Maharashtra Clears Rs 260 Bn Infra, Policy and Welfare Push
ECONOMY & POLICY

Maharashtra Clears Rs 260 Bn Infra, Policy and Welfare Push

The Maharashtra Cabinet has approved a set of sweeping measures aimed at strengthening infrastructure, social reform, labour regulation, and rural empowerment across the state.

A key highlight is the Rs 259.73 billion administrative clearance for the Gosikhurd National Project in Bhandara, a critical irrigation push under the Water Resources Department to boost agricultural output in the region.

The Cabinet also sanctioned Rs 1.42 billion for a memorial dedicated to social reformer Savitribai Phule, along with Rs 6.7 million for a women’s training centre in Khandala, Satara. The centre will focus on skill development and women’s empowerment.

On the legal front, the state extended the tenure of 16 additional and 23 fast-track courts by two years to address pending cases. Honorarium for legal officers at the divisional and district levels has been increased from Rs 35,000 to Rs 50,000 per month.

In a major labour reform move, the Labour Department has been authorised to frame a unified Maharashtra Labour Code by aligning existing laws with modern employment realities.

To strengthen rural livelihoods, fisheries have been granted the same priority as agriculture, unlocking infrastructure support and policy concessions for the sector.

The Cabinet also approved a policy revision for slum rehabilitation projects affected by infrastructure development to ensure fair housing for displaced residents.

In transport, the Public Works Department has received the green light to develop the Talegaon-Chakan-Shikrapur National Highway. The Rs 44 billion plan includes a four-lane elevated road and a six-lane ground corridor in Pune district.

Earlier in the week, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reiterated his government’s goal of building a state-wide quality healthcare network. Speaking at the Mumbai Live Endoscopy 2025 event, he stressed the need for more doctors and health workers in underserved regions.

In another key education update, the state government has made Hindi compulsory as a third language from Class 1 in all Maharashtra State Board schools. The School Education Department clarified that the move, implemented on April 16, is aligned with NEP 2020 and aims to enhance student development—not driven by political considerations.

The Maharashtra Cabinet has approved a set of sweeping measures aimed at strengthening infrastructure, social reform, labour regulation, and rural empowerment across the state. A key highlight is the Rs 259.73 billion administrative clearance for the Gosikhurd National Project in Bhandara, a critical irrigation push under the Water Resources Department to boost agricultural output in the region. The Cabinet also sanctioned Rs 1.42 billion for a memorial dedicated to social reformer Savitribai Phule, along with Rs 6.7 million for a women’s training centre in Khandala, Satara. The centre will focus on skill development and women’s empowerment. On the legal front, the state extended the tenure of 16 additional and 23 fast-track courts by two years to address pending cases. Honorarium for legal officers at the divisional and district levels has been increased from Rs 35,000 to Rs 50,000 per month. In a major labour reform move, the Labour Department has been authorised to frame a unified Maharashtra Labour Code by aligning existing laws with modern employment realities. To strengthen rural livelihoods, fisheries have been granted the same priority as agriculture, unlocking infrastructure support and policy concessions for the sector. The Cabinet also approved a policy revision for slum rehabilitation projects affected by infrastructure development to ensure fair housing for displaced residents. In transport, the Public Works Department has received the green light to develop the Talegaon-Chakan-Shikrapur National Highway. The Rs 44 billion plan includes a four-lane elevated road and a six-lane ground corridor in Pune district. Earlier in the week, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reiterated his government’s goal of building a state-wide quality healthcare network. Speaking at the Mumbai Live Endoscopy 2025 event, he stressed the need for more doctors and health workers in underserved regions. In another key education update, the state government has made Hindi compulsory as a third language from Class 1 in all Maharashtra State Board schools. The School Education Department clarified that the move, implemented on April 16, is aligned with NEP 2020 and aims to enhance student development—not driven by political considerations.

Next Story
Real Estate

Elevated floors!

Raised access flooring, also called false flooring, is a less common interiors feature than false ceilings, but it has as many uses – if not more.A raised floor is a modular panel installed above the structural floor. The space beneath the raised flooring is typically used to accommodate utilities such as electrical cables, plumbing and HVAC systems. And so, raised flooring is usually associated with buildings with heavy cabling and precise air distribution needs, such as data centres.That said, CW interacted with designers and architects and discovered that false flooring can come in handy ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

The Variation Challenge

A variation or change in scope clause is defined in construction contracts to take care of situations arising from change in the defined scope of work. Such changes may arise due to factors such as additions or deletions in the scope of work, modifications in the type, grade or specifications of materials, alterations in specifications or drawings, and acts or omissions of other contractors. Further, ineffective planning, inadequate investigations or surveys and requests from the employer or those within the project’s area of influence can contribute to changes in the scope of work. Ext..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

India Spent Rs 1.5 Tn on Smart Cities in Past 10 Years

The Indian government launched the Smart Cities Mission on June 15, 2015, with the goal of transforming urban infrastructure across the country. As of April 11, 2025, ten years since its inception, over Rs 1.5 trillion has been spent on 7,504 completed projects, representing 94 per cent of the total planned projects valued at more than Rs 1.64 trillion. An additional Rs 131.42 billion worth of projects are currently under implementation. According to data from SBI Research, 92 per cent of the funds were utilised across 21 major states, with Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra together ..

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?