Page 3 - Maharashtra Government

Maharashtra govt announces ₹2k Diwali gift for anganwadi workers, helpers

The Maharashtra government will provide Rs 2,000 each as a gift to anganwadi workers and helpers serving under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme this Diwali, Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare has said. Tatkare said the government has sanctioned Rs 40.61 crore for the initiative, and a government resolution to this effect has been issued on Thursday. "Anganwadi workers and helpers play a crucial role in the care, nutrition and overall development of women and children. To acknowledge their dedicated service and add joy to the festive season, the state government has sanctioned this Bhau Beej gift. Every anganwadi worker and helper is a true strength of our society, and we endeavour to make their festival more joyful," Tatkare said. The amount will soon be disbursed to beneficiaries through the commissioner of ICDS, she said. The decision will bring festive cheer to thousands of anganwadi workers and helpers across the state, and make their Diwa

Maharashtra allots ₹1,500 crore aid for Marathwada farmers hit by rains

The Maharashtra government has allotted Rs 1,500 crore for disbursal of aid to farmers, who suffered crop losses due to heavy rains between May and August this year in the Marathwada region of the state, a senior official said. Notably, most parts of the Marathwada region, comprising eight districts, witnessed torrential rains and flooding recently, and the work of assessing crop losses is currently underway. "The state government has disbursed Rs 1,500 crore to provide compensation to the farmers who faced crop losses from May to August in Marathwada. The process to pay the amount has begun and the money will directly go into the accounts of the affected farmers," Divisional Commissioner Jitendra Papalkar told PTI on Friday. Instructions have been given to the officials to upload the lists (of affected farmers) immediately, he said. Heavy rains and swollen rivers have caused large-scale damage in Marathwada since September 20, claiming at least nine lives. Flooding destroyed ...

BMC told to make road works dashboard citizen-centric in Mumbai

Maharashtra minister Ashish Shelar instructed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday to strengthen the dashboard on road concretisation works to ensure transparency and usefulness for citizens. He stated that contractors responsible for damaging utilities be penalised and trenches dug along roads be rebuilt within 15 days. "The dashboard should enable people to directly upload complaints regarding roads in their locality. It must also provide details of damaged utilities such as water pipelines, power connections, and sewers, with accountability fixed on contractors," Shelar said. According to the BMC, Mumbai has a total of 2,121 roads, of which 771 have been completed, 574 are partially complete, while work is yet to begin on 776 roads. Out of the 798 km of work under phases 1 and 2, 342 km have been completed. The H-West ward, which covers Bandra West, Khar West, and Santacruz (West), has 157 roads. Of these, 54 have been completed, 47 partially completed, whil

Maharashtra mulls monetising 'Golden Data' of welfare scheme beneficiaries

The Maharashtra government is weighing a proposal from the IT department to monetise non-personal data of beneficiaries of various welfare schemes through its new digital platform 'Samanvay', scheduled for launch on October 2, officials said. The database, termed as 'Golden Data', will carry details of every beneficiary of state and central schemes and will be accessible through a unique 'MahaID' linked to Aadhaar numbers, they said. The portal is currently under trial, a senior official from the Information Technology department said. "Once the system functions smoothly, we may explore monetising the data with private companies, start-ups and financial institutions. This is consistent with central government policy, and privacy-related issues have already been addressed at the national level," he said. The shared information would be anonymised, with no personal details revealed, he clarified. "Such data will help private companies in conducting market research before product ...

Govt must declare wet drought in Jalgaon, parts of Marathwada: Minister

Maharashtra Minister Gulabrao Patil on Tuesday said the state government should declare a "wet drought" in Jalgaon district and parts of Marathwada, which were severely affected by heavy rains and flooding. Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Patil said rains had caused widespread damage in Pachora, Jamner, Muktainagar, Erandol, Kasoda and Dharangaon in the district in north Maharashtra. Many of these areas have received more than 65 mm of rainfall in a single day, he said. Patil said one person has died while livestock, including buffaloes, cows, goats, and poultry, were swept away in the deluge. The state water supply and sanitation minister said he would urge the state cabinet to declare a "wet drought" in Jalgaon and rain-affected parts of Marathwada, and seek aid from the Central government. "Immediate relief and permanent assistance are needed. Quick assessments (panchanamas) must be conducted without delay," he said. The minister sa

Maha govt to allow tribal farmers to lease land to private firms: Minister

Tribal farmers in Maharashtra will soon be able to lease their land to private entities for agricultural purposes or mineral excavation, which will enable them to generate additional income, state Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has said. Officials said the move would not only provide tribals an opportunity to have a steady source of income but also safeguard their ownership rights. Talking to reporters in Gadchiroli on Friday evening, Bawankule said, "A law will be brought soon. I am telling you this before its official announcement. Under this policy, tribal farmers will be able to lease out their land directly to private parties for agricultural purposes or mineral excavation." At present, tribal farmers are not permitted to independently enter into lease agreements with private entities. The proposed change is aimed at giving them a direct access to private investment and generating additional income from their holdings, he said. According to the minister, the ...

Maharashtra signs MoUs worth ₹80,962 cr for industrial projects, 40k jobs

The Maharashtra government on Friday signed nine memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with various companies for a total investment of Rs 80,962 crore, officials said. The projects envisaged under these MoUs are expected to create more than 40,300 jobs, they said. The agreements were signed at the Steel Mahakumbh organised by AIFA in Goregaon, Mumbai, in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and state industries Minister Uday Samant. The projects will come up in Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, Nagpur, Wardha, Raigad, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Satara districts, said a statement from the CM's office. Among the major investments, Rashmi Metallurgical Industries will set up an integrated steel plant in Wardha with a capital outlay of Rs 25,000 crore, which is expected to generate 12,000 jobs. In Raigad, Jindal Stainless Ltd will establish a stainless steel plant worth Rs 41,580 crore, creating around 15,500 jobs, the statement said. In Chhatrapati ...

