Vol. 68 No. 133 | Saturday, March 8, 2025 | 37 Pages | `5 & for Pune `6 only Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL Leader in E-paper circulation l www.freepressjournal.in ● EDITIONS: ● MUMBAI ● INDORE ● PUNE ● BHOPAL ● NASHIK ● KONKAN ● E-paper ● Member: Audit Bureau of Circulation (Jan to June 2024) MONEY It’s time to do something big, something that connects India and the US together: Lutnick GAMES Murali Vijay all praise for Rohit Sharma’s world record of captaining India to all ICC finals Cinema How Bollywood is telling stories the feminist way International Women’s Day ECONOMIC SURVEY 2024-25 | Projection for industrial growth is less rosy, likely to slow to 4.9% from 6.2%. Services sector is set to expand at 7.8 per cent Maha growth pegged @ 7.3 % Prajakta Pol MUMBAI Maharashtra’s economy is projected to grow at 7.3% in 202425, outpacing India’s estimated 6.5% growth but slightly lower than the 7.6% recorded in 202324, as per the Economic Survey 2024-25 presented by the Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar. The Survey, presented on Friday, highlights a significant boost in agriculture and allied activities, which are expected to grow at 8.7%, up from 3.2% last year. However, industrial Briefs Platform access restricted at 60 stations To ease overcrowding, Indian Railways has announced that only passengers with confirmed tickets will be allowed entry at 60 major stations nationwide. Additionally, permanent waiting areas will be set up outside these stations to manage passenger flow. The decision follows last month’s stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, which left 18 dead, reportedly due to platform congestion. In response, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw met senior officials at Rail Bhawan on Friday to discuss crowd control measures at highfootfall stations. Pilot projects have already begun at New Delhi, Anand Vihar, Varanasi, Ayodhya, and Patna, the Railway statement added. Starship explodes SpaceX’s towering Starship rocket, standing 403 feet tall, suffered another catastrophic failure during its fourth test flight on Thursday. Minutes after launching from Boca Chica, Texas, the spacecraft lost contact, tumbled, and disintegrated mid-air, scattering debris over Florida skies. While the first-stage booster was successfully caught by mechanical arms, the upper-stage engines failed during its eastward trajectory, triggering an uncontrolled spin. Elon’s powers reduced U.S. President Donald Trump told his cabinet members on Thursday that they, not Elon Musk, have the final say on staffing and policy at their agencies. Reuters reported that Tesla CEO and his Department of Government Efficiency will play an advisory role only, Trump said. Musk was in the room and told the cabinet he was good with Trump's plan. growth is likely to slow to 4.9% from 6.2%, while the services sector is expected to expand at 7.8%, down from 8.3% in the previous year.Maharashtra’s total debt for 2024-25 is estimated at `7,82,991 crore, up from `7,11,278 crore last year, which is 17.3% of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), staying within the 25% limit set by the Finance Commission. Interest payments have increased to `56,727 crore, compared to `48,578 crore last year. The government is expected to spend `1,59,071 crore on salaries, up from `1,42,718 crore, making up 30.6% of GSDP (compared to 28.2% last year). Pension expenses will rise to `74,011 crore (14.3% of GSDP) from `60,446 crore (12%).Maharashtra’s own tax revenue (OTR) is expected to reach `3,43,040 crore in 2024-25, marking a 5.09% increase from `3,26,398 crore in 2023-24. According to the ‘METRO LINE 3 BY JUNE, NO POTHOLES BY 2027’ Kalpesh Mhamunkar MUMBAI Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis refuted allegations on Friday that he had been obstructing decisions taken by the current deputy chief minister and former Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. In the state assembly, Fadnavis took a swipe at Uddhav Thackeray, saying, "I am not Uddhav Thackeray to stall ongoing projects." Chief Minister Fadnavis says, “I am not Uddhav Thackeray to stall ongoing projects.” And that all metro projects will be completed in three years. Fadnavis clarified that the decisions made under the previous Mahayuti government were not solely Eknath Shinde’s but were taken in coordination with both Ajit Pawar and himself. He emphasized that the Mahayuti alliance, consisting of the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, worked collectively in making decisions.In his motion of thanks, Fadnavis announced that Metro Line 3, Dharavi redevpt: SC refuses status quo Tahawwur Rana renews plea after US SC reject FPJ News Service NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Friday refused to order a status quo on Dharavi redevelopment project in Mumbai. A bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar sought responses from the Maharashtra government and Adani Properties Pvt Ltd, which was awarded the tender for the project, on a petition challenging a December 20, 2024 verdict of the Bombay High Court. The high court had cleared the decks for redevelopment of the slums in Dharavi and upheld the tender awarded to the Adani Group for the project, ruling there was no "arbitrariness, unreasonableness or perversity" in the decision. The high court in the process dismissed the plea of UAE-based Seclink Technologies Corporation challenging the state government's decision to award the mega redevelopment project to Adani Properties Pvt Ltd, which had made a Rs 5,069crore offer. Seclink Technologies Corporation emerged as the highest bidder for the project first in 2018 with its Rs 7,200-crore offer, but the tender was later scrapped by the government. The Adani Group had emerged as the highest bidder for the 259-hectare Dharavi redevelopment project in the heart of Mumbai and bagged it with its Rs 5,069-crore offer in the 2022. 