Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini announced the launch of a new scheme on Monday to empower gig workers and ensure their social security coverage. A dedicated portal will be created for all gig workers in the state, allowing them to register and connect with various government schemes and opportunities. He added that all gig workers registered on this portal will receive insurance protection, including health, accident, and life insurance. The aim of this initiative is to provide financial stability, social security, and improved working conditions for gig workers, enabling them to become more self-reliant and active contributors to Haryana's economic development. Saini, who also holds the Finance portfolio, made this statement while presenting the budget for 2025-26 in the state assembly. Haryana has set a deadline of March 31, 2025, to implement three new criminal laws, Saini informed the Assembly during his budget speech. The chief minister said that fast-track courts will be established in every district of the state to ensure the speedy trial and punishment of drug-related cases. Additionally, a centralised NDPS monitoring cell will be set up at the state level. A proposal of Rs. 10 crore has been made for the development and implementation of modern technologies, such as drones, to maintain law and order. Cyber police cells will also be established at the sub-division level in districts with a high incidence of cybercrimes, he announced. In the social welfare sector, Saini revealed that a "Divyangjan Kosh" (Fund for Differently-abled Persons) will be established in the state, with a budget provision of Rs 50 crore. Touching upon environmental matters, Saini outlined plans for the conservation and growth of rare and endangered native tree species, ensuring the protection of their gene pool. Additionally, an environmental training center will be established in Industrial Model Township, Manesar, Gurugram. To promote women's empowerment, the government has decided to build a 'Mahila Chaupal' (Women's Forum) in every village. In the first phase, 754 villages have been identified for this project. This amount will be disbursed in three instalments. Each MLA will need to submit a prioritized list of development works totaling Rs 5 crore for their constituency.
 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hailed Nasa astronaut Sunita Williams  return to Earth from International Space Station and said that the determination of Crew 9 will inspire millions. In a social media post on X, PM Modi said that that the mission to ISS was a test of grit, courage and boundless human spirit. "Welcome back, Crew 9! The Earth Missed you. Theirs has been a test of grit, courage and the and the boundless human spirit. Sunita Williams and the Crew 9 astronauts have once again shown us what perseverance trulu means. Their unwavering determination in the face of the vast unknown will forever inspires millions. 
 

City police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has registered a case against financial services group Edelweiss and its 15 associate companies for allegedly conspiring and defrauding investors of Rs 750 crore. The case was filed by Ecstasy Realty Pvt Ltd at Amboli police station last month based on a complaint alleging collusion and misappropriation of funds, among other charges. The EOW has taken over the probe in the case. Edelweiss, in a detailed statement to TOI, alleged that the dispute is a civil matter and Ecstasy has already filed a commercial suit. According to the FIR, the alleged fraud took place between March 26, 2018, and June 26, 2022. It centres around the Raisakaran project in Andheri (West), where Ecstasy Realty secured a Rs 1,350 crore loan from Edelweiss Group. However, only Rs 600 crore was reportedly disbursed, leaving Rs 750 crore allegedly misappropriated through "evergreening" a practice of renewing loans to mask defaults. Additionally, the complaint accuses Edelweiss of selling mortgaged flats at prices significantly lower than the market value. Properties valued at Rs 12-13 crore were allegedly sold for Rs 7-9 crore. Flats in the Parthenon project—specifically flat numbers 602 and 702—were allegedly sold below the recalculated rate. The principal dues under the Non-Convertible Debentures to Edelweiss are Rs 480 crores plus interest and other charges from April 2022. Recovery actions include a pending DRT (debt recovery tribunal) suit, cheque bouncing cases, a preliminary enquiry by Economic Offences Wing, and insolvency proceedings in National Company Law Appellate Tribunal. The FIR provides no clear basis for these allegations."
 

Sleuths of the Economic Offences Branch of CBI, Chennai, have booked a landlord, a builder, two bank valuers, two buyers, and unknown others for cheating the State Bank of India (SBI) of 5.5 crore by availing two housing loans for the same property. As per the FIR, S Vakisan and S Deivanai, siblings from Puducherry, approached the SBI branch in Iyyapanthangal in 2020 for a housing loan of 5 crore to buy a villa on a plot measuring 4,520 sq ft and a super built-up area of 5,500 sq ft at Tiruporur on ECR. Bank-empanelled valuers M Vijayakum ar and M S Senthil then submitted reports saying the property was worth 6.3 crore, following which a housing loan of 4.26 crore was sanctioned. Vakisan and Deivanai paid the monthly instalments regularly until April 2021 and then sought relaxation, citing the Covid-19 pandemic. Accordingly, the repayment period was extended until July 2023. SBI branches revealed that the villa the siblings had purchased from D Santhosh, a builder and realtor, was not new but built in 2016 and that the bank had already disbursed a housing loan to Santosh. The audit also revealed that the plan approval for the layout was received in 2011, although the plot was regularised only in 2019. The actual value of the property was found to be 3.5 crore, much less than the loan disbursed. The bank suspected the role of the landowner, Vummidi Kritsh, and lodged a complaint with the CBI to prosecute them. Later, the bank moved the Madras high court, and the court recently directed the CBI to register a case against the suspects for further investigation.
 

