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Wednesday,12-August-2026
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Maharashtra

Clamour for Old Pension Scheme confronts cash-strapped Maharashtra govt

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Ahead of the state budget, over two million government employees and pensioners in Maharashtra are demanding a revival of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), posing a tough challenge to the ruling Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party combine.

Various employees’ organisations are building pressure on the government in the form of marches and protests across the state to compel a return to the OPS that was discontinued here in 2005.

The move gained momentum after at least five states – Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Punjab – announced their plans to revert to the OPS last month.

Over five dozen unions of various state employees under the banner of Rajya Sarkari Karmachari Madhyavarti Sanghatana (RSKMS) has warned of a state-wide indefinite strike from March 14 if the ruling alliance fails to concede the demand and does not makes the announcement in the upcoming Budget 2023-2024 this week.

The Maharashtra Rajya Castribe Karmachari Kalyan Mahasangh has launched a Nagpur-Mumbai long march traversing through 20 districts which will reach the Maharashtra Legislature and join a protest on March 14.

The demand for OPS has secured the support of several opposition parties like the Congress which is also organising or participating in protests in different cities securing huge support.

On its part, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in February announced setting up a high-powered panel to study the feasibility of bringing back the OPS, and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis has also given positive indicators in this regard, though earlier he was reluctant as it would entail a massive burden of Rs 1.10 lakh crore on the cash-strapped government, with problems likely to compound after five years.

Incidentally, in January, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had cautioned states on reverting to the DA-linked OPS which existed till 2004 as it would add to the states’ financial burden in the coming years.

The OPS entitled retired government employees to get 50 percent of their last drawn salary as monthly pension which keeps increasing with hike in DA, thereby considered unviable since the burden on the exchequer keeps increasing.

Maharashtra

Mumbai : There is no solution to the problem of landslides in the last 15 years, 22,483 families live in dangerous areas in the city and suburbs

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Mumbai: Hill collapses are not new to Mumbai, but the state government has failed to take serious steps to address the problem in the last 15 years. In the last 34 years, 340 people have lost their lives and over 300 have been injured in landslides.

In 25 of Mumbai’s 36 assembly constituencies, 257 places in hilly areas have been classified as dangerous. RTI activist Anil Gilgali said that the Mumbai Slum Improvement Board had recommended the relocation of 9,657 out of 22,483 identified slums on priority basis. It had also proposed to make the remaining slums safe by building protective walls around the hills. Gilgali had earlier warned the Maharashtra government about the risk of landslides at 327 places during the monsoon season.

Between 1992 and 2026, 340 people died and over 300 were injured in landslides. The Mumbai Slum Improvement Board had recommended relocation. A comprehensive survey was conducted in 2010. If action had been taken then, the deaths of the residents of these hilly areas could have been prevented. Following the board’s report and Anil Gilgali’s correspondence, the then Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan ordered the Urban Development Department to prepare an action plan on September 1, 2011. However, 15 years have passed since then, and the Urban Development Department is yet to start working on it. In other words, no one has prepared an ‘Action Taken Plan’ (ATP) as directed by the Chief Minister,

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Maharashtra

Robbery in Mumbai Saki Naka, 4 arrested, stolen goods recovered

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Mumbai: The Sakinaka police have claimed to have solved the mystery of the robbery at the junk shop of the complainant, Mohammed Hussain Abdul Karim, and arrested the accused. 22 kg of silver and cash worth a total of Rs 44 lakh were stolen from the junk shop. The shop was located in Anise Compound. The police had registered a complaint regarding this. On this basis, the Mumbai Police’s detection team tracked down the thieves and arrested four accused and claimed to have seized silver worth Rs 44 lakh and a mobile phone. The accused have been identified as Maqsood Shah, 20, a resident of Sakinaka in Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh, Zeeshan Abdul Subhan, 20, a resident of Mumbra, Daighar, Akhbar Hussain Ghulam Murtaza, 27, Mumbra, and Irfan Noorullah Khan, 26, Siddharth Nagar, UP. The four accused have been arrested and the stolen goods have been recovered. This operation was carried out by DCP Dutta Nalawade on the instructions of Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti.

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Maharashtra

37 unauthorized shops removed from footpaths in Vakola area, action taken by BMC ‘H East’ ward under ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign

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Mumbai: The Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is implementing the ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign to ensure that pedestrians can walk on the footpaths with ease. As part of this initiative, action was taken to remove 37 unauthorised shops obstructing the footpaths along Rajendra Kamble Marg in Vakola area yesterday (August 11, 2026). The operation was carried out by the ‘H East’ ward of BMC. As per the directions of the High Court and under the guidance of Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide. BMC is effectively implementing the ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign to clear the footpaths of unauthorised hawkers and encroachments, thus making them free from obstructions. In this backdrop, the footpaths along Rajendra Kamble Marg in Vakola were cleared during an operation led by Assistant Commissioner (H East Ward) Smt. Mr. Mridula Ande, Deputy Commissioner (Zone-3) under the guidance of Shri Vishwas Mote. During this drive, 37 unauthorized shops erected on footpaths were removed, and materials obstructing the walkways were seized.

The operation was carried out with the support of about 31 officers and staff members using 4 vehicles, 2 dumpers, 1 JCB and other machinery. Adequate police security was deployed during the drive.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation continues to implement measures to ensure the availability of accessible footpaths for pedestrians. Therefore, unauthorized constructions or placement of materials obstructing footpaths are prohibited. The Municipal Corporation administration has said that strict action will be taken if such incidents are found.

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