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation 4See also | City Yoshita Singh NEW YORK Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana has submitted a renewed application to Chief Justice John Roberts seeking a stay of his extradition to India after the US Supreme Court rejected his emergency bid. Rana, 64, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is currently lodged in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles. He had submitted an "Emergency Application For Stay Pending Litigation of Petition For Writ of Habeas Corpus" on February 27 with Elena Kagan, 4Contd on | nation US offers Iran talks on nuke deal Agencies WASHINGTON US President Donald Trump said he wants to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran and that he has sent a letter to its leadership on Thursday saying he hoped the Islamic Republic, arch foe of longtime U.S. ally Israel, would agree to talk. "I said I hope you're going to negotiate, because it's going to be a lot better for Iran," Trump said in the interview with Fox There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal. Trump on the letter he wrote to Tehran Business Network broadcast on Friday, report The Guardian and Reuters. "I think they want to get that letter. The other alternative is we have to do something, because you can't let another nuclear weapon." There was no immediate response from the foreign ministry in Iran, where it is currently the weekend, to a request for comment on Trump's remarks. The letter appeared to have been addressed to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 4Contd on | nation Trump mulls curbs on Russia FPJ News Service MUMBAI U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he is considering imposing largescale banking sanctions and tariffs on Russia in an effort to push for a ceasefire in Ukraine. His remarks come as Russia intensifies its military assault, prompting Trump to call on both nations to negotiate a peace settlement. Taking to his platform, Truth Social, Trump stated, "Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely ‘pounding’ Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large-scale banking sanctions, sanctions, and tariffs on Russia until a ceasefire and final settlement agreement on peace is reached. To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late. Thank you!" Trump’s statement follows his recent heated exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, where he accused Zelenskyy of escalating tensions that could lead to World War III. Earlier this week, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent affirmed that Washington would not hesitate to impose further sanctions on Russian energy if it aids in brokering a ceasefire in Ukraine. 4Contd on | nation Economic Survey 2024-25, the largest share of this revenue will come from state GST, estimated at `1,55,756 crore, up from `1,44,791 crore last year. Maharashtra has maintained its position as the leading state in India’s total GST collection since 2017.The tax revenue from sales and trade is projected to rise to `62,500 crore from `62,050 crore, while stamps and registration fees are expected to increase to `55,000 crore from `51,500 crore. 4Contd on | nation 4See also | city THE ANGELS OF TOURISM SEASON 2024, an initiative that honours pioneers in Maharashtra’s tourism sector who give back to society through their work and bring tourist experiences that are sustainable and inclusive, journeys that are full of heart and purpose. At a power-packed event, 11 angels were felicitated for their impactful work. The event was attended by stalwarts from the tourism world, and international dignitaries. Amit Shah takes up cudgels against Stalin FPJ News Service MUMBAI In an escalation of India’s decades-old language debate, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday accused the BJP-led central government of attempting to replace “British colonialism with Hindi colonialism,” while Union Home Minister Amit Shah countered with a challenge to the state: teach engineering and medicine in Tamil. The exchange, marked by acerbic rhetoric and historical allusions, has reignited tensions over linguistic identity, federal autonomy, and the controversial three-language formula under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. In a social media broadside, Stalin lambasted Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for “threatening an entire state to accept Hindi imposition,” framing the DMK’s resistance as a battle for Tamil pride. “The tree may prefer calm, but the wind will not subside,” he wrote. “Tamil Nadu will not be blackmailed into surrendering.” Stalin’s critique targeted the NEP’s three-language formula, which he dismissed as a “circus-like signature campaign” that has become a “laughing stock” in the state. 4Contd on | nation 4See also | nation