The Maharashtra Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, approved major policy decisions on Thursday covering irrigation, tourism, infrastructure, healthcare, recruitment and social welfare, officials said.
The decisions were announced following the state cabinet meeting held in Mumbai.
The cabinet approved a revised policy for the removal of silt and silt-mixed sand from six major irrigation reservoirs on a pilot basis.
The projects include Ujjani, Girna, Gosikhurd, Mula, Jayakwadi and Hatnur dams.
Under the new policy, farmers will receive fertile silt free of cost for agricultural use, while only transportation charges will have to be paid by them.
The government said the initiative would help increase water storage capacity, improve irrigation efficiency and raise soil fertility.
Strict monitoring measures such as CCTV surveillance, GPS tracking, geo-fencing and barcode-based e-pass systems will be used to prevent illegal sand extraction and irregularities.
Rs 49 crore approved for Nashik irrigation scheme
The cabinet approved Rs 49.26 crore for the Amboli-Velunje diversion scheme in Nashik district.
The project aims to divert water flowing westwards into the Godavari basin and is expected to bring 165 hectares of land under irrigation.
The government said the scheme would help improve local water availability and strengthen irrigation infrastructure in the region.
Sindhuratna Samruddhi Yojana extended
The cabinet also approved the extension of the “Sindhuratna Samruddhi Yojana 2.0” for another three years until 2028-29 for Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts.
Both districts will receive Rs 200 crore each under the scheme.
The programme focuses on tourism, fisheries, water sports, coastal infrastructure and employment generation through the development of natural and marine resources.
The Maharashtra government approved a policy regarding reserved category candidates appearing for competitive examinations.
Under the new rules, candidates from reserved categories who avail relaxation in age, educational qualification, experience or number of attempts will not be eligible to claim open category posts on merit.
However, candidates who do not use such relaxations will continue to be eligible for selection under the open category based on merit.
Relief for medical institutions
The cabinet approved a proposal to increase the concession on development charges for registered medical institutions from 25 per cent to 50 per cent.
The move is expected to encourage faster construction of hospitals, clinics and maternity homes and improve affordable healthcare infrastructure in the state.
Stamp duty relief for Nashik Ring Road project
The cabinet approved stamp duty and registration fee concessions for land purchases linked to the Nashik Ring Road project.
The 66.15-kilometre project is expected to improve transport connectivity and support infrastructure development ahead of the Nashik Kumbh Mela.
The government also approved the transfer of three government land parcels free of cost to the Pune Municipal Corporation for the Mula-Mutha river rejuvenation project.
The decision will waive occupancy charges worth over Rs 116 crore for the civic body.
Changes in Welfare and Administrative Policies
The cabinet approved the creation of vice-chairperson posts in both the Maharashtra State Scheduled Tribes Commission and the Maharashtra State Scheduled Castes Commission to improve administrative coordination.
It also approved senior pay scales and selection grade benefits for higher secondary teachers working in aided residential schools under the VJNT category after 12 and 24 years of service.
Support for Marathi Literary
The cabinet approved an annual grant of Rs 10 lakh for the Kusumagraj Pratishthan in Nashik for literary and cultural activities.
The institution joins several other Marathi literary organisations already receiving government assistance.
The state government approved a revised organisational structure for the Soil and Water Conservation Department with approval for 8,767 posts.
New district-level offices and engineering teams will also be created to strengthen watershed management and conservation work across Maharashtra.
Orange import duty subsidy scheme scrapped
The cabinet decided to discontinue the subsidy scheme that reimbursed 50 per cent of import duty for oranges exported from Maharashtra to Bangladesh.
The government said the scheme had received poor response from farmers and that future focus would be on direct support and export infrastructure development.
