(Cooperation, Marketing Department)
Soft Loan Scheme for Cooperative Sugar Factories
– Funds to be provided for pending FRP payments and pre-season preparations
To provide relief to sugarcane-producing farmers and sugar factories, the Cabinet meeting approved a soft loan scheme for cooperative sugar factories in the state to enable them to pay the pending FRP amount for the 2025-26 crushing season and to make funds available for preparations for the upcoming 2026-27 crushing season. The Cabinet also approved estimated interest subsidy of Rs 738.51 crore for the scheme. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
During the 2025-26 crushing season, 102 cooperative sugar factories in the state crushed 52.751 million metric tonnes of sugarcane. However, considering the financial condition of sugar factories, there was a need to make funds available for payment of FRP to farmers and for preparations for the next crushing season. Accordingly, the scheme was approved. Earlier, soft loan schemes were announced in 2015 and 2019. Under these schemes, interest subsidies were provided on loans given by financial institutions to sugar factories.
The state government had participated in the Central Government's 2015 scheme. Under it, the Central Government provided interest subsidy for one year, while the state government provided interest subsidy for the subsequent four years at 10 per cent per annum or the actual interest rate charged by the bank, whichever was lower. The present soft loan scheme has been approved on the same lines. Approval has also been given for an interest subsidy of approximately Rs 738 crore 51 lakh for the next seven years under this scheme.
Under the scheme, the amount sanctioned and disbursed by banks up to October 31, 2026 will be eligible for interest subsidy. The loan sanctioned under the scheme will primarily have to be used for payment of pending FRP. Factories without pending dues may use the loan under the scheme for pre-season loans for 2026-27.
The repayment period of the loan will be seven years from October 1, 2026, and interest subsidy will be payable for the same period. Interest subsidy will be provided at 10 per cent per annum or the interest rate charged by the bank, whichever is lower.
At the same time, sugar factories that fail to repay loan instalments on time will be immediately excluded from the scheme and will not receive interest concessions for the subsequent period. For this purpose, sugar factories will have to submit a utilisation certificate regarding the loan by July 2027. Failure to submit such a certificate will make the factory ineligible for interest subsidy.
(Agriculture Department)
Land to Be Returned to Khandkari Farmers of Haregaon Mala in Ahilyanagar
– Maharashtra Agricultural Lands (Ceiling on Holdings) Act, 1961 to be amended
The Cabinet meeting approved an amendment to the Maharashtra Agricultural Lands (Ceiling on Holdings) Act, 1961 to return the lands held by the Agricultural Corporation at Haregaon Mala in Shrirampur taluka of Ahilyanagar district to the original farmers or their heirs. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Accordingly, an ordinance will be issued after consultation with the Law and Judiciary Department.
The lands at Haregaon were acquired by the British government 104 years ago for the development of irrigation facilities. However, they were subsequently leased to The Belapur Company Limited. After the Maharashtra Agricultural Lands (Ceiling on Holdings) Act, 1961 came into force, out of the company's total 7,377 acres and 12 gunthas, an area of 6,425 acres and 17 gunthas was declared surplus and transferred by the government to the Maharashtra Agricultural Corporation.
The original farmers and their heirs had approached the courts seeking restoration of their lands.
The original farmers or their heirs could not be provided the land under Section 28-1 AA of the Maharashtra Agricultural Lands (Ceiling on Holdings) Act, 1961. Therefore, the Revenue Department had proposed an amendment to the ceiling law.
Accordingly, a proposal to insert a new sub-section 3-1B in sub-section 3 of Section 28-1 AA was submitted to the Law and Judiciary Department. The department approved the proposal and agreed to the amendment.
This will empower the state government to return these lands, classified as Occupant Class-II, to the original owners or their legal heirs. Accordingly, an ordinance amending the Act will be issued.
(Finance Department)
Maharashtra Technical Assistance Cell (Maha-TAC) to Be Established
– Analysis of 25 state policies and evaluation of 25 welfare schemes
The Cabinet meeting approved the establishment of the Maharashtra Technical Assistance Cell (Maha-TAC) to bring further qualitative improvements to the government's decision-making process. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Through the assistance cell, 25 major government policies will be analysed and 25 major public welfare schemes will be evaluated.
Various policies and schemes are implemented by different state government departments for the social and economic development of citizens. Large amounts of public funds are spent every year for this purpose. However, implementation of schemes is generally reviewed only on the basis of utilisation of funds and achievement of physical targets. This alone cannot determine the effectiveness of a scheme. Therefore, the decision has been taken to establish the Maharashtra Technical Assistance Cell.
At present, outcomes are examined after implementation of a scheme or policy. As a result, errors occurring during implementation cannot be corrected. If evaluation is carried out simultaneously during implementation, shortcomings can be corrected in time.
Accordingly, 25 major state policies will be analysed and 25 welfare schemes will be evaluated. Based on a joint proposal submitted by the Indian Institute of Management, Mumbai and the Centre for Research in Schemes and Policies, approval has been granted to establish Maha-TAC.
Maha-TAC will be monitored by the Chief Minister's Office. A steering committee headed by the Chief Secretary will also be established.
Objectives of Maha-TAC
The objectives include objectively analysing 25 major state policies; consulting stakeholders such as concerned departments, industries, implementing agencies, local self-government institutions and beneficiaries; proposing missions for policies requiring independent and effective implementation plans; and conducting independent parallel quarterly evaluations of 25 major schemes.
