General
Cabinet Approves Rs 13,000 Cr For Vishwakarma Scheme; Nod For Digital India Programme & Railway Projects

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved four major initiatives, including the PM Vishwakarma scheme that seeks to benefit lakhs of traditional artisans and craftsmen and the PM-eBus Sewa that aims at promoting green mobility while improving city bus operations. The other two schemes to get Cabinet nod are the extension of the Digital India programme and seven multitracking projects of Indian Railways. The Vishwakarma scheme, for which an outlay of Rs 13,000 crore has been set aside for a period of five years, seeks to benefit about 30 lakh families of traditional artisans and craftsmen, including weavers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, laundry workers, and barbers.
Scheme will be launched on September 17
PM Modi had on Tuesday announced that the scheme will be launched on September 17. The artisans and craftsmen will be provided credit support of up to Rs1 lakh (first tranche) and Rs2 lakh (second tranche) with a concessional interest rate of 5 per cent. The government will also provide support of up to Rs15,000 to buy modern tools. The cabinet also gave its nod to the PM-eBus Sewa to promote green mobility and improving bus connectivity with cities that have no organised service.
10,000 e-buses will be deployed in 169 cities
As many as 10,000 e-buses will be deployed in 169 cities on a public-private partnership (PPP) model at an estimated cost of Rs57,613 crore of which Rs20,000 crore will be borne by the Centre. The scheme will cover cities with a population of three lakh or more and support bus operations for 10 years. States/cities will be responsible for running the bus services and making payments to bus operators, while the Centre will provide subsidies, the government said.
Union cabinet approved the extension of the Digital India programme
The Union cabinet has also approved the extension of the Digital India programme with an outlay of Rs14,903 crore to boost digital initiatives in skilling, cyber security, high performance computing and simplifying technology for masses, among other areas. The outlay has been approved for a five-year period from 2021-22 to 2025-26, Vaishnaw said. Under the extended programme, nine more super computers will be added under the National Supercomputing Mission (NCM), he said. The Digilocker app will be extended to micro, small and medium enterprises to help them avail of credit and other services by verifying their document stored in the app. As many as, 6.25 lakh IT professionals will be re-skilled and 2.65 lakh persons will be trained in information security, he said.
Cyber awareness courses will be conducted
Besides, cyber awareness courses will be conducted for 12 crore college students under the programme. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs also approved seven multi-tracking projects of Indian Railways at an estimated cost of around Rs32,500 crore, Vaishnaw said. The projects, which will be fully funded by the Centre, will help increase the existing line capacity, smoothen train operations, reduce congestion and facilitate ease of travelling and transportation. The projects will cover 35 districts in nine states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal, and increase the existing network of Indian Railways by 2,339 km and provide employment of an estimated 7.06 crore man-days to the people of the states.
Maharashtra
Maharashtra Urdu Academy should be formed, funds and staff should be appointed for the promotion of Urdu language Abu Asim Azmi

Mumbai: Mumbai Maharashtra Legislative Assembly member Abu Asim Azmi has demanded the immediate formation of Urdu Academy to promote Urdu. He said that academies of other languages including Gujarati and Marathi are active, but the condition of Urdu Academy is pathetic. Earlier there were 25 employees in this academy, but now only the superintendent is left. The remaining 24 have retired. The government needs to pay attention to the plight of Urdu.
The formation of this academy will promote Urdu. Azmi demanded that the Urdu Academy is facing difficulties due to the provision of funds. He said that the government allocates Rs 1 crore on paper, but this fund is not provided. Abu Asim Azmi said that Urdu is the language of our country. Whenever the Chief Minister or any other minister speaks in the House, they resort to Urdu poetry. But when it comes to the establishment of Urdu Academy and the development of Urdu language, the government is doing injustice
Maharashtra
On the third day of Maharashtra Assembly, the opposition protested against the corruption of Rs 3000 crore.

Mumbai: On the third day of Maharashtra Assembly in Mumbai, the opposition accused the ruling party of corruption and protested on the stairs of Vidhan Bhavan, accusing the government of giving contracts to every company of its choice. The state’s construction and development department has given a contract of Rs 3000 crore to Mahagathbandhan government’s Megha Engineering Company. Many shortcomings have been found in the work of this company, but despite this it is dear to the government. Therefore, slogans were raised on the stairs of Vidhan Bhavan that giving contract to this company is condemnable. Opposition members were also holding banner posters of contractor Megha Engineering, in which the picture of the owner of Megha Company was also visible. The opposition has intensified its protest against corruption in the Mahagathbandhan government. Shiv Sena opposition leader Ambadas Danve, Congress members and all parties including Congress protested loudly on the stairs of Vidhan Bhavan and drew the attention of the government towards this.
Maharashtra
High Court Issues Notice to Mumbai Police and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board Over Mosque Loudspeaker Dispute

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court today issued a notice to Mumbai police authorities and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) regarding a petition filed by five mosques challenging what they term as arbitrary actions involving the removal of loudspeakers and the non-renewal of their licenses.
The petition raises concerns over the recent enforcement actions carried out by police officials, which the mosques allege are unauthorized and infringe upon their religious rights. The petitioners argue that the actions lack proper authority and transparency, leading to undue hardship and disruption of religious activities.
The High Court has directed the police to submit an affidavit along with relevant records concerning the actions taken against these mosques by the next hearing scheduled for July 9, 2025. The court’s directive aims to ensure accountability and transparency in the actions undertaken by law enforcement agencies.
Senior Advocate Yusuf Moochala appeared for the petitioners, effectively representing their interests. Among the legal representatives was Advocate Mubin Solkar, who was highlighted for his advocacy in the proceedings. Other junior counsel also participated in the hearing, emphasizing the case’s importance and the need for clear directives in matters involving religious practices and civil authority.
This case underscores the ongoing tension between law enforcement and religious communities regarding the use of loudspeakers and other religious paraphernalia. The court’s upcoming order will be closely watched by various stakeholders, emphasizing the delicate balance between public regulation and religious freedom.
As the legal process continues, the petitioners hope for a resolution that respects their religious rights while adhering to necessary regulations. The next hearing on July 9 will likely provide further clarity on the measures to be taken by authorities.
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