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Maharashtra

Turning universities ‘Atma Nirbhar’: Governor Koshyari holds meeting with VCs of public universities in Maharashtra

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3 years ago

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 Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Thursday called upon vice chancellors of public universities in Maharashtra to turn universities ‘Atma Nirbhar’ to attain the goal of ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’.

Stating that many private universities are doing well through self-finance and distance education programmes, he called upon the State universities to take steps to implement the National Education Policy in an effective manner.

The Governor who is also the Chancellor of public universities in the State was addressing the full-fledged meeting of vice chancellors of Maharashtra’s non-agricultural universities at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai. 

Stating that the National Education Policy lays thrust on culture and Indian knowledge system, Governor Koshyari asked vice chancellors to create small Advisory Committees comprising dedicated officers, professors, young people and resource persons to advise them on the effective implementation of the policy in universities. The Governor said he will hold a follow up meeting of vice chancellors within six months to discuss the Action Taken on the issues agreed upon in the meeting.

Participating in the meeting, Chief Minister Mr Eknath Shinde asserted that the State will implement the National Education Policy in the best possible manner. He said the state government has decided to make suitable amendments in the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016 to make the selection process of vice chancellor and pro vice chancellors in sync with the guidelines of the University Grants Commission. Stating that the process of selection of vice chancellors will be expedited, he said new search committees for the selection of vice chancellors will be constituted soon.

E

xpressing strong displeasure over the poor performance of some of the universities in Key Result areas such as declaration of results of various examinations on time, Deputy Chief Minister Mr Devendra Fadnavis asked the vice chancellors to take note of the lacunae and make amends quickly.  

Expressing the need for bringing a robust digital system to make the implementation of National Education Policy effective, Mr Fadnavis called for creating a Live Dashboard to report the 17 Key Result Areas of the Vice Chancellors to monitor the situation from time to time. Laying thrust on greater transparency by educational institutions, the Deputy Chief Minister said the findings of the College Inspection Teams should be made available on the websites of the colleges. He said while good progress is being made in achieving higher Gross Enrollment in the State, the Universities must pay focused attention on bringing excellence in education. Mr Fadnavis expressed concern over the low percentage of voter registration among college students.   

Minister of higher education Mr Chandrakant Patil reminded the vice chancellors that there is no option for universities to implement the four year degree course from June 2023 as mandated by the National Education Policy. He warned that action will be taken against those failing to do so. Patil said a Committee of retired vice chancellors will be constituted by the government shortly to address the concerns of vice chancellors in implementing the National Education Policy.  

Taking note of the dismal percentage of the voter registration by students of universities and colleges, he said the Government will issue a Resolution mandating students to get their voter registration for getting admission to the college.

Stating that as against the goal of attaining the enrollment of 50 lakhs students in the higher education system, Maharashtra has enrollment of only 32 lakh students. He called upon universities to run a campaign to encourage higher enrollment.  He also reminded all to take cognisance of the recommendations of NEP regarding providing education in the mother tongue and skill development. 

Minister of Skill Development Mangal Prabhat Lodha asked all universities to open Skill Departments and design innovative skill programmes that would enable youths to find jobs locally. He said his department has sent Rs 5 crore to all universities for opening skill centres. 

Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra Mr Shrikant Deshpande called upon universities to create Electoral Literacy Clubs to involve the students in the democratic process. He said as many as 90 per cent of University and College students are presently out of the Voter Registration list. He called for efforts by universities and the government to ensure cent per cent enrollment of students as voters.

Principal Secretary Higher and Technical Education Mr Vikas Chandra Rastogi briefed the meeting of the Action Taken Report on the previous meeting of the vice chancellors held on 7th April 2018. He apprised the meeting of the steps taken by the Government for the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020.

The meeting discussed issues such as Areas of Concern for Implementation of NEP 2020, Academic Calendar of Universities, Formation of Students Grievance Redressal Cells, Development of User Friendly Websites, Online Payment Facility and Non Availability of Challan, Execution of Memorandums of Understanding, Designing of Self Finance Courses with CSR Funding and Industry Partnerships, NIRF Ranking of Universities, status of autonomy of colleges, implementation of Choice Based Credit System, Implementation of the Recommendations of Examination Committee Reforms, Academic Audit of University Departments and Centres of Competitive Examinations, etc.  Vice Chancellors of various universities also spoke of their concerns and problems in the meeting.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai Rains: High Tides Hit Gateway Of India, Vakola Flooded, Andheri Subway Closed; Check IMD Forecast, Warning, Police Advisory 

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4 hours ago

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July 25, 2025

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Mumbai: Mumbai experienced intense rainfall throughout Friday, majorly disrupting normal life across various parts of the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier issued an orange alert for Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane, anticipating heavy to very heavy rainfall as the monsoon system remains active over the Konkan coast. Palghar district was placed under a yellow alert.

Rain began lashing the city late Thursday night and continued into Friday morning, affecting both South Mumbai and the western suburbs. Localities such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Churchgate, Dadar, Dahisar, Borivali, Kandivali, Malad, Goregaon, Jogeshwari and Andheri were among the worst-hit, with widespread waterlogging reported. Commuters faced delays and difficult travel conditions as flooded streets slowed vehicular movement.

Visuals Show Flooding In Several Areas

Social media was flooded with visuals showing the impact of the downpour. High tides slammed against the walls at the Gateway of India and Marine Drive, while in areas like Vakola, people were seen wading through knee-deep water. Vehicles navigated waterlogged roads in Andheri and Borivali. Andheri Subway was closed for traffic this morning due to heavy rains.

