Maharashtra State Skill University to be renamed Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skills University

The Maharashtra State Skills University will be renamed ‘Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skills University’, the Eknath Shinde-led government announced on Monday. The decision pays tribute to Ratan Tata, a renowned industrialist and philanthropist, who died at the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai on October 9. He was 86.

Earlier, the state Cabinet passed a resolution urging the central government to honour Ratan Tata with Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award.

Maharashtra Government has decided to rename the Maharashtra State Skills Development University as “Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skills Development University”

— ANI (@ANI) October 14, 2024

Mumbai’s Maharashtra State Skills University was established in 2022, offering a variety of degree and diploma programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

“Industrialist Ratan Tata contributed immensely to India’s industrial development. He not only provided employment but also encouraged the start-up systems, and promoted innovation. The varsity’s vision aligns greatly with the legendary Ratan Tataji,” The Indian Express quoted MSSU Vice-Chancellor Dr Apoorva Palkar as saying.

Calling it a ‘great tribute to the industrial icon,’ Dr Palkar noted the new nomenclature will definitely add “value to the works of MSSU which is a technologically driven university working toward creating skilled manpower as well as entrepreneurs for the future”.

Besides this, the state government also announced a full toll exemption for all light motor vehicles across five toll booths entering Mumbai.

“Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde announces in the cabinet meeting that full toll exemption will be given for light motor vehicles at all five toll booths entering Mumbai,” the Chief Minister’s Office stated.

Maharashtra Minister Dadaji Dagadu Bhuse said that LMVs will be exempted from toll tax after midnight today.

“At the time of entry into Mumbai, there were five toll plazas, including Dahisar toll, Anand Nagar toll, Vaishali, Airoli and Mulund. ₹45 and ₹75 were charged at these tolls, this was in effect till 2026. About 3.5 lakh vehicles used to travel up and down. About 70,000 of them were heavy vehicles and 2.80 lakh were light vehicles,” ANI quoted Bhuse as saying.

“Today, the government has decided to exempt LMVs from toll after midnight…The time that people used to spend in queues will be saved,” Bhuse added.