Maharashtra
Maharashtra finances not robust, but salvageable with ‘discipline’

As the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government readies for its third annual Budget (2022-2023) in early March, the focus is again on the state of the state’s finances.
The state has been grappling – ranking among the worst-hit – with the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic and the series of lockdowns that have played havoc with the economy, revenues and expenditure, and diversion of most resources to the health sector for the masses reeling under the impact of Covid-19.
Till the previous fiscal (2020-2021), the state had notched up a whopping debt of Rs 520,717 crore, mostly comprising unpaid loans and other liabilities.
However, the fiscal deficit percentage vis-a-vis GSDP is 2.1 per cent and the debt stock to GSDP is 19.6 per cent – well within the prescribed limits of 25 per cent, as per the Fiscal Policy Strategy Statement of last year, according to the official data.
“Though appearing huge, the debt figures are an accumulation of the past several years owing to various factors. The average annual addition is in the range of Rs 65,000 cr,” said Dr Ratnakar Mahajan, well-known economic expert and former Executive Chairman, Maharashtra State Planning Board.
Unlike many other states, there are no money-guzzling ‘populist schemes’ operating in Maharashtra – barring one important welfare measure started in Jan/2020 – the affordable meal of ‘Shiv Bhojan Thali’ – which was extended and heavily subsidised after the pandemic lockdowns were imposed in March 2020.
A pet venture of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the ‘Shiv Bhojan Thali’ – on which the state government has spent less than Rs 500 crore in the past 24 months – proved to be a life-saver for the urban-rural poor and the lakhs of migrants on the move in the early days of the lockdown series.
However, officials say the debt has to be serviced without fail every year – which is the expenditure part of the annual budget – but there is scope for being prudent, said an official of the state Finance Ministry, headed by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
The official – requesting anonymity – explained how the two years of the severe pandemic has hit all sectors of the economy, compounded by the economic slowdown, job losses which are now gradually being rolled back, the farm loans waivers, handling a series of natural calamities, shortfall in all types of tax revenues and also the massive amount of GST dues pending from the Centre.
Dr Mahajan said one of the factors responsible for growing fiscal burden in the past was, finances were raised at higher interest rates for shorter periods, like availing loans at 11 per cent for 3 years.
Some governments managed to overcome this by restructuring the old loans at lower rates of interest for longer periods – say, at 8 or 9 per cent for 5 years – which lessened the burden and spread it over the years less painfully.
Besides, whenever any government takes up new or mega-projects, it becomes the responsibility of the next regime to take it forward with adequate budgetary provisions.
Officials said some like the Metrorail may be top priority to reduce traffic congestion but others like the Bullet Train could wait for a while to prevent diverting scarce resources from other critical sectors, especially during the pandemic period.
Nevertheless, Dr Mahajan feels that with ‘safer and cautious decisions” it is very much possible to bring the state’s finances “well on the track” in just two years.
“This was done in the past during the tenure of the former Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde… with certain decisions that helped revive the financial situation and also reduced the state’s debt burden significantly,” he said.
As for the next year’s State Budget (2022-2023), all eyes are on (DCM & FM) Ajit Pawar to see how he juggles with the stretched finances and scarce resources to keep the state afloat amid optimistic signs that it is veering out of the scalding Covid-19 cauldron.
Crime
Mumbai Crime News: Father, Brother-in-Law Booked Under POCSO For Sexually Assaulting Minor Girl; One Arrested

The Sewree Police have registered a case against the victim’s father and brother-in-law under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and rape charges for sexually abusing a minor girl. While the police have arrested the brother-in-law, the father remains absconding after the case was filed. Authorities are conducting a search for the accused.
The victim, a 16-year-old girl, alleged in her complaint that in April 2024, her father covered her face with a cloth while she was sleeping at home and sexually assaulted her. He also threatened to kill her mother if she disclosed the incident, leaving the victim too terrified to speak out. Later, in March (year unclear—needs verification), when the girl was alone at home, the accused allegedly molested her again.
After the victim recently approached the police, a case was filed under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for rape and the POCSO Act. The brother-in-law has been arrested, while the father is still at large.
Maharashtra
Mumbai News: KEM Hospital Deploys Anti-Flooding Workers After Bombay HC Rap Over Waterlogging In Paediatric Ward