Over 65mm Rainfall Recorded In 3 Hours

According to BMC rainfall data, the western suburbs witnessed particularly intense rainfall between 8 am and 11 am on Friday. The highest recorded was at the Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Hospital in Jogeshwari, where 67.3 mm of rainfall was measured in just three hours.

Flight operations at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport saw minor delays due to poor visibility and heavy rains. IndiGo Airlines issued a travel advisory cautioning passengers about potential weather-related disruptions.

Mumbai Police Issues Advisory

In response to the worsening conditions, Mumbai Police issued a public advisory urging citizens to avoid non-essential travel and stay away from coastal areas. “Due to heavy rainfall in Mumbai and nearby districts, citizens are advised to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary, avoid coastal areas and drive cautiously. Our officials and staff are on high alert and ready to assist Mumbaikars. In case of any emergency, please dial 100 / 112 / 103,” read the police advisory on X.

As rainfall is expected to continue, authorities remain on alert to prevent any untoward incidents, with emergency services deployed across the city to respond swiftly to distress calls.

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Crime

Mumbai: High-Profile Sex Racket Busted At Andheri Hotel; 3 Vietnamese Women Rescued

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5 hours ago

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July 25, 2025

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Mumbai: The MIDC Police busted a high-profile sex racket involving foreign nationals at a hotel in Andheri. The illegal operation was being run from the Empire Suite Hotel near Times Square on Andheri-Kurla Road. The raid, carried out recently following a tip-off, led to the rescue of three Vietnamese women who were allegedly forced into prostitution.

Acting on specific intelligence, senior police officials directed the MIDC Police to verify the information and take immediate action. a decoy customer was sent to the hotel to confirm the operation. Upon reaching the premises, the decoy was received by hotel manager Alam Khalil Chaudhary, who allegedly offered sex services for Rs 6,000 and led him to a room on the eighth floor. There, the decoy met a foreign woman, who later admitted to being involved in prostitution along with two other Vietnamese women staying in another room.

3 Women Rescued From Hotel

After receiving a pre-arranged signal from the decoy, the police team raided the 8th and 9th floors of the hotel, rescuing all three women. The women were taken in for questioning, during which they confirmed their involvement in sex work. They also revealed that their clients were coordinated through an agent who shared their photographs online and directed customers to the hotel.

Further investigation revealed that the sex racket was being run with the knowledge and alleged involvement of the hotel owner, Abdul Salam. According to the police, the manager facilitated all transactions and coordinated with the agent, while Salam oversaw the operation. Police registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant sections of the Prevention of Immoral Traffic Act (PITA) against both Chaudhary and Salam.

Manhunt Launched For Hotel Owner

While Alam Chaudhary has been arrested, the hotel owner is currently absconding. Efforts are underway to trace and arrest him. The rescued women, all citizens of Vietnam, have had their passports seized and were sent to a shelter home after undergoing medical examinations. The Vietnamese Embassy in India has been informed of their rescue.

Police are now working to identify and track the agent involved in the online coordination of the racket and are investigating whether more people or locations are linked to the operation.

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Crime

Mumbai Police Seize 926 Kg Of Narcotics Worth ₹174 Crore In 6 Months; 744 Arrested In Citywide Crackdown

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8 hours ago

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July 25, 2025

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Mumbai: The city police have seized over 926 kilograms of contraband in the first half of this year and have arrested 744 persons allegedly involved in 634 drugs related cases registered in the city. Total value of the seized contraband is a whopping Rs 174.19 crore. Statistics revealed that ganja and Mephedrone (MD) have been the most seized contraband in the city.

Ganja, MD Top List Of Most Seized Drugs In City

According to the statistics provided by the police, from January till June this year, the police have registered 28 cases related to seizure of heroin, arrested 35 persons in heroin related cases and had seized 0.85 kg of heroin valued at Rs 2.09 crore.

The police have registered 10 cases related to seizure of charas, arrested 16 persons in charas related cases and have seized 16.27 kg of charas valued at Rs 14.39 crore. The police have registered 402 cases related to seizure of ganja, arrested 416 persons in ganja related cases and seized 865 kg of ganja valued at Rs 31.59 crore.

Cocaine Seizure Small In Volume, High In Value

Stating about the seizures of high-end drugs in Mumbai, the statistics revealed that the police have registered 10 cases related to cocaine seizure, arrested 17 persons in cocaine related cases and seized 6.49 grams of cocaine valued at Rs 57.18 crore.

Thousands Booked For Drug Consumption Alone

The police have registered 136 cases related to seizure of MD, arrested 187 persons in MD related cases and had seized 37.23 kg of MD valued at Rs 68.55 crore. As far as consumption cases are concerned, this year the police have registered 3484 drug consumption cases and have arrested 2968 persons in these cases.

Police Monitoring Darknet, Strengthening Informant Network

“We not only rely on our informant network to get information about drug trafficking in the city, but also keep a close watch on the darknet where drug dealings take place clandestinely. Our efforts are directed towards breaking the chain and syndicates involved in drug peddling in the city. We also take awareness campaigns to make citizens, especially youngsters aware about the menace of drugs and its impact on health,” said a police source.

Statistics from January till June 2025

Heroin – Cases (28), Persons Arrested (35), Seized (0.85 kg)

Charas – Cases (10), Persons Arrested (16), Seized (16.27 kg)

Ganja – Cases (402), Persons Arrested (416), Seized (865 kg)

Cocaine – Cases (10), Persons Arrested (17), Seized (6.49 kg)

MD – Cases (136), Persons Arrested (187), Seized (37.23 kg)

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