Maharashtra Approves Ownership Rights For 198 Landholders Displaced By Mogharpada Metro Car Shed
Tapovan Vidyalaya in Maharashtra faced complaints after a fine was imposed for fenugreek in lunchboxes. Complaints from parents prompted the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation to investigate the schools food restrictions. Student were allegedly stopped from eating methi and directed to purchase food from the canteen. The incident coincided with the Jain festival of Paryushan, during which food habits are typically restricted.
UCC bulldozer is to permanently polarise society: Congress
New Delhi, Sep 23: The Congress on Wednesday alleged that for the Modi government, the UCC is not an instrument of considered legal reform but an instrument of division, disruption and diversion, as well as a tool for stoking prejudices and keeping society in a state of permanent polarisation. The opposition party's assertion comes after former Bombay High Court judge Justice R C Chavan resigned from the Maharashtra government's panel to prepare a draft for implementing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), citing serious reservations over its decision to restrict public feedback on crucial social issues to a Yes/No format. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the resignation of a former high court judge from the Maharashtra government's committee to draft a UCC for the state raises larger questions, apart from his several concerns on the functioning of this committee. Posting his statement on X, Ramesh said, A retired High Court judge has shown courage to resign from a committee set up by the Maharashtra government to prepare a uniform civil code for the state. Here is our statement on the non-uniform 'Uniform' Civil Codes (UCC) the HM is trying to bulldoze through in every state. Did the Constituent Assembly ever imagine a situation in which every state would enact its own separate version of a UCC? The answer is a resounding no, Ramesh said. Did the architects of our Constitution led by Dr B.R. Ambedkar ever conceive states competing with one another to have different UCCs according to the political machinations and calculations of one political party, he asked. Again, the answer is a resounding no, Ramesh added. He pointed out that on June 17, 2016, the Modi government referred the question of the UCC to the 21st Law Commission of India for detailed examination. After extensive research, the Commission published its Consultation Paper on Reform of Family Law on August 31, 2018. Its conclusion appearing in paragraph 1.15 on page 7 of the Consultation Paper was clear: 'The formulation of a Uniform Civil Code is neither necessary nor desirable at this stage'. Instead it recommended addressing nor discrimination within individual family laws while preserving India's legal and cultural diversity, Ramesh said. The Modi government has chosen to disregard the findings of the very Commission it tasked with examining the issue because the facts, as usual, did not align with its political agenda, the Congress leader said. Over the last three years, one BJP-ruled State after another bulldozed through its own version of a UCC, Ramesh said. The UCC came into effect in Uttarakhand from January 27, 2025. Subsequently the Gujarat Assembly passed the UCC Bill on March 24, 2026, the Assam Assembly on May 27, 2026 and the Madhya Pradesh Assembly on July 21, 2026, he pointed out. Ramesh said these State-level UCCs, never envisaged in the Constitution, are not uniform. They contain different provisions, different penalties, different procedures and significant exemptions. Contrary to claims, the Uttarakhand UCC, the only one in force, continues with a number of patriarchal traditions and is creating many problems for perfectly law-abiding residents of the state, Ramesh argued. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has made a typically bombastic announcement that a UCC will be implemented in all NDA-ruled States before the 2029 Lok Sabha election, he said. Evidently other NDA parties have lost their voices and are being silenced by the BJP, the Congress general secretary said. For the Modi Government, the UCC is not an instrument of considered legal reform to be implemented after the widest possible consultations and public debate and with the broadest possible consensus. It is, in reality, an instrument of division, disruption and diversion, a tool for harassment and intimidation, stoking prejudices and keeping society in a state of permanent polarisation, Ramesh said. Later, asked about the statement, he said, The UCC bulldozer is to permanently polarise society. In a letter to the panel chairperson Justice Ranjana Desai (retd), former Bombay High Court judge Chavan criticised the committee's approach, stating that reducing complex societal questions, such as delayed marriages, perversions, infertility, and rising matrimonial disputes, to binary options undermined the primary purpose of consensus-building. The former judge said he had misunderstood that the committee aimed to gather views of the people of Maharashtra and to generate a consensus to remedy the issues of late marriages, infertility, unstable marriages, time-consuming dispute resolution mechanism and so on. Now that the misunderstanding is removed, I realise that the aim is to just provide an opportunity to people who may care, to share their responses, in a 'yes or no' format to the questions posed so that analysis of data becomes easy, the letter said. In July, the state government set up a seven-member committee headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Desai to draft a framework for implementing the UCC, which seeks to establish equal laws across religions on issues about marriage, divorce, and property. Justice Chavan, a former high court judge, resigned from the panel on September 19. The Congress' statement also comes days after Shah said the BJP-led NDA governments in 21 states will introduce UCC before 2029. The next Lok Sabha polls are scheduled for 2029.