Cement producers operating clinker facilities in Tamil Nadu are set to face pressure on profitability because of the state's decision to impose a new levy on limestone, which will increase their cost on the key raw material. Dalmia Bharat and Ramco Cements will likely be the most impacted unless they are able to pass on the higher cost to consumers in the form of price hikes. Market leader UltraTech and ACC too will take a hit, albeit a minor one since the state accounts for only a small portion of their capacities. The Tamil Nadu Mineral Bearing Land Tax Act, 2024, imposes a levy of ?160 per tonne on limestone. Limestone accounts for nearly two-thirds of the cost of raw materials and about 5% of the operating cost for cement makers. While Ramco has more than half of its clinker capacity in Tamil Nadu, Dalmia Bharat has about a fourth. The country's largest cement producer UltraTech has around 4% of its clinker capacity in the state; ACC has about 2%. "The south region is witnessing multiple headwinds over the last one year, e.g., multi-year-low cement prices, weak government spending and higher competitive intensity," analysts at Motilal Oswal Securities wrote in a note. Prices are expected to remain under pressure going ahead as well. Over the last few months, market leaders acquired four South-based cement makers, with 44 million tonnes of capacity moving to large players.
 

Aditya Birla Capital has announced an infusion of ?300 crore into its subsidiary Aditya Birla Housing Finance through a rights issue. The investment aims to support the growth of the housing finance company and improve its leverage ratio. Aditya Birla Capital will maintain full ownership of the mortgage lender after the capital infusion. Aditya Birla Capital has made an investment of ?300 crore on a rights basis in the equity shares of Aditya Birla Housing Finance," according to a stock exchange filing. The mortgage lender recently secured an investment of ?830 crore through non-convertible debentures from the International Finance Corporation. These funds will be used to offer home loans to low-income and middle-income groups. A part of the loan will be used to fund MSMEs, focusing on women-led enterprises, to foster growth and economic development.
 

Construction industry in the state is facing a severe crisis, with the cost of key material including sand and blue metal (crushed rock) rising sharply. With one needing to spend as much as 18 lakh on M-Sand, blue metal, and P-Sand alone to construct a 1,500 sq ft house in Chennai or any other part of Tamil Nadu, the Southern Lorry Owners Welfare Association has made an appeal to chief minister M K Stalin, emphasising the crippling impact on both public and private construction projects. "Since Feb, prices surged by more than 100%, with M-Sand rising from 650 a tonne to 1,250 a tonne, blue metal from 500 a tonne to 1,000 a tonne, and P-Sand from 750 a tonne to 1,500 a tonne. The soaring costs have left 90% of tipper lorries non-operational across Tamil Nadu. Key projects, including those by Tamil Nadu Public Works Department, private multi-storey buildings, Tamil Nadu Housing Board  apartment complexess, Chennai Metro Rail projects, Ennore Port expansion, private corporate projects, and residential construction have stalled, directly impacting five million construction workers. The price increases, builders point out, first began in Karur, Coimbatore, Salem, Namakkal, and other western districts before extending to the southern and delta districts. Since Feb, quarries and crushers across districts such as Kancheepuram, Chengalpet, Tiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai, Ranipet, Vellore, Villupuram, and Cuddalore have raised rates. "Prices increased by at least 20%. We also held a hunger strike in Tiruvarur recently. In the last three weeks, there have been shap hikes in Chennai. For govt projects, construction costs doubled compared to rates quoted in tenders. Similarly, private builders who entered agreements with buyers now face significant losses. The Southern Lorry Owners Welfare Association has urged Stalin to take immediate action. "All quarries, particularly blue metal quarries, should be reopened immediately. Collectors should receive directives to facilitate. 

GMDA has issued notices to four ready-mix concrete (RMC) plants for illegally accessing roads in sectors 112, 114, 78 and 79A. The enforcement action follows a site inspection by GMDA officials, revealing that the roads, constructed a year ago, suffered damage from heavy trucks and slurry spillage. The spillage from vehicles also contributed to dust pollution, further deteriorating air quality in the area. The infrastructure division of GMDA reported the issue to the enforcement wing for action and in response, district town planner (DTP) of GMDA issued gave the plant owners 48 hours to produce valid access permission documents. Failure to present the necessary approvals could result in further legal and administrative actions, including possible shutdowns or penalties. We have issued notices and will take action if plants are found operating without permissions. Such drives will continue in the furture for the betterment of the environment. Meanwhile, residents of the affected sectors have welcomed GMDA's intervention, saying that concerns over deteriorating road conditions and increasing dust pollution were finally being addressed.
 

