detained for indulging in arson and damaging property during the clashes at Yavat in Daund tehsil, they said. The communal tension erupted and incidents of violence took place across Yavat village on Friday afternoon in which groups of persons, angered by the social media post, vandalised and set ablaze properties. "So far, we have registered a total of five cases in connection with the violence. Four of the cases are against more than 500 people who were allegedly involved in arson and damage to property. Of these, more than 100 people have been identified and 17 of them have been taken into custody," an official of Yavat police station .

'Dadagiri' biggest hurdle in Pune's industrial development: CM Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said growing "dadagiri" (bullying) by certain elements to exert pressure on industries to hire particular persons or to award contracts to them is the biggest bottleneck in Pune's development. If this mentality is not eradicated, Pune, the state's second largest city and one of the country's premier economic hubs, will not be able to achieve its true development potential, the CM warned. He was speaking at the inauguration of Pune Metropolitan Region Growth Hub (PMR G-Hub) initiative on Friday. "Merely ensuring a hassle-free environment at the government level is not enough. The larger social and political ecosystem must also be conducive for businesses. Today, some people are pressuring industries to employ their recommended candidates, buy raw material from them, and allot contracts only to them. This kind of interference has become a major hurdle in Pune's progress," he asserted. "If there is any bottleneck in the development of .

Western India no longer biggest destination for equity fundraising

South and North gain ground, with their share going up to 20-30% from 13-14% in March 2019

Govt nod now must for traders buying farm produce from Maharashtra farmers

No private trader can purchase agriculture products from farmers in Maharashtra without the state government's permission, according to a decision taken by the cabinet on Tuesday. The decision taken by the cabinet also stated that taking a licence from the marketing committee or director of the marketing department will be mandatory for buying agriculture products from cultivators. The marketing director has been authorised to issue a Single Unified Licence to traders to trade across the country. In another decision, the cabinet approved a proposal to establish a cadre of marketing committee secretaries under the authority of marketing director. The cabinet also pushed for effective implementation of the e-NAM (National Agriculture Market) scheme in the state so that farmers get reasonable rates for their produce. The central scheme will cover 133 Agriculture Marketing Produce Committees (APMCs) in Maharashtra. National Agriculture Market (eNAM) is a pan-India electronic trading .

Urban projects expand, but private investment continues to remain elusive

Despite the clear pace of growth of cities in India, the ability of the city managers to track private investment is slow

SAEL Industries arm commissions 50 MW solar project in Maharashtra

Solar RE Power, a subsidiary of SAEL Industries, on Tuesday said it has commissioned a 50 MW solar power plant in Beed district of Maharashtra. The plant is expected to generate over 100 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of clean electricity annually, and is aligned with the government's vision for a sustainable energy future, SAEL Industries said. "The 50 MW (AC)...ground-mounted solar project features TOPCon bifacial modules, designed for high energy yield and performance reliability," the clean energy solutions provider said. The project is backed by a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), offering long-term revenue and tariff stability in accordance with industry best practices, it said. "As we expand our renewable energy footprint in India, we want to provide sustainable infrastructure that benefits both people and the environment," Laxit Awla, Director at SAEL Industries, said. SAEL Industries is a renewable .

Water released from Maharashtra's Ujani dam after storage rises to 97%

Water level in the Ujani Dam in Maharashtra's Solpur district has reached 97 per cent of its capacity, prompting the irrigation department to release water from the reservoir, officials said on Tuesday. The dam is almost filled to its capacity owing to good rainfall in the catchment areas of the Bhima river. Water was being released from the dam at the rate of 70,000 cubic foot per second (cusec), an irrigation department official said. The total capacity of the Ujani Dam is 117 TMC and it generally gets filled up to its maximum capacity by August 15 in case of normal rainfall. The reservoir mainly provides water to Solapur and partly to Pune and Satara districts. "So far, the dam is filled up to 97 per cent, thanks to the good rainfall upstream in the Bhima river catchment area in Pune. Currently, water is being released from the dam at 70,000 cusec," Ujani dam project executive engineer Raosaheb More said.