Lemon Tree opens its first property in Nashik
Lemon Tree Hotels has announced the opening of Keys Prima by Lemon Tree Hotels, Nashik, marking the Group's first hotel in the city and further strengthening its presence in Maharashtra. The hotel is managed by Carnation Hotels, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lemon Tree Hotels.
S Jaishankar calls for stronger Global South solidarity to tackle global crises
Chairing a High-Level Meeting of Like-Minded Global South Countries and Friends convened by India on Tuesday, EAM S Jaishankar said the current situation made cooperation among these nations particularly important
Macron calls Gaza crisis shameful, urges reopening of Strait of Hormuz
Macron also said the Strait of Hormuz should not be used for blackmail and called for the strategic waterway to be reopened to maritime navigation
Sri Lankan court convicts 15 in 2019 Easter attacks, sentences them to 220 years
A total of 23,270 charges were filed against them, and 2,309 witnesses testified for the prosecution
India asks Pakistan to take credible action against cross-border terrorism
India after the Pahalgam attack last year, has maintained that Islamabad should credibly and irrevocably abjure its support for cross-border terrorism
Yudh Abhyas 2026: Indian, US troops train with M777, Dhanush, Pinaka
The joint training featured the M777 Ultra-Light Howitzer, Dhanush artillery gun and Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher. L70 air-defence guns and M-LIDS systems were also deployed during the practice sessions
Danve defends leaders over dry fruits at Maharashtra drought review meeting
Speaking to reporters in Jalna, Danve said it was common for people to offer food and refreshments when political leaders or officials visited them or attended meetings
Donald Trump reveals US-Iran talks after annihilate warning
US and Iranian negotiators met separately with Qatari and Pakistani mediators in Doha in early July for indirect talks
Maharashtra Food Authority Seizes Adulterated Food Worth Rs 1.36 Crore Amid Festive Season
The special inspection drive aimed to ensure that citizens have access to safe, quality, and adulteration-free food during the festive season.
PM Modi Chintan Shivir: Two-day Cabinet meeting begins Wednesday in Delhi
According to government sources, the Chintan Shivir will broadly focus on taking stock of work already underway, planning the governments next steps and identifying reforms and priorities linked to the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047
Test PANXEON detects pancreatic cancer before its too late
In clinical trials, PANXEON correctly identified 87 per cent of early-stage pancreatic cancers and caught precancerous conditions 64 per cent of the time, enabling earlier intervention
Veg, non-veg symbols mandatory on soaps, shampoos and cosmetics
Manufacturers must now place a clear vegetarian or non-vegetarian symbol on everyday products like soaps, shampoos, toothpastes, and cosmetics
SC notices govt on Vande Mataram
The bench has further sought a response from the Centre on the plea
Jamui harassment case: Prime accused among five arrested
With this, the total number of people held in connection with the September 19 incident has reached five
One of Earths oldest animal fossils found in sheep field
Rapid burial by an ancient sediment slide exceptionally preserved the organism in 3D rather than a flat impression, revealing previously unseen anatomical details like sharp ridges along its fronds
NCP postpones Nashik camp amid drought, asks leaders to join relief work
NCP president and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar took the decision to postpone the Nashik camp, according to a party release
Ready to reopen Hormuz if US lifts naval blockade: Iran
The official stated that Iran submitted a proposal to end hostilities via mediators on September 16, describing the UN assembly as a golden opportunity for Washington to return to diplomatic channels
The tenacity of Tibetan Tarantino!
