Mumbai: The cash-strapped Maharashtra govt whose debt projection for 2026-27 has hit an all-time high of Rs 11 lakh crore, climbing by Rs 1.7 lakh crore in just one year, has decided to fulfil its election promise by introducing a farm loan waiver in the budget tabled in the state assembly on Friday. The Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Farmers Loan Waiver Scheme is the third farm loan waiver introduced by the state in the past decade. It will provide a debt waiver of Rs 2 lakh to eligible farmers who have overdue crop loans by Sept 30, 2025. Eligible farmers who make regular loan repayments will receive an incentive of Rs 50,000.The state’s finances have been severely strained especially since 2024 when the Mahayuti govt introduced a host of pre-poll sops which helped it return to power in the state. The state had been on the backfoot about when it would implement the farm loan waiver, which was on the Mahayuti alliance’s manifesto.The payout for existing pre-poll schemes left the govt with little elbow room for major announcements in the budget. Indeed, it has not yet committed to when the loan waiver will begin. It had set up a committee for recommendations on the agricultural crisis which has to submit its report by April 30. The details of the waiver will be announced after its report. In terms of taxes, the budget doubles environment tax on private vehicles causing air pollution. It offers a 16%-30% concession on motor vehicle tax on the purchase of new vehicles after scrapping old ones which do not adhere to emission norms.Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis who presented the budget said that the state’s flagship pre-poll scheme, the Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana will continue. Sources, however, say the outlay has been reduced from Rs 35,000 crore last year to Rs 27,000 crore this year as the state has trimmed beneficiaries.Fadnavis dedicated the budget to the late deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar who held the finance portfolio till his death in an air-crash on Feb 28. As he began speaking, slogans of “Ajitdada amar rahe” were raised by NCP MLAs. Fadnavis announced a memorial in Pawar’s honour and also the “Dynamic Civil Services” award in his name.Speaking to the media on the details of the farm loan waiver scheme, Fadnavis said, “So far the committee has details of 28-30 lakh farmers. In the earlier loan waiver, benefits were provided to 20 lakh farmers and incentives to 15 lakh farmers. So this could be in the same region. But the details will be clear after the committee’s report.” He said the waiver will not be restrictive and will be provided to ordinary farmers. “It is not for the benefit of banks but to make indebted farmers eligible for fresh crop loans,” he said.The Mahayuti govt has come under attack for its galloping debt which has more than tripled over the last decade. However, Fadnavis said that of the Rs 11 lakh crore, debt around Rs 90,000 crore would be settled by the Centre owing to its transfers to the state. Officials also claim that the debt figure has climbed by Rs 1.7 lakh crore in a year because the debt of state agencies and the burden of long-term debt has been taken into account. The state’s revenue deficit projection is Rs 40,522 crore. This is the gap between its income and expenditure.Fadnavis said that debt cannot be considered in isolation but as a share of GSDP. “The state’s fiscal deficit and debt is within fiscal limits. The fiscal deficit is within 3% of GSDP. Maharashtra is the only large state that remains within the limit,” said Fadnavis. He said the state would focus on raising its revenue and increasing the outlay on infrastructure projects to provide an impetus for economic growth.Although debt has galloped, the state has not cut down on capital expenditure which goes into funding development projects. The projected capital expenditure has risen from Rs 93,165 lakh crore in 2025-26 to Rs 1.2 lakh crore in this budget.The budget provides Rs 20,000 crore to a free power scheme for farmers with agricultural pumps upto 7.5 hp—another pre-poll scheme introduced in 2024. Natural farming will be introduced on 5 lakh hectares of land and farm labourers will be included in the Gopinath Munde accident scheme. A Rs 300 crore tree plantation drive will be undertaken to increase green cover in the state.On the industry front, MSME centres will be established in every district. For the services sector, 400 new global competence centres will be set up. Around 130 acres of land will be allotted to set up a world-class start up and innovation hub at Wadala.“This budget and each budget in the forthcoming years will reflect the resolve of Viksit Maharashtra. We want to achieve the aim of taking the state’s economy to $5 trillion. The four main pillars to promote regional balanced development of the state are progressive, sustainable, inclusion and good governance,” said Fadnavis in his budget speech. The budget also declared 2026-27 as a year of social harmony and equality in which funds will be provided to commemorate reformers including Mahatma Phule, Sant Gadge Baba and Babasaheb Ambedkar.