Maharashtra agro corp to set up units to manage farmers' crop surplus

The state-owned Maharashtra Agro Industries Development Corporation (MAIDC) plans to procure mobile processing units to help farmers manage excess production of certain crops by enhancing their shelf life by 12-18 months, an official has said. Oversupply in the market forces farmers to sell their produce, particularly the perishable ones, at throwaway prices or even discard them. The MAIDC initiative aims at ensuring good returns to the growers, said the managing director of the corporation, Mangesh Gondavale. The official said they will procure two machines and deploy them in two districts by the next monsoon season on a pilot basis. Each machine can process 16-18 products and can be customised depending on the region, he said. Processing includes washing, peeling, drying, chopping, slicing and liquefaction. For instance, tomatoes can be converted into puree, while onions can be dried for longer storage. Sometimes, the overall production of a crop in a region becomes high. To ensu

Strong reforms to boost infra development in Maharashtra: Morgan Stanley

The state government is aiming to develop state-of-the-art infrastructure facilities in an environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable manner

Bank fraud case: Court orders auction of sports academy, land of ex-MLA

A special anti-money laundering court has ordered the auction of properties linked to former MLA Vivekanand Shankar Patil to facilitate repayment to creditors of a cooperative bank based in Panvel in Maharashtra's Raigad district. The properties, comprising a multi-acre sports academy and a land parcel in Panvel, have been attached by probe agencies in an alleged fraud of over Rs 512 crore at the Karnala Nagari Sahakari (cooperative) Bank. Patil, the prime accused in the case, represented Panvel as a Peasants and Workers Party of India MLA for three terms and was a legislator from Uran once. A total of 87 properties, including some ancestral assets of Patil, were attached under the MPID Act, or the Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (in Financial Establishments) Act, by Navi Mumbai police's Economic Offences Wing. The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is also probing a money laundering case linked to the fraud, has dual attachment to some of these properties. Speci

Dahi Handi: Maha to insure 150K 'Govindas'; payout of ₹10 lakh for fatality

The Maharashtra government has announced insurance coverage to 1.5 lakh 'Govindas' taking part in Dahi Handi festivities with a maximum payout at Rs 10 lakh in case of death, a move coming less than a month before the popular festival. During the Dahi Handi festival, part of Janmashtami celebrations, Govindas (youngsters) form human pyramids to smash a pot of milk, curd and butter suspended at a height, in a playful re-enactment of Lord Krishna's childhood antics. The insurance package will cover accidental injuries (sometime fatal) caused during the formation of human pyramids. The state government will bear the insurance costs for registered participants forming human pyramids during the popular festival, which will be celebrated on August 16 this year, according to a government resolution (GR) issued on Wednesday. The Maharashtra State Govinda Association, Mumbai, has been designated to verify the training, age and participation of Govindas, and submit their details to the ...

Maharashtra-Sabarmati bullet train corridor to be ready by 2029: Govt

Work in the Gujarat portion of the bullet train corridor between Vapi and Sabarmati is planned to be completed by December 2027 and the entire project from Maharashtra to the Sabarmati section is expected to be over by December 2029, Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday. Providing an update on the country's most ambitious project after some members asked questions regarding the status of its construction, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) Project (508 km) is under execution with technical and financial assistance from Japan. It is passing through Gujarat, Maharashtra and Dadra & Nagar Haveli with 12 stations planned at Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Billimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati, he added. "The Gujarat portion of the corridor between Vapi and Sabarmati is planned to be completed by Dec, 2027. The entire project (Maharashtra to Sabarmati section) is expected to be completed by Dec, 2029," ...