Mumbai: After Bombay High Court pulled up BMC-run KEM hospital in Parel for water logging in its pediatrics section, the hospital administration for the first time has deployed workers for anti-flooding measures.
Anti-Flooding Workers Deployed Since Mid-June
“The deployment of works started from mid-June. Per shift five workers are on anti-flooding duty. While storm water drains department has also two dewatering pumps. In total six pumps are installed,” an official from KEM hospital told the FPJ.
May 26 Rainfall Caused Paediatric Waiting Area Flooding
Due heavy downpour on May 26, the waiting area of the hospital’s paediatric department witnessed waterlogging, risking the patients treatment and their family members too who were seen waiting in the corridor with ankle-deep water.
However, the hospital administration claimed that it was ‘water accumulation’ and not water logging. Fortunately, the department’s services were not majorly affected.
Following this incident, the Bombay High Court expressed serious concern and directed the BMC to urgently inspect the hospital and suggest remedial measures. The court heard the matter following media reports highlighting patients sitting in ankle-deep water inside the hospital premises.
HC Expressed Serious Concern Over Hygiene
“This is a hospital. There has to be hygiene. Management cannot allow this to happen inside hospital premises. This cannot become a recurring situation. KEM was once among the top hospitals in India,” the court observed.
Labourers Hired for Daily Drain Cleaning
“There are rare incidents when water accumulate in the hospital premises. The city experience very heavy rainfall on May 26, quite early the usual arrival of monsoon. However, we have implemented anti-flooding measures to ensure such incidents is not repeated. The labourers are hired on monthly basis and deployed to clean drains everyday. The dewatering pumps are installed near by the pediatrics department specially.
Crime
Navi Mumbai Crime Branch Busts Auto-Rickshaw Theft Racket; 12 Stolen Vehicles Worth ₹24 Lakh Recovered

An intensive investigation involving scrutiny of over 60 CCTV cameras and technical surveillance led the Crime Detection Team of CBD Police Station to bust a widespread auto-rickshaw theft racket in Navi Mumbai. Two habitual offenders were arrested, and 12 stolen Bajaj auto-rickshaws valued at approximately Rs 24 lakh were recovered from various districts across Maharashtra.
The case began after a complaint was filed at CBD Police Station on May 28 regarding the theft of an auto-rickshaw bearing registration number MH-46-BD-9956 from Sector 11, CBD Belapur. Following the complaint, the police team launched an exhaustive technical investigation, combing through more than 60 CCTV camera footages and other forensic leads, which eventually pointed to two suspects.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Nazimoddin Azimoddin Qazi (43), a resident of Partur in Jalna, and Sakib Shamsu Shaikh (24), originally from Jalna but currently living in Taloja Phase-2, Panvel. Qazi was tracked to his hometown in Jalna and arrested on July 12.
During interrogation, the accused confessed to stealing 12 auto-rickshaws from various parts of Navi Mumbai, including CBD, Kharghar, Kalamboli, and Panvel. They revealed that the stolen vehicles were transported and concealed in locations such as Jalna, Hingoli, Parbhani, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar districts. In an attempt to evade identification, the accused had tampered with engine and chassis numbers, but police investigators were able to recover and identify all 12 vehicles using advanced forensic and technical methods.
The stolen vehicles, all Bajaj auto-rickshaws were seized from multiple locations. Each vehicle is estimated to be worth Rs 2 lakh, taking the total recovery to approximately Rs 24 lakh.
The thefts have been linked to multiple police stations across Navi Mumbai. “Three cases were registered at CBD Police Station, four at Kharghar Police Station, four at Kalamboli Police Station, and one at Panvel City Police Station. The accused had started stealing the vehicles around a year back. The first theft was reported in June last year. Before that they worked as drivers,” Assistant commissioner of police (Turbhe division) Mayur Bhujbal said.
This successful operation was carried out under the guidance of Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Milind Bharambe, Joint Commissioner Sanjay Yenpure, DCP (Zone I) Pankaj Dahane, and ACP Mayur Bhujbal. The investigation was led by Senior PI Sandesh Revale and Crime PI Arun Pawar, with support from API Suresh Dambre, PSI Vishnu Wagh, and a committed team of police constables who played a key role in cracking the case.
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