NEW DELHI: The price of domestic cooking gas cylinders has been increased from Saturday (March 7), with the cost of a 14.2-kg LPG cylinder rising by Rs 60 across the country, according to sources cited by news agency ANI.With the latest revision, the price of a 14.2-kg domestic LPG cylinder in Delhi may increase from Rs 853 to Rs 913. In Mumbai, the rate will go up from Rs 852.50 to Rs 912.50.In Kolkata, the price will rise from Rs 879 to Rs 930, while in Chennai it will increase from Rs 868.50 to Rs 928.50. The revised rates will come into effect immediately.The hike also impacts businesses, with the price of a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder rising by Rs 115 from the same date. As per ANI, the price of a commercial cylinder in Delhi will be increased from Rs 1,768.50 to Rs 1,883. In Mumbai, it will go up from Rs 1,720.50 to Rs 1,835. In Kolkata, the price will climb from Rs 1,875.50 to Rs 1,990, while in Chennai it will increase from Rs 1,929 to Rs 2,043.50.The revision will mark the first major change in domestic LPG prices since April 2025, when the non-subsidised rate in Delhi was Rs 853. The latest hike is expected to affect both household consumers and commercial establishments such as hotels and restaurants that depend heavily on LPG for daily operations.

Government says energy supply remains comfortable

The price increase comes amid broader discussions around India’s energy supply situation, particularly as tensions in West Asia raise concerns about potential disruptions in global oil routes.Union minister for petroleum and natural gas Hardeep Singh Puri earlier sought to reassure consumers about the country’s energy security.“Our priority is to ensure the availability of affordable and sustainable fuel for our citizens, and we are doing it comfortably. There is no shortage of energy in India, and there is no cause of worry for our energy consumers,” Puri said in a post on X.Indian Oil Corporation also dismissed rumours circulating on social media about a shortage of petrol and diesel, calling them baseless. The company said India has adequate fuel stocks and that supply and distribution networks are functioning normally.“India has sufficient fuel stocks, and supply and distribution networks are functioning normally. IndianOil is committed to maintaining uninterrupted fuel supply across the country,” the company said in a statement on X.

India diversifying energy sources

Government sources said India currently remains in a “very comfortable position” regarding crude oil, petroleum products and LPG supplies despite concerns linked to the Strait of Hormuz.According to the sources, the country has diversified its crude import basket in recent years and now sources energy from multiple geographies to reduce dependence on any single route. Russia, which accounted for only 0.2 per cent of India’s crude imports in 2022, has become a major supplier. In February, India imported around 20 per cent of its crude requirements from Russia, or roughly 1.04 million barrels per day, sources told ANI.Officials also said LPG refineries have been directed to increase production to maintain adequate supplies, while imports from the United States have begun arriving since January under a one-year contract signed by Indian public sector oil companies for around 2.2 million tonnes of LPG from the US Gulf Coast for 2026.

India’s Sanju Samson (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Sanju Samson may not have begun the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 as a regular in India’s playing XI, but the Kerala batter has since turned the tournament into a memorable one with crucial performances at key moments.The 31-year-old right-hander has delivered when it has mattered the most, producing match-defining knocks including an unbeaten 97 against the West Indies cricket team and a blistering 89 in the semi-final against the England cricket team. Despite his recent heroics, Samson was not part of India’s first-choice line-up during the group stage. His form had dipped in the series against New Zealand national cricket team prior to the tournament, which kept him out of the side initially.

