Mumbai: The state’s economic growth rate is set to rise from 7.3% in 2024-25 to 7.9% in 2025-26, according to Maharashtra’s economic survey for 2025-26 tabled in the state legislature on Thursday. The sharp decline in the agricultural sector owing to unseasonal rains and floods has been compensated by an upswing in the industrial and services sectors. The state’s estimated growth rate is higher than the national growth rate of 7.4%.The state’s per capita income is set to increase from Rs 3,17,800 to Rs 3,47,903 by 2025-26. This is higher than the national per capita income estimated at Rs 2,19,575. Latest figures for 2024-25 though show Maharashtra ranked 5th in the country in per capita income, behind Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.The survey shows that the estimated growth rate in the agricultural and allied services sector is set to plunge from 9.1% in 2024-25 to 3.4% in 2025-26. By contrast, the industrial growth rate is set to rise from 4.3% to 5.7% and the expected growth rate in the services sector from 8.3% to 9% during the same period. The industrial and services sector has much higher weightage in the computation of economic growth compared to agriculture. In 2025, 42% of the state received excess rains, which destroyed crops. Besides, a part of the state was also impacted by untimely rains and hailstorms. The calamities flattened agricultural growth, with the main kharif crop expected to see a 28% decline in the production of pulses and a 47.4% fall in oilseed output.“The industry sector maintained the growth momentum due to expected growth in the manufacturing and construction sub-sectors. The services sector has remained a buoyant segment of the state’s economy,” the survey states, “A favourable price environment and record GST collection during the current financial year have supported the state’s growth momentum.”Within the industry sector which is often targeted by the Opposition, the growth rate in the manufacturing segment is set to rise from 4.1% in 2024-25 to 5.9% in 2025-26 while that in the construction sector is set to increase from 6.3% to 7.8% during the same period. The growth rate in the electricity, water supply and utilities segment is projected to rise from 1.1% to 5.8%. However, the mining and quarrying segment is expected to see a fall in growth rate from 4.2% to 0.2%.In the services sector, the segment of trade, hotels, transport and communication is estimated to experience a rise in growth rate from 6.2% to 8.3% while the financial services and real estate segment is expected to see growth rate rise only from 9% to 9.1%. The sharpest growth is expected from the public administration, defence and other services segment which is set to see an increase from 8.8% to 9.9%.Yet, despite the rise in growth, the state has deep disparities within. Only 6 of 34 districts had a per capita income higher than that of the state in 2024-25. These were Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nagpur, Raigad and Kolhapur. As many as 28 districts reported a per capita income lower than that of the state. And 11 districts reported a per capita income lower than the national figure of Rs 2,05,324. The tribal districts of Gadchiroli and Nandurbar reported the lowest per capita income in the state.The survey made no mention of Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana which costs the exchequer over Rs 35,000 crore per year. However, it points out the state’s debt for 2025-26 is an estimated Rs 9.3 lakh crore, the highest ever in Maharashtra. The survey says this is within the fiscal limit at 18.3% of GSDP. The fiscal limit is 25% of GSDP under the Maharashtra Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act 2006. On the industrial front, the survey says the Magnetic Maharashtra’ initiatives resulted in 303 MoUs for investments worth Rs 26.8 lakh crore between June 2020-Oct 2025. However, it does not provide data on how many MoUs resulted in projects.

Team India into the finals of the T20 World Cup 2026. In a fierce battle at the Wankhede cricket stadium, the defending champions beat England by 7 runs. Suryakumar Yadav-led team is only one step away from creating history.

As soon as Shivam Dube delivered the very last ball of the match, the entire nation went into a celebratory mood. Jacob Bethell, the England middle-order batter, tried his best to spoil the party, but Hardik Pandya did not allow him to do that.

A thriller match till the penultimate over

In the last over of the match, England needed 30 runs to surpass the Men in Blue’s 253 runs total, with Jacob Bethell, the centurion, in the middle. Bethell was the loan warrior for the England cricket team in the run chase. He scored 105 runs in 48 balls, powered by eight 4s and seven 6s. Only because of this middle-order batter, the match stretched till the penultimate over.

Your daily dose of cricket!

Captain Suryakumar Yadav handed the ball to the pace bowling allrounder Shivam Dube for the last over. Bethell was on strike. They smashed the straight, but there was Hardik Pandya ready. As Bethell was the last hope for the England cricket team, they ran to seal another run. But Hardik’s throw was quick and accurate.

