Mumbai: MNS chief Raj Thackeray has also started opposing the Dharavi development project. Earlier, Uddhav Thackeray had opened a front against Adani, but now Raj Thackeray has also joined the ranks. Now both the brothers have united against the Adani project. The political atmosphere has heated up over the Dharavi rehabilitation project, Asia’s largest slum. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has opposed the Dharavi project. Now MNS president Raj Thackeray has also joined it. A public meeting has been organized at Kamaraj Ground on December 7. In this meeting, Raj Thackeray can take some important steps with Dharavi. Everyone’s attention is on this rally. Dharavi Bachao Samiti has organized an all-party meeting at Kamaraj School Ground on December 7. The main objective of this meeting is to raise voice against the shortcomings of the Adani Group’s survey. The committee has alleged that in the name of redevelopment, old residents were included in the survey. And the eligible residents are being ignored, due to which the eligible residents are at risk of losing their homes. The local people have organized this meeting to bring all party leaders on one platform. It is expected that the Thackeray family will be seen together in this meeting. Earlier, Aditya Phakre has also opposed this project. The Dharavi Bachao Committee has also invited Raj Thackeray in the meeting. If the two brothers unite and rise against this project, then it is a challenge for the Adani Group and the government. To change the face of Dharavi, this project has been started on a 600-acre plot of land in the middle of Mumbai. The government claims to provide better houses and facilities to the residents of this place. The contract for this complete redevelopment project has been given to a company of the Adani Group. The current plan is to provide free houses of 405 square feet to the slum dwellers.

Maharashtra: Amid rising political noise ahead of the civic body elections, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday firmly ruled out any differences between the BJP and the Shiv Sena. Speaking to the media, Shinde maintained that the alliance was united and committed to contesting the upcoming polls together.

His remarks came at a time when some Sena leaders have crossed over to the BJP, sparking speculation about stress within the ruling coalition. Shinde clarified that he had raised the issue directly with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and received assurances that the situation would be corrected.

Shinde said the two partners must avoid actions that create mistrust or weaken the alliance. According to him, both sides agreed that leaders should not attempt to pull members from the other party.

“The Chief Minister agreed that this must stop. We have to contest the elections as an alliance, and there will be Lok Sabha elections after this. We must not do anything that causes misunderstandings. Each of us must follow the alliance dharma,” he said, adding that neither party would encourage corporators to switch sides.

He noted that Fadnavis had promised to speak to BJP leaders to prevent further defection attempts.

Even as top leaders attempt to restore calm, friction remains at the ground level. Elections in 246 municipal councils and 42 town panchayats were earlier scheduled for December 2. However, the State Election Commission has postponed polls in more than 20 councils due to procedural lapses and pending court matters.

In Sindhudurg, a stronghold for both the BJP and the Shinde faction, tensions escalated when the police registered a case against Nilesh Rane of the Shiv Sena. He allegedly entered the home of a BJP supporter, claiming he had discovered bags of cash meant for distribution to voters. The complaint triggered a fresh political flashpoint.

His brother, state minister Nitesh Rane of the BJP, rejected the allegations and defended local workers by saying they earn legitimate business income. He also criticised Sena workers who are supporting a rival faction candidate, stating it undermines Shinde’s previous justification for rebelling against the Uddhav Thackeray led government.

Reacting to the conflict, Fadnavis remarked that he supports people who conduct themselves properly. He admitted that the situation involving the Rane brothers was unfortunate and said the matter would be reviewed after the elections.

The political strain is not entirely new. Last month, ministers from the Shinde led Shiv Sena skipped a state cabinet meeting hours after the BJP inducted two leaders who had previously contested against Sena MLAs. The incident had raised eyebrows over the balance of power within the alliance.

New Delhi, Dec 1: Gross enrolment under the Atal Pension Yojana (APY), a bid to create a universal social security system for all, especially the poor, the under-privileged and the workers in the unorganised sector, has reached 8,34,13,738 (as on October 31), the Parliament was informed on Monday.

APY was launched in 2015 with the objective of creating a universal social security system for all Indians. It is open to all citizens of India between 18 and 40 years of age who have a savings account in a bank or post office.

As per the Scheme, the subscriber will receive pension benefits on attaining the age of 60 years.

“Hence, the pension benefit under APY is expected to start from 2035 onwards. However, the gross enrolment under Atal Pension Yojana as on 31.10.2025 is 8,34,13,738,” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told the Lok Sabha in a written reply to a question.

As on October 31, the female gross enrolment under APY is 4,04,41,135, which is 48 per cent of the total enrolment, she noted.

Further, in Bihar, the female gross enrolment under APY is 42,07,233, which is 57 per cent of the total enrolment in the state.

“As on 31.10.2025, a total of 7,153 Bank branches and 461 Post Office branches are enrolling people into APY in Bihar,” the Finance Minister stated.

The government and the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) have taken several steps to increase awareness and coverage of APY across the country, including rural and remote areas of Bihar.

These include periodic advertisements; APY Subscribers Information Brochure in 13 vernacular languages; and virtual capacity building programmes for Banking Correspondents (BCs) and field staff of Banks, Self Help Group (SHG) members, and bank-sakhis of State Rural Livelihoods Missions (SRLMs).

During the last five years, such programmes have been conducted across various districts of Bihar, including in Muzaffarpur, Patna, Bhojpur, and Nalanda.

Recently, financial inclusion campaigns for pension saturation were organised pan-India India including 8,093 such campaigns in Bihar, said Sitharaman.