Fake script to Nepal, taking on the Chinese, managing the Indian censors, and a film at a theatre near you
Maharashtra FDA canteen menu shrinks from full meals to tea and snacks
FDA headquarters canteen has been on a post-COVID diet, going from idli, dosa and full meals to tea, coffee and biscuits as staff numbers and demand fell
Maharashtra CID to probe death of railway passenger detained by RPF at CSMT in Mumbai
The Emerging Age of AI Literacy: Why Understanding AI Is Becoming Essential
Artificial intelligence is moving from a new technology to an established part of everyday digital life. It can help organise information, provide recommendations, assist with navigation, manage digital tasks, and create different forms of content. These systems are increasingly becoming part of the technologies and applications used in daily life. As AI use continues to grow, understanding its basic ideas and uses is becoming an important part of modern digital knowledge. Not long ago, computer literacy meant knowing how to type, save a file, send an email and use basic programmes. Over time, these skills became familiar parts of daily life. AI is now becoming part of search tools, recommendations, digital assistants, automated services and content creation. A 2025 study by KPMG and the University of Melbourne, involving more than 48,000 people in 47 countries, reported that 66 percent regularly used AI for work, study or personal activities, while 39 percent reported receiving AI education or training. This growing use has made AI literacy more important. It does not mean that everyone needs to learn programming or become an AI expert. A 2021 review of 30 peer-reviewed articles identified key parts of AI literacy, including understanding AI, using it, checking its results and thinking about its effects. MIT Open Learning has also discussed AI literacy as a field that can go beyond computer science. AI literacy also means knowing how AI produces information. AI can create explanations, summaries, images, recommendations and other forms of content. The result can depend on the system, the information available to it and the way a question is asked. This makes it useful to check important information and compare reliable sources. A basic understanding of AI can help people use these tools with greater awareness. AI is also opening new ways to learn and create. It can help explain ideas, organise information, develop ideas, create images and assist with solving problems. Alongside these possibilities, learning continues to depend on curiosity, practice and original thinking. AI literacy therefore includes knowing how to use these tools, how to ask clear questions and how to combine AI assistance with human judgement and creativity. The Harvard Graduate School of Education has discussed introducing AI literacy at an early age. MIT has also looked at ways to teach basic AI ideas to younger students. In one small MIT Media Lab study, students showed better understanding of AI after taking part in an AI literacy programme. Another MIT RAISE study involved 190 teachers and nearly 12,000 students. The teachers said they knew more about AI and felt more confident discussing it after the lessons. India is also taking steps to build AI awareness and skills. Through the IndiaAI Mission, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has supported programmes related to AI education and skills. YUVA AI for ALL introduces learners to basic AI ideas, while Future Skills focuses on more advanced AI skills. AI Samarth also shares the experiences of educators such as Rajeswari Behera from Odisha and Mohandas Gaikwad from Maharashtra, who took part in AI literacy training. Their experiences show how simple training can help people become more familiar with AI and its uses. AI literacy is also being studied in different parts of the world. Universities and research centres are looking at simple ways to help people understand AI and use it well. The work includes learning how AI works, using AI tools, checking information and understanding responsible use. This shows that AI literacy is becoming a wider part of digital learning. Stanford University has created CRAFT resources to help high school students learn about AI. Oxford University has an AI Competency Centre that provides training on generative AI. The University of Cambridge has a Generative AI Literacy Course, while University College London has resources on using generative AI in learning and teaching. ETH Zurich is also studying how AI can support learning. Research in China and other countries is looking at AI literacy among university students and how it connects with learning and technology skills. UNESCO is also helping shape AI literacy. Its AI Competency Framework for Students lists 12 areas of learning, covering basic AI knowledge, ethics, practical use and AI system design. The OECD and European Commission's 2026 framework lists 19 AI literacy competences for school education. The European Union has also introduced AI literacy requirements through its AI Act. Together, these efforts show that understanding AI is becoming an important part of modern education and digital knowledge. AI literacy is becoming an important part of modern digital knowledge. Its purpose is not only to teach people how to use new tools, but also to help them understand the technology and explore its possibilities. AI can support learning, creativity, communication and problem-solving in many settings. Knowing its basic ideas can help people use these capabilities more effectively. The emerging age of AI literacy is therefore also an opportunity to build digital knowledge and take part in a changing technological world. Understanding AI can open new ways to learn, create, explore ideas and develop solutions. As AI literacy evolves, its value will lie in helping people understand and use this technology while keeping human judgement, curiosity and creativity at the centre. The real advantage will not simply come from knowing how to use AI, but from knowing how to understand it, work with it and use it with purpose. AI literacy can therefore become more than a new digital skill. It can be a foundation for confident and informed participation in the technological world ahead. (The author is a Columnist. Feedback: bakshisuhaib094@gmail.com)
Akola man to be hanged for killing wife and 9-year-old daughter
