THE Maharashtra Government has mandated that the opening page of websites of its departments and ministries must be in Marathi along with a uniform format and naming protocol, an official said on Monday. The move is part of the Government’s renewed performance targets for the next 150 days, he added. “As we are in the era of cyber frauds and misleading websites, the Government has taken this stand. All ministries and departments must develop their websites in a specific format, which includes carrying the ‘.Gov.In’ domain in their official name. The opening page will always be in Marathi, as it is the official State language,” the official told PTI.

 

There will be an option to read the same content in English, he said, adding directive is part of a broader effort by the State Government to ensure consistency and accountability across departments. Under the new guidelines, all Government websites will feature a uniform user interface with the names of the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Ministers and Governor, along with prominent links for citizen services, the Right to Information (RTI) Act, and department-specific initiatives and services such as ‘Aaple Sarkar’, he added. Another senior official said the decision stemmed from the experience of the Government’s first 100-day performance plan. “Each department had set its own targets, which led to inconsistencies and made it difficult to compare their achievements fairly. For instance, while one department aimed at reforming old laws, another focused only on streamlining operations. This created an imbalance in assessment,” the official said.

 

 

THE State Transport Authority (STA) in Maharashtra has granted approval for provisional licences to the parent firms of app-based taxi aggregators Ola, Uber, and Rapido for bike taxi services in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and fixed a minimum fare of Rs 15 for 1.5 kms, officials have said. As per the minutes of an STA meeting, the approval has been granted on the condition that these companies apply for permanent licences within a month, fulfilling all terms and conditions prescribed in the Maharashtra Bike Taxi Rules 2025. ANI Technologies Private Limited, Uber India Systems Private Limited, and Roppen Transportation Services Private Limited, the parent companies of Ola, Uber, and Rapido, respectively, have been given approval. In the last two months, the Transport Department received four applications to launch bike taxi services in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). But it approved provisional licences for only three companies. The STA rejected Smart-Ride’s application for failing to meet the necessary terms and conditions for operating a bike taxi service. The State Government implemented the new Maharashtra Bike Taxi Rules 2025 through a Government resolution (GR).

 

 

THE Maharashtra Government released a fund of Rs 150 crore to expedite work on the ambitious ‘Ahilyanagar-Beed-Parli Vaijnath’ broad-gauge railway line project, taking the total allocation so far to Rs 2,091 crore. “This is a special gesture ahead of the Marathwada Liberation Day on September 17,” said Deputy CM and Beed district Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar. The total cost of the project, viewed as a game changer for Beed district’s development, is Rs 4,085 crore, of which 50 per cent is the state’s share. Train services on the route will be inaugurated on September 17, fulfilling a long-pending demand of lakhs of residents. The 261-km railway line is estimated to cost Rs 4,805 crore, with the state’s share pegged at Rs 2,402 crore.

 

The fresh Rs 150 crore will go to the railways as the Government’s share for the 2025-26 fiscal. After assuming the charge as Beed guardian minister, Pawar has prioritised infrastructure projects, including airport, road and railway development, through regular follow-ups with departments. His efforts have helped fast-track the Beed rail project, Pawar’s office said. “The Ahilyanagar-Beed-Parli Vaijnath line will transform the lives of farmers, students, entrepreneurs, traders, and citizens.,” Pawar said.