Hardik Pandya can rise at the right moment

The keeper, Sanju Samson, swiftly collected the balls into his gloves and dislodged the bails from the stumps. Jacob Bethell is out, England’s last hope gone. In 20 overs, the Harry Brook-led team scored 246 for 7, and India won the match by 7 runs.

Social media is flooded with countless reactions from the entire Indian cricket fan community. Everyone has started to smell another T20 World Cup trophy. In the final, the Men in Blue will be up against New Zealand on March 8 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

England captain Harry Brook explained why they lost

“We just thought there might be a little bit of hold early on with the pitch being fresh, and we expected a bit more spin in the first innings. But it didn’t quite turn out that way. Obviously, they played extremely well (on the Indian batting). All of our lads should be really proud of the way we played tonight and throughout this competition”, England captain Harry Brook said after the match.

“We probably didn’t execute as well as we could have. But the Indian batters are some of the best in the world, and if you misexecute against them, the ball goes out of the park”, he added.

Fans React as India qualifies to the Final

Thank you for your contribution @MichaelVaughan 😉 #INDvENG #T20WC2026 pic.twitter.com/DAh3rZETqj

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) March 5, 2026

Credit khud chal kar aata hai 7 run win ✍🏻#INDvsENG #T20WC2026 pic.twitter.com/F2Q22rHC5F

— Raja Babu (@GaurangBhardwa1) March 5, 2026

– Dropped the catch of Sanju
– Scored 7(6) with the bat

Harry Brook deserves the man of the match for India pic.twitter.com/Nc6f2yBmkd

— Cover Drive Queen (@CoverDriveQueen) March 5, 2026

Congratulations Team India 🇮🇳🔥

Into the T20WC 2026 Final!.🏆

What a performance by Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya & Jaspreet Bumrah 💪💥

Clutch moments, fearless batting, and deadly bowling. Bethel boss

One step away from glory 💙#INDvsENG #T20WC2026 pic.twitter.com/sPWZb5baIb

— Yudhisthir Chandra (@YudhisthirYc) March 5, 2026

#INDvsENG #T20WC2026
What a performance by Team India! Explosive knocks from #SanjuSamson and Shivam Dube powered us to a memorable win against England in the T20 World Cup semifinal.

Congratulations to the entire squad for this dominant display. The nation is cheering you… pic.twitter.com/3Vb5kgr0iH

— Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) March 5, 2026

JACOB BETHELL PLAYED LIKE A WARRIOR. ❤️#INDvsENG pic.twitter.com/YZMA6Ut8Dy

— Indian Cricket (@IPL2025Auction) March 5, 2026

What a Game this was,
The Difference between the two teams was in Fielding
Excellent efforts by #England too
As a #TeamIndia credit goes to everyone, special mention @akshar2026 @Jaspritbumrah93@IamShivamDube @IamSanjuSamson @hardikpandya7#INDvsENG #Semifinal pic.twitter.com/GmMTySpYSe

— Munaf Patel (@munafpa99881129) March 5, 2026

Heart pounding, flags waving, India has done it AGAIN!
Semi-final conquered, finals calling – congratulations to all the players for an epic win and marching into the T20 World Cup 2026 final! This team fights, this team dreams, this team wins! #INDvsENG #T20WC2026 #T20WC26… pic.twitter.com/w3YNG1Ay3L

— Dhanraj Nathwani (@DhanrajNathwani) March 5, 2026

Read More: NOT Suryakumar Yadav! Sanju Samson credits Bumrah after winning POTM vs England

