Maharashtra Diverts ₹746 Cr SC/ST Funds to Women’s Scheme

By BPN News Desk May 5, 2025

State News West India

The Maharashtra government has redirected ₹746 crore from the welfare budgets meant for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) to finance the Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, a flagship welfare scheme for women. According to the government order, ₹410.3 crore was reallocated from the Social

State News West India

India Launches ₹400 Cr Creative Tech Institute in Mumbai

By BPN News Desk May 4, 2025

In a landmark initiative to boost India’s creative economy, the central government has announced the establishment of the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) in Mumbai, backed by a substantial ₹400 crore investment. Envisioned as a National Centre of Excellence, the institute is designed to focus exclusively on the AVGC-XR sector—covering Animation, Visual

State News West India

Stampede at Goa’s Lairai Devi Festival Kills 7 Devotees

By BPN News Desk May 3, 2025

A tragic stampede occurred in the early hours of Saturday during the annual Lairai Devi Jatra in Shirgao, North Goa, leaving at least seven devotees dead and over thirty injured. The incident took place during the popular dhondachi zatra, a fire-walking ritual that draws tens of thousands of devotees each year to the Shri Lairai […]

State News West India

Deven Bharti Appointed Mumbai Police Commissioner

By BPN News Desk April 30, 2025

In a high-profile administrative change, senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Deven Bharti has officially taken over as the new Commissioner of Mumbai Police. This appointment marks a significant return to operational leadership for Bharti, who previously served in multiple strategic and investigative roles within Maharashtra’s law enforcement setup. A 1994-batch IPS

State News West India

Anurag Kashyap Apologizes for Remarks About Brahmin Community

By BPN News Desk April 22, 2025

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has issued a formal apology after facing widespread backlash for his recent comments concerning the Brahmin community. In a public statement posted on Instagram, Kashyap admitted that his remarks were made in a moment of anger and deeply regretted the hurt they caused. Apology and Acknowledgement Kashyap acknowledged that he “forgot his […]

State News West India

Maharashtra Faces Water Crisis as Dam Levels Plummet

By BPN News Desk April 22, 2025

Maharashtra is confronting a severe water crisis as dam storage levels have declined sharply, raising concerns about water availability during the peak summer months.​ As of mid-April 2025, the state’s 2,997 dams collectively hold only 41.3% of their total live storage capacity. This marks a significant decrease from the previous month’s levels, indicating an

State News West India

Maharashtra Language Panel Rejects Compulsory Hindi Policy

By BPN News Desk April 20, 2025

A heated debate has erupted in Maharashtra after the state government announced that Hindi would be made a compulsory third language in all schools under the state board from Class 1. The move, initiated under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has drawn strong opposition from the state’s language consultation committee, which has unanimously […]

State News West India

India Slams Bangladesh for Remarks on Murshidabad Violence

By BPN News Desk April 18, 2025

India has sharply criticized Bangladesh for its comments on the recent communal violence in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, calling the remarks “barely disguised and disingenuous.” The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) rejected any attempt to draw equivalence between the situation in India and longstanding concerns over the treatment of minorities in Bangladesh. The

State News West India

Kunal Kamra Granted Interim Bail Amid Eknath Shinde Parody Controversy

By BPN News Desk April 17, 2025

Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has been granted interim pre-arrest bail by the Madras High Court until April 17, 2025, in connection with a case filed against him for a parody performance allegedly targeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.​ Parody Performance Sparks Legal Action and Backlash The controversy stems from a January 2025 performance at […]

State News West India

Maharashtra to Establish Advanced Labs in 20 ITIs to Boost Skills and Support Differently-Abled Students

By BPN News Desk April 16, 2025

The Maharashtra government has announced a major initiative to modernize technical education infrastructure by establishing advanced laboratories in 20 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across the state. The project aims to strengthen vocational education, promote entrepreneurship, and support inclusive learning, particularly for differently-abled students. To execute