Major Reduction in Electricity Tariffs for Milk Collection Centres; Big Relief for Farmers – Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai, March 2026 : The State Government has taken an important decision to reduce electricity tariffs for chillers used at milk collection centres across the state. This move will provide significant financial relief to milk-producing farmers. According to the new order of the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC), the revised tariffs will come into effect from July 1, 2026, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis informed the Legislative Assembly during Question Hour.

MLA Anil Patil had raised a question regarding the implementation of a uniform electricity tariff for the dairy processing industry.

Chief Minister Fadnavis said that solar energy is available in the state, and due to this availability, electricity purchase tariffs during solar hours have been reduced by up to 25 percent. Importantly, while offering this concession, no increase has been made in tariffs during other periods. A separate category has been created for milk collection centres based on demand after obtaining special concessions from the Maharashtra State Regulatory Commission, and it will come into effect from July 1, 2026.

Earlier tariff changes include a reduction in the low-tension commercial tariff from ₹16.55 per unit to ₹7.31 per unit and the high-tension commercial tariff from ₹13.81 per unit to ₹9.06 per unit. This reduction will benefit farmers significantly, he said.

The Chief Minister further stated that efforts are underway to store electricity generated during solar hours so it can be used throughout the day. Plans are also being made to supply this electricity to the grid through battery storage systems. In the future, the government will also consider reducing electricity tariffs for cold storage facilities and promoting hybrid cold storage based on solar energy.

He added that the Chief Minister Solar Agricultural Feeder Scheme is a strategic initiative of the government. Under this scheme, 4,000 MW of work has already been completed, providing continuous electricity to around 8 lakh farmers. By the end of this year, an additional 10,000 MW of work will be completed, enabling daytime electricity supply to about 75 percent of farmers. The “Magel Tyala Solar Agricultural Pump” scheme has also gained immense popularity and has received global recognition. The International Solar Alliance (ISA) has recognized Maharashtra’s initiative as a flagship scheme and the state has received seven to eight international awards for this work. The central government has also advised other states to follow Maharashtra’s model. The government aims to provide farmers with 10 hours of uninterrupted daytime electricity supply. In the next phase, the focus will be on battery storage, he said.

MLA Nana Patole participated in the discussion.

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Power Supply to Remote Villages in Melghat Through Solar Micro Grids – Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai, March 10: To provide electricity to remote villages in the Melghat region, the government has adopted the option of solar micro-grids. Instead of installing individual solar systems for every household, a large solar project will be established in each village and connected through a micro-grid. Electricity generated and stored through battery storage will then be supplied to every household in the village, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis informed the Assembly.

MLA Sulabha Khodke raised a question regarding electricity supply and other facilities in villages in the Melghat region of Dharni and Chikhaldara talukas in Amravati district. MLAs Jayant Patil and Dilip Walse-Patil also participated in the discussion.

Responding to the question, the Chief Minister said that many villages in Melghat fall within dense sanctuary areas, making it difficult to provide electricity through conventional grids. Due to the lack of permissions from the Forest Department, several attempts to establish grid connections in these areas had failed.

In 2017, the government decided to provide independent solar systems to each household as a solution. Accordingly, under the Saubhagya scheme in 2018, several homes received off-grid solar systems to electrify villages. However, due to the remote location, annual maintenance contracts (AMC) could not be effectively implemented. As a result, many solar systems stopped functioning or became unusable, leading to darkness once again in some villages. Considering this situation, electricity will now be supplied through solar micro-grids.

Under this initiative, solar micro-grid work has already been completed in two villages. In five villages, non-governmental organizations have taken the initiative and work is underway. The tender process for four villages has been completed. Funds of approximately ₹20 crore have been approved for the remaining villages, the Chief Minister informed.

Action has also begun to improve road connectivity in the region. While six villages already have roads, four villages require graveling and repairs, and these works will be taken up on priority, he said.

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No Offence in Dhule Scholarship Case; Police Decide to File B-Summary – Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai, March 10: Although allegations were made regarding irregularities in scholarships granted to backward-class students in Dhule district, police investigations have concluded that no criminal offence took place. Therefore, a decision has been taken to file a B-Summary in the case, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis informed the Legislative Assembly.

MLA Amit Satam had raised the question regarding scholarship funds meant for backward-class students in Dhule district. MLAs Nitin Raut and Harish Pimpale also participated in the discussion.

