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Maharashtra

Maharashtra finances not robust, but salvageable with ‘discipline’

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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.

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Entertainment

Nana Patekar death: Final post-mortem report out, rules out foul play

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October 11, 2026

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Mumbai, Oct 11: The final post-mortem report in the death case of veteran actor Nana Patekar has clarified the cause of death to be natural. A team of doctors at the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Bambolim, in its report, has clarified that his death was a natural death, caused by a massive heart attack.

It was confirmed by the Goa Police to media. As per the police, the family has also been informed about the report and the family has also agreed to the medical report and has not raised any objection so far.

As per the final post-mortem report by GMC, the blood supply to the heart was stopped due to a blood clot in the main coronary artery, which led to a cardiac arrest. At around 2:30 am on October 8, the actor informed his family friend about his ill health on WhatsApp, after which he was brought to Manipal Hospital, Dona Paula, where doctors declared him dead even after about 45 minutes of CPR .

For the unversed, the Panaji police had registered a case of unnatural death under section 194 of the BNSS under UD No. 62/2026. Now that the post-mortem has confirmed natural death and ruled out any foul play by son Malhar Patekar and nephew Prasad Patekar, the case will be closed soon.

The late actor Nana Patekar was cremated with full state honours at his farmhouse in Donje in Pune district on Thursday. The actor was given a 3-gun salute.

The late actor’s friends and members of the film fraternity including Jackie Shroff, directors Anil Sharma, Aneez Bazmee, and producer Firoz nadiadwala arrived at Donje village to attend the last rites of Nana Patekar.

A huge crowd also turned up to bid adieu to the departed soul. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also paid his last respects to Nana Patekar at Pune airport before leaving for Mumbai. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde went to the actor’s Pune farmhouse to pay his respects.

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Maharashtra

Show proof for your claims before spreading anarchy: Ram Kadam on ongoing protests in Delhi

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October 11, 2026

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Mumbai, Oct 11: Condemning the ongoing protests that engulf the national capital and other major cities, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ram Kadam said on Sunday that evidence or facts should be presented before spreading anarchy in the state for just the sake of it.

Speaking to media, the BJP leader added, “Congress leaders carry the Constitution in their hands and speak about it, but their actions are aimed at undermining it. Are they above the law and administrative procedures, including the requirement to obtain permission?”

“Ever since he (Rahul Gandhi) returned from the US, it is unclear what has come over him and what is driving his actions. Is foreign funding behind his attempts to create unrest here? The voter list purification process has been carried out during the tenures of several Prime Ministers, from Jawaharlal Nehru to Manmohan Singh,” Kadam said.

“The electoral roll has not been reviewed since 2004 till 2025. That job is being done now. Is a dead person above the 2.8 crore voters. More than one crore voters’ names are repeated in the electoral rolls. Is removing those names a crime?” the BJP leader added.

“More than 6.3 crore voters have left their original homes. It’s a transparent process. If you have concrete proof and evidence, present it, but spreading anarchy in the state in the form of protests owing to foreign funding can’t be supported,” he said.

Reacting to the comments made by NCP-SP MLA Rohit Pawar on former Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s death, Kadam said, “Rohit Pawar has engaged in political theatrics by claiming that he would reveal the mystery behind the muffler on October 10. Ajit Dada Pawar has passed away, and 15 days ago, Rohit Pawar said he would reveal the mystery, but October 10 has passed without any revelation. This shows that he is engaging in cheap political stunts.”

Previously, NCP-SP leader Rohit Pawar had expressed his doubts about the plane crash that killed former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and sought intervention of the probe agencies for further investigation.

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Crime

Elderly Pune resident duped of Rs 8 lakh by man posing as ECI official; 2nd such case in city

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6 hours ago

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October 11, 2026

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Pune, Oct 11: An unknown person posing as an official of the Election Commission of India (ECI) defrauded a 78-year-old Pune resident of Rs 8 lakh, officials said on Sunday.

The victim, Jitendra Kumar Ahuja, is a resident of Pune’s Ghorpadi. He was cheated of Rs 8,00,015.34. A case was registered at the Mundhwa police station on October 10.

According to the police, the accused gained Ahuja’s trust by posing as an ECI official. He told Ahuja that his documents did not match. He then sent Ahuja a link and asked him to fill in his information.

It is alleged that the accused gained access to Ahuja’s mobile phone through the link and defrauded him of over Rs 8 lakh. This incident occurred between October 1 and 3.

The police have registered a case against the unidentified accused under sections 319(2), 318(4), 3(5) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act.

This is the second such case that came to light on Sunday.

Earlier in the day, the police said that a person posing as an official of the Election Commission of India (ECI) cheated an 80-year-old man of Rs five lakh online under the guise of updating his voter card in Pune.

A case regarding this incident has been registered at the Lakshminagar Police Station in Pune.

According to the police, the complainant, Kanjasheri Vaidyanathan Venkatesan (80), is a retired employee of an automotive manufacturing company, residing in the Yerwada area of ​​Pune. The accused called him, claiming to be from the ECI’s office, and stated that he needed to update his voter card.

Subsequently, the accused instructed him to download an APK file. After the file was downloaded, the accused gained access to the victim’s mobile screen, compromised his banking passwords, and fraudulently siphoned off Rs. 5 lakh.

A case has been registered at the Lakshminagar Police Station under Sections 308, 318(4), and 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), as well as Sections 66(D) and 66(C) of the IT Act.

The full name and address of the accused have not yet been ascertained.

Investigations into both cases are currently underway, and further details are awaited, officials said.

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