Samson eventually featured only in the match against Namibia national cricket team in New Delhi after Abhishek Sharma was ruled out due to a stomach infection.However, the turning point came during the Super 8 stage. With off-spinners troubling both Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan, the team management decided to bring Samson back into the side in order to change the tempo of the innings. Since returning to the XI, he has produced a string of impactful knocks and has emerged as one of India’s standout performers in the competition.His remarkable form has now earned him a nomination for the Player of the Tournament award. Samson is the only Indian player included in the shortlist. The other contenders are Will Jacks, Sahibzada Farhan, Lungi Ngidi, Aiden Markram, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert and Shadley van Schalkwyk.The shortlist was released by the International Cricket Council shortly after India’s dramatic seven-run victory over England in the second semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium.During that match, Samson was given an early lifeline when England captain Harry Brook dropped him on 15. The reprieve proved costly for England as the Indian batter went on to hammer 89 runs from just 42 balls, smashing seven sixes along the way. The knock also helped him surpass Rohit Sharma’s record for the most sixes by an Indian in a single edition of the T20 World Cup. Samson now has 16 sixes in the tournament, going past Rohit’s tally of 15.So far in the competition, Samson has accumulated 232 runs, making him India’s third-highest run-scorer behind Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav.He has also claimed the Player of the Match award in two consecutive games, first against the West Indies and then against England. However, after the semi-final victory, Samson insisted that the honour should have gone to fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who conceded just 33 runs in his four overs in a high-scoring contest where nearly 500 runs were scored.“All credit goes to Jasprit Bumrah, the world-class bowler, once in a generation bowler. I think that’s what he delivered today. This (award) should go to him, actually. If we didn’t bowl that way in the death overs, I think I would not be standing here,” Samson said after winning the award.With the semi-final victory, India secured a place in the final, where the side led by Suryakumar Yadav will face New Zealand national cricket team at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, March 8.

NEW DELHI: Setting the stage for a fresh showdown between BJP-led NDA and opposition, Lok Sabha will take up on March 9 a resolution backed by MPs from Congress and its allies for removal of Speaker Om Birla for his alleged partisan conduct, as Parliament reconvenes for Budget session’s second part from Monday.Governing NDA’s numerical supremacy – it has 293 MPs in the current strength of 541 members in the House – renders inevitability to the motion’s defeat, but it will test the unity in opposition’s ranks as some of its constituents, including TMC, had not backed the resolution, leading to confidence among treasury benches members that Birla could bag support from outside the bloc as well. BJP, Cong issue whips ahead of Birla removal vote Both BJP and Congress have issued whips to their respective LS members, asking them to ensure their presence in the House as they seek to marshal maximum strength as a division of votes is expected.While BJP’s whip has called for a mandatory attendance of its MPs on the first two days, Congress’s directive stands for the first three days. Rules allow Birla to be present in the House, while not occupying the Chair, and defend himself. LS’s agenda for Monday cites the resolution moved by three Congress MPs. The notice for resolution was supported by 118 MPs from Congress, SP and DMK, besides a few others.The opposition’s resolution cites Birla’s decisions to disallow the leader of the opposition in LS, Rahul Gandhi, and others to speak, making “unwarranted allegations” against women MPs, suspending eight opposition MPs, and “not rebuking ruling party members for making objectionable and derogatory” remarks against former PMs.“He (Birla) has ceased to maintain an impartial attitude necessary to command the confidence of all sections of the House; that in his partisan attitude he disregards the rights of MPs and makes pronouncements and gives rulings calculated to affect and undermine such rights; that he openly espouses the version of the ruling party on all controversial matters,” the resolution moved by the opposition said, according to the agenda. Disposal of the motion will allow Birla — who has stopped attending the House taking a high moral ground since 118 opposition MPs submitted the notice on Feb 10 — to return to the Chair to preside over govt’s key legislative agenda. A view within NDA is that several non-NDA MPs may back Birla. The opposition’s notice marked its increasingly acrimonious ties with the govt, which was on full display during the session’s first half after Rahul’s reference to the content of the unpublished book of ex-army chief M M Naravane to target govt was disallowed by Birla.This, along with the suspension of eight opposition MPs for allegedly disrupting proceedings and the speech of BJP MP Nishikant Dubey attacking members of the Nehru-Gandhi family, were cited by opposition to express its lack of faith in Birla.

India’s mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy has endured a challenging phase in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, with his performances drawing intense scrutiny from fans and experts alike. After being one of the most talked-about bowlers heading into the tournament, the spinner has struggled to maintain his control and deception in recent matches. Following India’s high-pressure semi-final clash against England, veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin shared his thoughts on what Varun needs to do to regain confidence and rediscover his bowling rhythm.