The Chief Minister stated that the scholarship funds were not deposited into anyone’s personal account or misused. The concerned institution had the authority to use the funds for works such as wall construction. However, as per rules, the expenditure should have been made through the principal’s account. Instead, the funds were routed through the institution’s account and then spent. Hence, it is considered only a procedural lapse.

Police investigations did not find any evidence of misappropriation of funds. Therefore, there is no question of registering a criminal case. Since no financial misappropriation occurred, the police have decided to file a B-Summary. However, necessary administrative inquiry has been conducted regarding the procedural irregularity, he added.

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Farmers Eligible for Chief Minister Baliraja Free Electricity Scheme if Usage is Within 7.5 HP Limit – Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai, March 10: The Chief Minister Baliraja Free Electricity Scheme applies only to consumers using electricity up to 7.5 horsepower. If farmers take necessary steps to keep their electricity consumption within this limit, they will be eligible for the benefits of the scheme, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis informed the Assembly.

MLA Satyajit Deshmukh raised the issue of agricultural pump-holding farmers in Shirala taluka of Sangli district being deprived of the scheme’s benefits. MLA Shekhar Nikam also participated in the discussion.

Some farmers in Shirala had complained that their electricity consumption was being shown as higher than actual. Inspections were conducted at 52 electricity connections. The investigation found that the electricity bills issued to these farmers were accurate and that their actual electricity usage was indeed higher.

Currently, these consumers fall under a special tariff category which is different from the general tariff. However, the government will consider whether any additional relief can be provided to them.

The Chief Minister clarified that consumers using more than 7.5 horsepower cannot avail the benefits of the scheme. The classification of agricultural pumps is determined not by Mahavitaran but by the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission. The issue of creating a separate classification for agriculture was presented before the commission but was not approved. Nevertheless, efforts will continue to provide some relief to farmers, he said.

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Committee to be Formed Under Director General of Police to Curb Defamation on Social Media – Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai, March 10: To curb the increasing incidents of defamation and cyber harassment of women through social media, a special committee will be formed under the chairmanship of the Director General of Police to study and recommend necessary amendments to the Information Technology Act, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said during Question Hour in the Assembly.

MLA Prashant Thakur had asked a question regarding cyber security in the state.

The Chief Minister stated that provisions such as Section 66(A) of the Information Technology Act have been modified by the Supreme Court. Respecting the court’s decision, the government will study possible legal amendments to ensure deterrence against cyber offenders under current circumstances. While people from all sections of society face cyber crimes, the harassment faced by women is particularly serious. The committee will be instructed to recommend strong legal provisions for their protection.

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Extensive Awareness Campaign to Prevent Crimes Against Women – Minister of State Yogesh Kadam

Mumbai, March 10: The government is taking concrete steps to curb crimes against women and create fear of law among offenders. Large-scale awareness campaigns are being conducted in schools, colleges, and both rural and urban areas, Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam informed the Assembly.

MLA Suhas Babar had raised a question regarding the increase in crimes against children in the state.

Minister Kadam said that details of all actions taken to prevent crimes against children will be made available to public representatives. Special campaigns on “Good Touch–Bad Touch” are being conducted for students in schools and colleges across metropolitan areas like Mumbai and Pune as well as rural regions. So far, awareness activities have been conducted in about 61,000 schools through police initiatives. Efforts are also being made by the Home Department to prevent misuse of laws related to atrocities against women for pressurizing others in assault cases, he added.

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₹43 Crore Allocated for Awareness Campaign to Prevent Cyber Fraud – Minister of State Yogesh Kadam

Mumbai, March 10: Considering the increasing incidence of cyber crimes in the digital age, the government has allocated ₹43 crore to create public awareness to prevent fraud related to online gaming financial scams and fake e-currency schemes, Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam said.

Under this campaign, about 21 crore awareness messages will be sent every month to citizens across the state. The question was raised by MLA Prashant Thakur regarding cyber security.

Minister Kadam clarified that after the central government introduced strict laws on online gaming, the state government has begun implementing them effectively. In places like Pune and Goa, incidents of fraud involving fake links sent in the name of e-currency or e-crop inspections have increased, leading to theft of mobile data and money.

To address this, the country’s largest Cyber Security Headquarters has been established in Maharashtra at Mahape. Fifty special cyber police stations have been set up across the state, and personnel have been given specialized training. Since criminals cannot be traced merely through call data records (CDR), the government has provided modern tools to monitor activities on the dark web. The official “Maha Cyber Safe” application will soon be launched to inform citizens about various methods of cyber fraud.

MLAs Vikas Thakur, Baban Lonikar-Yadav, and Adv. Rahul Kul participated in the discussion.