Only staffers registered with Face App to receive Aug salary: Maha minister

Only those revenue department employees who mark attendance through the government's 'Face' app will receive the August salary, Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekar Bawankule said on Wednesday. The decision has been taken to increase accountability, he said. The salary for August will be disbursed in September. The Union Government has made the use of Face App and geo-fencing mandatory for all revenue department employees, the minister said. "From now on, attendance will be recorded strictly from the office premises, using the app. Salaries will not be processed for those who fail to comply," he said. A formal government resolution (GR) or order to this effect will be issued soon, Bawankule added. He was speaking after reviewing the department's operations in Raigad district. "We have started reviewing various departments to bring efficiency, transparency and citizen-centric governance. Several key issues have come to light during this process, and we are implementing a

Thane civic chief warns power firms against connection to illegal buildings

Thane Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao on Wednesday instructed power supply companies not to provide electricity to any unauthorised structures, and asked them to verify the legal status of such properties first. In a high-level meeting held in the afternoon at the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) headquarters, Rao conveyed that supplying power to unauthorised buildings and structures was a violation of court orders and must be prevented through rigorous verification procedures. "There are clear orders of the high court that no power supply should be provided to any unauthorised construction," he said, emphasizing that it was the legal responsibility of both Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) and Torrent Power to verify the legality of any building before approving power connections. Electricity cannot be supplied on the basis of an affidavit or application alone. The power companies must verify supporting documents that establish the legal status of a ..

Juniper Green Energy commissions additional 43 MWp in Maharashtra

Juniper Green Energy on Tuesday announced the commissioning of an additional 43 MWp at its power project site in Wardha, Maharashtra. The project supplies power to Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL), through its subsidiary, Juniper Green Power Five Pvt Ltd, a company statement said. This marks the completion of the entire 103 MWp solar component of the 129 MWp hybrid power project. With this, Juniper Green Energy has commissioned the solar capacity in two phases -- 59.55 MWp on June 6, 2025, followed by 43 MWp on July 14, 2025 -- achieving full solar capacity within just eight months of signing the PPA (power purchase agreement. This execution brings the solar portion of the hybrid power project online nearly 16 months ahead of its scheduled commissioning date of November 17, 2026. "This achievement highlights our significant contribution to India's increasing need for clean energy," said Ankush Malik, Chief Executive Officer, Juniper Green Energy. Ju

India plans to allow sugar exports from October amid signs of bumper crop

A move by the second-largest sugar producer to allow overseas shipments could further weigh on world prices

Citizens' group condemns incidents targeting Bengali-speaking migrants

A group of prominent citizens under the banner Bharatiya Bhasha Samooh has expressed concern over the recent incidents related to Bengali-speaking migrant labourers in various parts of the country. The group said it believed that linguistic attack is a "serious threat to the diversity of our country". "In the last one month, there have been reports from various parts of the country that Bengali-speaking migrant labourers are being harassed, beaten, arrested, deported to Bangladesh, and not released despite valid identity documents being shown to the police," the group said in a statement on Sunday. The group feels that the only "crime" of Bengali-speaking people is that they speak in their mother tongue. It claimed that migrant workers from Delhi, Maharashtra and Odisha were directly sent to Bangladesh despite possessing valid Aadhaar and PAN cards. "We strongly condemn the arrest and harassment of these Bengali-speaking citizens. These actions violate the rights of migrant worker

CAG flags excise lapses in Maharashtra, cites revenue loss of several crore

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has pulled up the Maharashtra state excise department for serious lapses in its operations, which have led to a substantial revenue shortfall. The CAG report pointed out that due to incorrect assessment of licence renewal fees, the state lost Rs 20.15 crore in revenue and Rs 70.22 crore in interest. The audit further stated that failure to implement revised rates for supervision fees had caused an additional shortfall of Rs 1.20 crore. According to the report, the then Excise Commissioner exempted excise duty on old stock of beer without obtaining prior approval from the state government. The report also highlighted that the delayed submission of mild beer samples for chemical analysis had hampered tax recovery to the tune of Rs 73.18 crore. "Under the Bombay Prohibition (Privilege Fee) Rules, 1954, a provision exists to charge fees for changes in partnership. However, no such provision was applicable to significant changes in ...