Maharashtra mandates e-KYC for Ladki Bahin beneficiaries, sets deadline

The Maharashtra government has made e-KYC mandatory for beneficiaries of the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme, giving them two months to complete the process. A government resolution (GR) was issued regarding this on Thursday, an official said. The Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana provides monthly assistance of Rs 1,500 to women in the age group of 21-65, whose annual family income is not more than Rs 2.5 lakh. Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare on Thursday said, "An e-KYC facility has been made available on the web portal, 'ladakibahin.maharashtra.gov.in', for all beneficiaries of the scheme. They are requested to complete the e-KYC process in the next two months." This process is simple and convenient, and to maintain transparency in the scheme and ensure regular benefits to eligible women, everyone should complete it, she said in a post on X. This process will also be useful to avail the benefits of other government schemes in the future, Tatkare said. Acco

Maharashtra govt and Finland to jointly modernise Mumbai's Sassoon Dock

The Maharashtra government, in collaboration with Finland, will undertake technology-driven modernisation of Mumbai's historic Sassoon Dock, state minister Nitesh Rane said on Wednesday. The fisheries and port development minister held a meeting with a delegation of Finland officials and representatives of Finnish companies at the dock to discuss strategic plans for upgrading the facility located in south Mumbai, an official release said. Built in the 19th century, Sassoon Dock is among Mumbai's oldest and busiest fishing harbours, currently under pressure from operations exceeding its original capacity. This has raised concerns about hygiene, odour, fish handling standards and overall safety. The proposed modernisation will introduce modular infrastructure to address operational challenges and environmental issues, aiming to transform Sassoon Dock into a world-class, clean, efficient and sustainable harbour. Rane said the government was positive about the project and emphasized th

Bombay HC quashes Maharashtra bid to recover ₹374 cr from Bajaj Allianz

Bombay High Court held that crop insurance payouts under PMFBY cannot be treated as land revenue, striking down Maharashtra's Rs 374 crore recovery order against Bajaj Allianz

Maharashtra govt releases ₹150 crore for Ahilyanagar-Parli rail project

The Maharashtra government on Monday 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 Chief Minister 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 rail

Maha govt expands Mission Vatsalya to help all widows, deserted women

The Maharashtra government has decided to expand the scope of its Mission Vatsalya scheme to provide benefits to all widows, single and deserted women, state Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare has said. The scheme was initially launched in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic to support children who had lost both parents to the ailment as well as widowed women. At the time, committees under tehsildars were constituted at the taluka level to ensure such orphans and widows could access government aid and essential certificates, including death and income certificates, caste certificates, widow pension, ration cards, housing support and other social security benefits. Tatkare on Friday said that the government will now organise camps and outreach programmes at the district level to ensure widows and single women receive the benefits of various state welfare schemes under the 'government at your doorstep' initiative. "The expansion of Mission Vatsalya will provide social a

Kochi Metro to draft Mumbai Water Metro DPR in ₹4.4 crore contract

Kochi Metro Rail wins consultancy contract to prepare the DPR for Mumbai's proposed Water Metro, expanding its role in sustainable mobility beyond Kerala

Maharashtra govt, Lodha ink ₹30,000 cr MoU for Palava data centre park

The Maharashtra government and Lodha Developers signed an MoU worth Rs 30,000 crore to build a 370-acre green integrated data centre park in Palava, expected to create 6,000 jobs

Maharashtra's quota quicksand: Kunbi tag for Marathas opens Pandora's box

Manoj Jarange-Patil had been demanding that the Maratha community be recognised as Kunbis, an agrarian caste included in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category

Maharashtra IGR launches e-registration system for property agreements

The Inspector General of Registration in Maharashtra has launched online e-registration of property agreements, with Hiranandani Fortune City becoming the first project to adopt it

Maharashtra leads in FPO ease of doing business; Madhya Pradesh loses crown

Maharashtra has overtaken Madhya Pradesh as the state with the most supportive ecosystem for Farmer-Producer Organisations, according to the latest SOFPO report

PG Electroplast stock jumps 5% on ₹1,000 crore deal with Maharashtra govt

PG Electroplast's subsidiary, Next Generation Manufacturers, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Maharashtra

Ganpati diplomacy: Thackeray cousins weigh truce as BJP reshapes politics

Maharashtra is now a cauldron of power politics, and both Raj and Uddhav are realising they face a common existential enemy - the BJP

Heavy rains disrupt life in Latur; schools shut, rescue teams in action

Heavy downpour has disrupted life in Maharashtra's Latur district, prompting the administration to declare a school holiday on Friday, officials said. Of the 60 revenue circles in the district in the state's Marathwada region, 29 had reported excessive rainfall till Thursday night as water levels in rivers and streams rose, triggering rescue operations, they said. About 50 roads and bridges were shut after water began to flow over the structures. With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a yellow alert for August 29, District Collector and Disaster Management Authority Chairperson Varsha Thakur-Ghuge has announced a holiday for all schools from Class 1 to 12, an official said. Disaster management teams and local villagers rescued ten persons stranded in flood-hit areas of Shirur Anantpal and Ahmedpur talukas. An Army team has also arrived in Ahmedpur. In Shirur Anantpal, five persons trapped in a riverside shed and three labourers stuck during bridge construction on t