Varun Chakaravarthy’s dip in form raises concerns

Varun entered the global event as the world’s No.1 ranked T20 bowler, carrying enormous expectations. However, his performances have taken a downturn during the latter half of the competition. His struggles became most evident during the semi-final against England, where he endured a difficult outing.

The spinner conceded 64 runs in his four-over spell, with England batter Jacob Bethell taking him apart in a brutal assault. Bethell smashed 42 runs off just 13 deliveries from Varun, exposing some tactical flaws in the spinner’s approach.

Analysts believe one of the major issues has been the pace at which Varun is delivering the ball. By bowling quicker through the air, he has unintentionally reduced the effectiveness of his variations, allowing batters to pick his deliveries earlier.

Opposition teams, including South Africa, New Zealand and England, have adopted a clear tactic against him. Batters are planting their front foot early and hitting him straight down the ground — a method widely described as the “step-hit.” This aggressive approach has allowed teams to dominate his overs, especially during the Super 8 stage of the tournament.

Rising pressure and a loss of rhythm

Another factor contributing to Varun’s struggles is the psychological pressure of expectations. Being labelled as the tournament’s leading spinner placed him under the spotlight from the very beginning.

Once he started leaking runs, the pressure appeared to affect his bowling rhythm. Instead of sticking to his usual stump-to-stump line, Varun began experimenting with wider deliveries or balls drifting towards the pads. This deviation from his strengths has significantly hurt his effectiveness.

Since the Super 8 stage, his economy rate has climbed sharply to 11.62 — a worrying figure for a bowler known for his control in the shortest format.

Also READ: Brendon McCullum reveals ‘defining factor’ behind England’s narrow defeat to India in T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final

Ravichandran Ashwin’s key advice for the struggling spinner

Former India off-spinner Ashwin believes Varun’s situation is not unusual and can be corrected with awareness and tactical adjustments. According to Ashwin, learning to adapt during tough phases is one of the most important lessons for any spinner.

Ashwin explained that bowlers need to understand when to slow the game down and rethink their approach rather than rushing through overs.

“I used to bowl a lot of deliveries quickly. But if I felt I needed a pause, I would take it. This is about awareness. The toughest thing is adapting and responding to tough situations. Every day will not be good, and bad days will keep coming,” Ashwin said.

He added that Varun is currently experiencing a new challenge in his career and that the conversations around him — from teammates, coaches and support staff — will play a crucial role in helping him recover. Ashwin also emphasised that Varun must now evolve beyond relying solely on his mystery factor.

“Till now, he has relied on people not picking him. From now on, he has to rely on the finer aspects of spin bowling. This is a challenge and a journey,” he added.

Will India replace Varun in the final?

With India preparing for the T20 World Cup 2026 final, discussions have emerged about whether Kuldeep Yadav could replace Varun in the playing XI. However, Ashwin believes such a change is unlikely despite the debate.

“Can Kuldeep come in for Varun? I think they will think about it, but it won’t happen. They might think a lot about this. But I hope it does not happen, and I don’t think so too,” Ashwin concluded.

As India gear up for the tournament’s biggest match, all eyes will be on whether Varun can bounce back and deliver when it matters the most.

Also WATCH: T20 World Cup 2026 – Axar Patel plucks a jaw-dropping catch to dismiss Harry Brook in IND vs ENG semi-final

Topper Anuj Agnihotri cleared UPSC with medical science as optional subject

NEW DELHI: AIIMS Jodhpur MBBS graduate Anuj Agnihotri has topped the Civil Services Examination 2025, the UPSC announced Friday, recommending 958 candidates for appointment to various services. Graduates of medicine, engineering, law and commerce have once again dominated the top ranks of the exam that had nearly 9.3 lakh applicants. Agnihotri cleared the civil services with medical science as the optional subject. He began his schooling at Atomic Energy Central School, completing Class X, and then moved to MB Public Senior Secondary School in Kota for Class XII.