File photo: Nishant Kumar

NEW DELHI: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar is a rare regional heavyweight who has been vocal in his disdain of dynastic politics and made it a point to keep his family members, including his only son Nishant, out of any limelight. As politics would have it, Nishant is now being seen by the JDU cadre with keen anticipation to step in to keep the party rooted to its support base as his father moves out of his two-decade long stewardship of Bihar.As Nishant Kumar appears set to make his political debut, the decision has been driven as much by filial considerations as by political necessity.Signs of unease in a section of JDU workers over post-Nitish era were visible after a swift turn of events leading to the CM filing his nomination for Rajya Sabha, as some cried, some raised slogans and some toppled furniture and threw plates at the party’s Patna headquarters, which was to host a lunch, as it became clear that their ‘leader’ is set to pass the baton, in all likelihood, to a BJP nominee.JDU MP, Kaushalendra Kumar, Nitish’s choice to represent his home turf of Nalanda in Lok Sabha since 2014, said supporters of the Bihar’s longest serving CM are feeling sad. “If Nishant joins politics, they will be feel a little assuaged,” he said, emphasising that everyone in the party will finally go by what Nitish says.Kaushalendra, like Nitish, hails from the Kurmi community, whose members, including legislators of the party, are believed to be propelling the move to bring Nishant into politics.Several party members have said he will soon be joining politics. While there is no confirmation from the JDU brass on the role to be assigned to the 50-year-old engineering graduate, indications have been given that he will be joining the new Bihar govt as a deputy CM.With Nitish’s stint in Rajya Sabha to begin once the outgoing members retire on April 9, party functionaries said there is a month left to finalise details.JDU’s core support base has traditionally included Kurmis, sections of backward castes and Dalits, and while it has shown signs of fraying for several years, Kurmis remain solidly behind Nitish.With key confidants of Nitish coming from upper castes, there is a view from the party’s base that his son should be given a key role to convey continuity and its readiness for future battles as his father shows signs of withdrawing from the gruelling field of state politics.

NEW DELHI: After two decades at the helm of Bihar, Nitish Kumar has finally ceded the seat that he made his own, kicking up a storm of reaction from angry supporters and criticism from the opposition that cited it as another example of BJP “cannibalising” its allies like in Maharashtra.But Kumar appeared to go quietly, posting on X his desire to work in Parliament.The aloofness of his departure, as witnessed in his announcement, matched the icy wiliness with which he ensured post-2005 that he stayed in the CM’s seat, irrespective of who he went with or which among the allies had more MLAs. After all, it was nothing short of a ‘Paltu Ram’ act that saw him win a majority to eject Lalu Prasad’s RJD from Patna in 2005 before joining hands with RJD and Congress in Bihar. In 2015, as part of “Mahagathbandhan”, he humiliated BJP that had just stormed to office in Delhi led by Narendra Modi. He returned to NDA in 2017, then turned to RJD and Congress in 2022, before realigning with BJP in Jan 2024. All this while, he resigned and took oath as CM.The flip-flops were not just about parties, but also about ideology and players, moving from being a “never-Modi” to a willing partner of the PM. But through his ideological shifts, Kumar carved a niche that had not been witnessed before – as an OBC politician who brought a “Mandal-plus” age-nda to the fore in a backward state, and as a strategist who worked to carve a personal constituency for himself. He stood out also for being a rarity-an OBC politician from the north who could govern well, and was not tainted by corruption allegations.Kumar’s equity with voters was on display during the 2025 assembly elections. As his growing gaffes and eccentricities coupled with a prolonged absence from public view led to questions about his mental acuity, the opposition stepped up its campaign that BJP would install its own CM, like it had done in Maharashtra. BJP increased Kumar’s campaign rallies and announcements. That is said to have done the trick by reinforcing the “Jodya Modi-Nitish ke hit hoi” (Modi-Nitish partnership will prevail) message. On the road to entrenching himself as a satrap, Kumar was helped by the low bar set by his once comrade-in-arms Lalu. He made “clean administration” and “crime” issues that he and BJP hammered on for years to keep rival RJD on the backfoot.But the real cunning lay in thinking of a strategy to overcome RJD’s advantage on caste front in a state that has an overwhelmingly large OBC/Dalit population. This is where Kumar set a template that was later emulated by other states. Hailing from the Kurmi caste of OBCs that has a minuscule population share, Kumar moved with alacrity to fragment the OBC population by categorising them along “developmental” status – backwards and most backwards. He cornered the loyalty of a large chunk of “aspirational” OBC communities, while turning “Yadavisation” into a stick to beat the rival with. The polarisation of “Yadav vs non-Yadavs” sustained him for two decades. Kumar tried the same with “Dalits vs Maha Dalits” but failed as political compulsions forced him to dilute the “Maha Dalit” tag by including stronger communities.The game changer was when his search for a personal constituency led him to focus on the pan-caste category of “women”. From his earliest signalling through reservations in panchayats to bicycles for girls to microfinance loans/self-help groups, to dole for women, the JDU leader fused his “welfarism” with “development” to earn the loyalty of a key voting bloc. Questions remain whether women vote independently from family and caste factors, but it consolidated pro-JDU sections at multiple levels, diluting factors like anti-incumbency.To successfully create personalised loyalty in the shifting sands of competitive caste politics is a feat that remains unrivalled since Lalu’s ejection from the Patna throne.

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