Business
Govt removes domicile certificate requirement for SC, OBC scholarships to ease access
New Delhi, June 19: The Department of Social Justice & Empowerment has removed the requirement for a domicile certificate for students applying under Pre‑Matric and Post‑Matric scholarship schemes for Scheduled Caste and Other Backward Classes, an official statement said on Friday.
This step is expected to reduce the compliance burden on students and simplify the application process for scholarships, enabling easier access to benefits.
Thousands of eligible applicants across the country who study in institutions other than their domicile states will be benefitted, the statement from Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment said.
Under the Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship Schemes for SCs and OBCs, nearly 1.2 crore students receive scholarship benefits annually. The removal of domicile certificate requirements will make the application process more student-friendly by reducing documentation requirements and lowering compliance costs.
Further strengthening digital governance, the Department has launched SETU (Scholarship for Educational Transformation and Upliftment) on the UMANG platform as a comprehensive solution for scholarship-related services.
The platform provides a single interface to the eligible applicants, Institutional Nodal Officers, District Nodal Officers and State officials for application registration, tracking, and validation of other services, improving transparency and efficiency.
“These initiatives are aligned with the government’s broader objective of promoting inclusion, reducing procedural barriers, and ensuring effective delivery of welfare schemes,” the statement noted.
The Department remains committed to leveraging technology-driven reforms to enhance outreach and provide timely support to students, it added.
A total of Rs 7,981.47 crore has been disbursed to over 75 lakh scheduled caste (SC) beneficiaries in FY26, an official statement said in April.
The funds were disbursed as part of schemes run by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment focused on the educational empowerment of marginalised students belonging to Scheduled Castes.
Across key scholarship programs, expenditure rose year‑on‑year, with a 21 per cent increase under the Pre Matric Scholarship Scheme for SCs and Others, an 11.23 per cent increase under the Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for SCs, a rise of 13.5 per cent under Central Sector Scholarship of Top Class Education for SC students.
Business
Dharavi Experience Centre will build trust among area residents: CM Fadnavis

Mumbai, Oct 2: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said that the ‘Dharavi Experience Centre’ will not merely showcase blueprints of the redevelopment project but allow the area’s residents to directly experience their future homes, neighbourhoods, and workplaces.
In an interaction with the media, he stated that this initiative will help curb rumours, misconceptions, and incomplete information, creating an atmosphere of trust around the redevelopment.
CM Fadnavis inaugurated the state-of-the-art ‘Dharavi Experience Centre’, which offers physical and digital previews of the Dharavi Redevelopment Project plan, rehabilitated homes, industrial spaces, and upcoming social infrastructure, built near the BKC in the PMGP Colony’s H Block.
The event was attended by Adani Group Managing Director Pranav Adani, BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, Mumbai Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) CEO Dr Mahendra Kalyankar, Dharavi Redevelopment Project CEO and SRA Secretary Vipin Paliwal, Adani Navbharat Developers Private Ltd (the Special Purpose Vehicle executing the redevelopment project) CEO Anil Sardana, among others.
After inspecting the centre, Fadnavis said: “Dharavi is not just a slum; it is a major economic engine. A significant economy thrives here through Kumbharwada’s pottery industry, leather business, food processing, plastic recycling, and various micro, small, and medium enterprises. The redevelopment plan respects these industries and focuses on providing them with better, well-planned workspaces. This is an effort toward comprehensive urban transformation while preserving Dharavi’s existing social, cultural, and economic identity.”
He added that this serves as an ideal example of the urban transformation taking place across the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Chief Minister noted that the ‘Dharavi Experience Centre’ will provide real-time information to everyone on how the Dharavi redevelopment project will look, what Dharavi is today, and how its structure will evolve in the future. This centre will play a crucial role in addressing the questions and confusion among Dharavi residents regarding their future post-redevelopment. He expressed confidence that by offering information on homes, roads, open grounds, social amenities, and employment opportunities all under one roof, the centre will be valuable for citizens, stakeholders, and urban planning researchers across the country.
The Dharavi Experience Centre highlights the journey from Dharavi’s present to its future transformation through modern audio-visual and digital technology. During his visit, CM Fadnavis also launched a special song titled “Dharavi Ka Kal”, sung by renowned singer Shankar Mahadevan, portraying the changing face of Dharavi, and released the book “Mere Sapno Ki Dharavi”.
Business
Markets extend weekly losing streak as FII selling, global risks weigh