Court relies on circumstantial, medical and forensic evidence; victim was 15 weeks pregnant
Ex-MLA backs out of BJP switch after Rahul call
MLC Polls For 5 Graduates & Teachers Seats Set for Oct 23
3 Graduates & 2 Teachers Constituencies To Vote; Nominations Open On Sept 29
Heavy vehicle norms only on paper, say residents of Punes Mohammedwadi after another fatal crash
NIA VC: Crosspathy should be used only in emergencies
After 77 Years, 585 Sindhi Families in Amravati Get Permanent Residential Leases
MANS demands action against self-proclaimed weather experts misguiding farmers
Speeding truck kills tigress in Bhandara
Four Zones Budgets Face Further Delay As Poll Code Halts NMC Meetings
Nagpur City Congress collects over Rs 2.5 lakh via crowdfunding
Gadchandur-Mukutban line gets Rs 493 crore boost from Indian Railways
Graduates Constituency Polls: BJP Faces Tough Choice As Sole, Kohale Seek Nomination
Akolas water crisis puts a rethink on immersion of large Ganesh idols
No Drinking Water For Bappas Visarjan This Year: NMC
Students get hands-on training in CNC technology at AISSMS
German engineering firm CAC, Punes TPES join hands to implement global projects for synthetic fuel
50 of 2,000 water samples unfit in Pune railway division
8.85 lakh FYJC seats in Maharashtra still vacant after multiple admission rounds
Pune Speedcuber makes Ganapati out of 520 Rubiks cubes for Ganeshotsav
Avartan 2026 celebrates 16 years of kathak excellence
Suncity-Karvenagar bridge work in last stages, PMC expedites pending works of approach roads
Three Years After Sept 23 Floods, Repairs Continue, Lapses Remain
Criminal hits 5 vehicles in bid to dodge cops, held after 2-hour chase
MPSC aspirants to hold sit-in from Sept 27 in Pune: Rohit Pawar
Ravet shopowner loses 4L to Char Dham tour scam
At just 12, Agastya Mittal wins the Triple Crown at the Maharashtra State Billiards and Snooker Championship, making history in the sport. Young Prodigy Agastya Mittal Makes History with Triple Crown Victory in Maharashtra Billiards Championship
Youth hangs self after girlfriend blocks his calls
Nagpur airport introduces single-step face recognition at DigiYatra gates
Woman ends life during video call with boyfriend
PMC sets two-day deadline to repair potholes & footpaths along immersion routes
BJP Corporators Skip Key Event, May Face Action
Spl voter registration camps in West Nagpur on Sept 26-27
PMC begins work to widen narrow approach roads to Hadapsar station
Maharashtra drought deepens, crop output crisis mounts
State agriculture minister Dattatray Bharane has confirmed a large contraction in the production of cotton and soybean, while the agriculture department has initiated an early crop assessment to calculate compensation as farmers are removing wilted crops from fields.
Why Maharashtra Minister Has Warned Of A Potential 100% Drought Situation
The drought situation is particularly alarming in Maharashtra, which has emerged as one of India's worst-hit states this September.
Woman climbs 50-ft high-tension tower after married lover refuses to marry her
IIT-B student suicide: Prof sent on leave, 10-member probe panel set up
Maharashtra UCC Panel: Ex-Bombay High Court judge quits
Former judge RC Chavan tendered his resignation from the seven-member committee, citing differences over the panel's public consultation process and objecting to the involvement of an official from outside the state.
IIT-B student suicide: Protest not defending academic misconduct but seeks reforms, say students
Entrepreneur signs MoU to buy Juhu tower for Rs 711 crore
Kamathipura is Mumbais largest Ganeshotsav cluster
Maharashtra FDA has confiscated adulterated food products worth 30.82 lakh to ensure public safety during the festive season. Maharashtra FDA Seizes Over 30 Lakh Worth of Adulterated Food Items During Festival Season
Towards recognising women farmers
Maharashtras passage of the Women Farmers Empowerment Bill, granting women independent recognition as farmers irrespective of land ownership, brings into focus the structural bias against the female agricultural workforce, highlights the need for a database of women farmers and using it to ensure access to welfare schemes
Traffic police register 5,000+ drunk driving cases in Mumbai in first nine months of 2026
Mumbai police arrest woman for biting female constable after creating ruckus at Mount Mary Fest
Newborn death in Kalyan hosp: Civic body orders removal of RMO
Member of state UCC panel quits over yes & no framing of feedback queries
US President warns Iran could face annihilation if no peace deal is reached
US President Donald Trump warned Iran during his UN General Assembly address that it could face annihilation if a peace deal is not reached. He also discussed the Strait of Hormuz, US military operations, Irans nuclear programme and American defence capabilities
Sahil faced caste-based harassment, say parents; SC/ST Act misused: alumnus
Govt wont replace Chavan on UCC panel
'I'm With You Don't Go': Ex-Cong MLA Calls Off BJP Entry After Rahul Gandhis Emotional Appeal
In a dramatic political twist in Maharashtra, former Congress MLA Rahul Bondre has decided to stay with the Congress after a late-night phone call from Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi. Bondre had announced plans to join the BJP, with a welcome reportedly planned in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal connected the call, and a video of Gandhi urging Bondre not to buckle under pressure has gone viral. Bondre won Chikhli in 2009 and 2014, but lost to BJPs Shweta Mahale in 2019 and 2024.
Trump at UNGA: US will build two major military bases in Greenland
US President Donald Trump said during his UN General Assembly address that Washington would build two major military bases in Greenland under a planned agreement with Denmark and Greenland. Trump said the arrangement would expand US security authority and restrict military activity by American adversaries
Former Bombay HC Judge Quits Maharashtra UCC Panel
Justice R. C. Chavan objects to proposed Yes/No format for complex social issues
Navi Mumbai Police Injured in Hit-and-Run on Thane-Belapur Road
Beyond the red-light tag: Kamathipuras 45 Ganesh mandals invite Mumbaikars to see celebrations
Aaditya Thackeray questions BMCs 7,346cr flood plan for Mumbai, seeks focus on climate resilience