A Cooke Town couple, who had entered into an agreement entered into an agreement of sale to buy a flat, were stranded after the apartment work never took off as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) revoked its environmental clearance. Though they were refunded Rs 51.4 lakh advance they had paid, they were denied interest. The Karnataka Real Estate Appellate Tribunal (KREAT) recently ordered the project promoter to pay interest on their refunded amount. Ayush Sinha and Jyothi Singh booked a flat in an apartment project in southeast Bengaluru and paid Rs 51.4 lakh as part of the sale consideration of Rs 1.6 crore. However, the project hit a roadblock when the NGT cancelled its environmental clearance on July 30, 2021. Left with no viable option, the couple sought a refund, which was processed on Oct 14, 2021. As they were not paid the principal amount, they later approached Karnataka Real Estate Regulatory Authority seeking interest for the period during which their funds remained blocked, arguing that they were deprived of using their money for other investment. 
 

To modernize property registration services, the sub-registrar office (SRO) in Adyar features access-controlled entry, air conditioning and modern amenities for better security and visitor comfort. More SROs across the city. will follow this year. With 588 sub-registrar offices handling an average of 15,000 daily visitors, the govt is focusing on upgrading technology. As a model initiative, the Adyar SRO, located in Thiruvanmiyur on L B Road, Kamaraj Nagar, was selected. Since its establishment in 1982, Adyar SRO has been a key hub for property registrations. In 2023-24, it processed 4,955 documents, have been registered, bringing in 190.57 crore. The new system controls entry. "Visitors must present a token and receive an access card before entering. Only 10 people can enter at a time. G Mohan, ex-president of the Chennai Southern Builders Association, welcomed the upgrade but highlighted persisting concerns. "Many offices still delay returning documents, citing staff shortage or technical issues. Getting Encumbrance Certificates (ECs) also is a challenge. 

As many as 14 more FIRs were registered against Ansal API at Sushant Golf City police station in Lucknow. Earlier, two cases were lodged at Gomtinagar and Hazratganj police stations. The company's directors are accused of cheating buyers for failing to deliver plots and villas, despite taking substantial payments. Several affected buyers accused Ansal Infra's directors of fraud and intimidation when they inquired about their undelivered properties. One of the biggest fraud claims comes from Anupam Agarwal, a resident of Emaar Gomti Greens, who paid Rs 2.32 crore in Sep 2022 for a 1,528 sq ft plot. He was assured immediate registration but found the land was already sold for Rs 3.33 crore to another buyer. He alleged the accused attempted to extort Rs 2 crore in black from him. Several buyers filed complaints against the Ansal Group, detailing significant financial losses. Some of them include: Retired Army Captain Kanhaiya Lal who lost Rs 12.81 lakh, Rakesh Chandra Srivastava of Gomtinagar Extension who lost Rs 3.5 lakh, Pushplata Bajpai of Aliganj who lost Rs 13.21 lakh, Veena Chandani of Aashiana who lost Rs 16.63 lakh, Arun Kumar of Azamgarh who lost Rs 17.50 lakh, Birendra Kumar Giri of Lucknow who lost Rs 30 lakh, Prashant Kumar who lost Rs 24 lakh, Umashankar Mishra who lost Rs 30.74 lakh, Sadia Bano who lost Rs  23.02 lakh, Naveen Kumar Singh who lost Rs Chandra of Omaxe City faced non-registration of three plots. All have accused the API owners and promoters of fraud. Investors accused Ansal Properties & Infrastructure directors, including Pranav Ansal, Sushil Ansal, Rajeshwar Rao, Vikas Singh, Vinay Tiwari, Prashant, and Manoj Kapoor, of orchestrating one of the largest real estate frauds in UP's history.
 

GMC has taken steps pertaining to property tax and vending fee besides a new parking system linked to mobile apps. On average, there will be an annual increase of Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 in the house tax rate. In  an 11-hour marathon meeting of the GMC board on Friday, many important proposals were passed, including the revised budget of Rs 502 crore for FY 2024-25, making property tax compatible with the DM circle rate (the minimum price at which a property can be sold or n be sold or transferred) and fixing the vending fee. A total of 55 proposals were tabled, out of which 48 were passed. GMC will also draw a yellow line at spots decided for the weekly market and vendors will not be allowed to operate beyond that line. For road widths of 24m and more, tax will  be changed at the rate of rs 3.20 sqft and likewise, tax will be computed. The Integrated Parking Management System (IPMS) proposal was also passed by the board. The IPMS — under which an integrated control room will be set up — will be linked to mobile apps through which residents can get an update on the occupancy of parking in a parking lot. There will also be options for daily and monthly payment. The rates as of as of now vary from Rs 10 to Rs 50 for all kinds of vehicles. The revised budget of Rs 502 crore for FY 2024-25 was also passed, but that created pandemonium in the house as councillors opposed it, citing the current financial year is ending in a few days and also the budget has not been approved by the executive committee.