Mumbai, Oct 2: Indian equity markets extended their losing streak to an eighth consecutive week on Thursday as benchmarks fell about 3 per cent each amid persistent foreign fund outflows, elevated US bond yields and geopolitical concerns.
Nifty 50 closed at 22,421.95, a decline of 3.1 per cent against the previous Friday’s closing of 23,140.5.
Similarly, Sensex declined 2.7 per cent to 71,909.7 compared with 73,895.7 a week earlier.
Broader markets also declined with midcap and smallcap indices falling 3.5 per cent and 3.3 per cent, respectively.
Sector-wise, BSE IT index was the only gainer, rising 0.2 per cent over the week.
In contrast, auto sector was the worst-performing sector, falling 5.5 per cent followed by consumer durables, down 5.3 per cent. FMCG and metal indices declined 4.2 per cent each, while energy, healthcare and realty indices fell between 3.3 per cent and 3.6 per cent. While banking, capital goods and power indices declined 2.4 per cent, 2.4 per cent and 2.6 per cent, respectively.
The latest decline marks the longest weekly losing streak for the benchmark indices in nearly 25 years.
Moreover, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) continued to sell Indian equities, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) provided some support, cushioning the decline.
According to market experts, investor sentiment remained weak due to persistent geopolitical tensions, elevated crude prices, foreign fund selling and concerns over monetary policy.
Crude oil prices remained above $100 a barrel amid continued geopolitical tensions, while the US 10-year Treasury yield remained elevated, adding to pressure on emerging-market assets.
They further noted that the southwest monsoon ended with a 13 per cent rainfall deficit, raising concerns over agricultural output and food inflation.
The recent increase in minimum support prices for key rabi crops has also added to expectations of a cautious monetary policy stance, according to the experts.
Moreover, the Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee is scheduled to meet next week, with the policy decision due on October 7.
In addition, the coming week will also mark the start of the second-quarter earnings season.
The near-term market outlook could remain sensitive to global yields, crude oil prices, foreign fund flows and geopolitical developments, while the upcoming earnings season will provide further direction to equities, according to analysts.
Business
Adani Green Energy expands battery storage capacity to 6.63 GWh in just 14 months

Ahmedabad, Oct 1: Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL) on Thursday said it has expanded its operational Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity to 6.63 gigawatt-hours (GWh) at Khavda, Gujarat, from 3.55 GWh in June 2026.
India’s largest renewable energy company now accounts for more than 50 per cent of the country’s operational BESS capacity of about 12.6 GWh.
“Reaching 6.63 GWh of operational battery storage in just 14 months is a significant milestone for AGEL and India’s clean energy transition. At this scale, storage can make renewable power firmer, more reliable and dispatchable when the grid needs it,” said Sagar Adani, Executive Director, Adani Green Energy.
“As India’s power demand grows, we will continue to scale energy storage solutions, both battery and pumped storage, to support a more resilient, lower-carbon grid,” he noted.
The 6.63 GWh BESS can store enough clean energy to power around two million homes a day, and support peak electricity demand of cities like Nagpur, Patna or Vizag for several hours.
This BESS capacity at Khavda is equivalent to battery storage capacity of more than 150,000 mid-sized EVs and can store enough energy daily to meet almost twice the Delhi Metro’s estimated daily electricity requirement, underscoring the unprecedented scale of the installation.
The scale-up to 6.63 GWh strengthens the integration of renewable energy into the grid by enabling clean power to be stored and dispatched when required, said the company.
This milestone also consolidates Khavda’s position as the world’s largest operational battery energy storage installation at a single location.
The BESS is integrated with AGEL’s renewable energy (RE) development at Khavda, where the company is developing a 30 GW RE plant across 538 square kms of barren land.
The BESS uses lithium-ion battery technology, integrated with an Energy Management Systems (EMS) and automated telemetry to manage charging and discharging, optimise system performance and support grid services. Battery storage can improve grid stability, manage peak demand, reduce energy curtailment, and enable renewable power to be delivered when required.
AGEL said it is on track to add over 10 GWh of BESS capacity in FY 2026-27 and is targeting 50 GWh of storage capacity over the next 5 years.
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