Rajeshwari Suve M from Madurai, Tamil Nadu, secured Rank 2. An engineering graduate from Anna University, she had cleared the state civil services examination and is currently serving as a deputy collector.Delhi grads dominate UPSC top 5; law, commerce, economics shineEkansh Dhull from Haryana secured rank three. A commerce graduate from Shri Ram College of Commerce at the University of Delhi, he had earlier cleared the UPSC exam in 2024 with rank 342 before moving into the top three this year. Raghav Jhunjhunwala, who holds a BA (Hons) degree in Economics from University of Delhi, secured the fourth rank, while Ishan Bhatnagar, a BA LLB (Hons) graduate from National Law University Delhi, secured the fifth position with sociology as his optional subject.Of the 9,37,876 candidates who applied, 5,76,793 appeared for the preliminary examination conducted on May 25, 2025. A total of 14,161 candidates qualified for the written mains examination held in Aug 2025, and 2,736 candidates progressed to the personality test stage conducted between Dec 2025 and Feb 2026.Following the completion of all stages, the commission has recommended 958 candidates for appointment to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and other central services under Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’.The government has reported 1,087 vacancies across these services. These include 180 posts in the IAS, 55 in the IFS and 150 in the IPS, while Central Services Group ‘A’ account for 507 vacancies and Group ‘B’ services for 195 posts.Among the recommended candidates, 317 belong to the general category, 104 to the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), 306 to the Other Backward Classes (OBC), 158 to the Scheduled Castes (SC) and 73 to the Scheduled Tribes (ST). The list also includes 42 persons with benchmark disabilities across four categories.The commission has also maintained a consolidated reserve list of 258 candidates in accordance with the Civil Services Examination Rules 2025.Final appointments will be made depending on the number of vacancies available in each service and after verification of candidates’ reservation claims by the authorities concerned.

Mumbai: India’s Shivam Dube (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil)

New Delhi: Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir had once famously shared his strong belief that batting orders are very overrated in white-ball cricket, drawing scrutiny. While the mentality has resulted in mixed results on other occasions, it certainly paid off handsomely in India’s T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final against England. The visitors were caught by surprise after Shivam Dube walked in at number four following Ishan Kishan‘s dismissal instead of Suryakumar Yadav or Tilak Varma. Spinner Adil Rashid was one of the top wicket-takers (11 dismissals) going into the knockout match and had tasted blood after sending Kishan back to the pavilion.

The Indian innings was dominating proceedings at 117/2 in 9.3 overs, enjoying the pace on offer with small boundary dimensions. However, Rashid’s slow and wide deliveries, aimed at making the batters reach out, would have proved quite challenging in these conditions, holding the key to an English comeback. However, in stepped Dube when the team needed a hero, masterfully negotiating the English spinner, combining intent with risk-free gameplay. The good balls were tucked away for singles, while the deliveries bowled right in the arc found their way into the stands. ‘Shivam Dube 2.0 makes presence felt’ “Rohit Sharma gave Shivam a lot of inputs regarding the manner in which he should approach his innings. Earlier, he used to come in and simply slog. However, this is Shivam 2.0, who plays according to the situation. The maturity he obtained from the chat changed everything. Shivam now focuses on singles off good deliveries rather than simply hitting sixes, which helps him convert a quick-fire 25 into crucial 40s or 50s,” said Mumbai batter Siddhesh Lad during an exclusive interaction with TimesofIndia.com. “There was a focus on taking singles while facing Rashid rather than simply attempting to slog every delivery. That is an indication of the newfound maturity Shivam enjoys, which proved crucial against England,” he added. Dube smashed Rashid for two sixes in his third over, reducing the pressure on Sanju Samson and giving the former no scope to settle and pull off a comeback. India were well placed on a dominant scoreline of 190/4 in 16 overs at the end of the English spinner’s spell (2/41), providing the perfect platform to finish strongly in a game decided by fine margins. Captain Harry Brook was left with no choice but to bring Jofra Archer and Sam Curran into the action, playing into Team India’s hands. ‘Dube’s intent puts spinners under pressure’ “It was tougher to play strokes when the ball was coming on slowly to the bat, which is where Dube proved to be a game-changer. When Shivam comes to bat, there is pressure on the spinners because of the intent with which he takes them on,” shared Dube’s childhood coach Satish Samant. Shivam was eventually dismissed due to a miscommunication with Hardik Pandya, leaving a lasting impact with his 25-ball 43 that helped India post a mammoth total of 253. The all-rounder has been a game-changer under pressure, scoring crucial boundaries against the West Indies, and will certainly have a vital role to play in the final.