The cell will examine whether scheme benefits reach beneficiaries on time, fully and to the appropriate persons; whether scheme guidelines, government resolutions, fund-flow procedures and procurement rules are being followed; and the quality of expenditure, component costs, incomplete or unusable assets and outcomes.
It will also identify opportunities for convergence between schemes and independently measure the outcomes of schemes linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Quarterly decision-support reports based on evaluations will be provided to the Chief Minister's Office and concerned departments. A live dashboard, follow-up mechanism for recommendations and permanent data infrastructure will also be developed.
Policies to Be Analysed
The policies to be analysed include the Maharashtra Industry, Investment and Services Policy; Maharashtra Global Capability Centre Policy; Maharashtra Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality Policy; Maharashtra Gems and Jewellery Policy; Maharashtra Bamboo Industry Policy; Maharashtra Logistics Policy; Maharashtra Thrust Sector Policy; Information Technology and IT-enabled Services Policy; Maharashtra State Export Promotion Policy; Maharashtra Green Integrated Data Centre Policy; Maharashtra Space and Defence Manufacturing Policy; Maharashtra Electronics Policy; Maharashtra Electric Vehicle Policy; Maharashtra Maritime Development Policy; Maharashtra Startup, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy; policy for modernisation of government Industrial Training Institutes through public-private partnership; Maharashtra Agricultural Export Policy; Maharashtra Agricultural Artificial Intelligence Policy; Maharashtra Integrated and Sustainable Textile Policy; Maharashtra Tourism Policy; Maharashtra State Housing Policy; Maharashtra Green Hydrogen Policy; Mukhyamantri Saur Krushi Vahini Yojana 2.0; Maharashtra State's Fourth Women's Policy; and the implementation framework for the National Education Policy 2020 in Maharashtra.
Thirteen empowered committees will be established for these policies. These committees will help create an ecosystem of land, energy, logistics and human resources required for common investors.
18 Centrally Sponsored and 7 State Schemes to Be Evaluated
The parallel evaluation will cover 18 Centrally sponsored schemes and seven state schemes, including:
- Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana
- Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Loan Waiver Scheme
- Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin
- MGNREGA / Viksit Bharat–Gramin Rozgar and Jeevika Mission
- Jal Jeevan Mission
- Ayushman Bharat – Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana
- Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana
- MahaDBT – Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme
- Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)
- Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban
- National Rural Livelihood Mission + Maharashtra Rural Livelihood Mission – UMED
- Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana
- Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan
- PM-POSHAN
- Ayushman Arogya Mandir
- Nanaji Deshmukh Krishi Sanjivani Yojana
- PM-SVANidhi
- Poshan Abhiyan
- Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana
- SVAMITVA
- Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan / PM-JANMAN
- Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan 2.0
- Chief Minister's Employment Generation Programme
- State Tuberculosis Elimination Programme / NTEP
- Modernisation of the Police Force
Approval has been granted for a one-year Maha-TAC project to analyse these policies and evaluate the schemes.
(Revenue, Registration and Stamp Duty Department)
Stamp Duty Waived for Nashik Branch of Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad
The Cabinet meeting approved the waiver of stamp duty payable on the lease of a building allotted to the Nashik branch of the Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad for a study room and library. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
A decision had already been taken to lease the second and third floors of the four-storey administrative building of the Nashik Municipal Corporation at Devlali's Devichowk to the Nashik branch of the Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad for a study room and library.
The Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad had requested a waiver of stamp duty payable for registration of the lease deed, stating that its library and study-room activities were being conducted in the public interest. The proposal was placed before the Cabinet meeting, which approved the waiver of stamp duty on the lease.
(Revenue, Registration and Stamp Duty Department)
Land to Arvi Municipal Council for Commercial Complex
The Cabinet meeting approved the free transfer of 6,240.30 square metres of government land to the Arvi Municipal Council in Wardha district for construction of a commercial complex. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The Arvi Municipal Council had requested 6,519 square metres of government land at Mouza Arvi for construction of the commercial complex. As Arvi is a 'C' class municipal council with limited sources of revenue, a proposal was submitted to the Cabinet seeking waiver of the premium payable for the land as a special case, considering the council's financial condition and the overall development of the city.
Accordingly, approval was granted to provide the land free of cost to the Arvi Municipal Council.
(Urban Development Department)
Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act, 1965 to Be Amended
The Cabinet meeting approved amendments to the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act, 1965 to ensure uniformity in the election rules of local self-government institutions. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Under the rules governing general elections to municipal councils and nagar panchayats in the state, provisions exist under sub-rules (1)(b) of Rules 15 and 17 of the Maharashtra Municipal Election Rules, 1966, for filing an appeal before the district court against rejection of a candidate's nomination by the returning officer.
However, no similar provision for such an appeal exists under Chapter I of Schedule D of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act, 1949, or the rules under the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Election Rules, 2006.
Therefore, the Act will be amended to bring uniformity in the election rules of local self-government institutions.
Accordingly, the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026 will be issued.
The amendment will replace the words “member of the council” in sub-section (7) of Section 2 of the Act with “member of the council and panchayat.”
Further, the words “and appeals against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers” in clause (d) of sub-section (2) of Section 17 will be deleted.
After sub-section (4) of Section 341-B, a new sub-section (5) will also be inserted stating that provisions of Sections 10A, 11, 12, 13 and 14 relating to the State Election Commissioner, preparation of electoral rolls, manner of voting and other restrictions on voting in a municipal council shall, with necessary modifications, apply to a nagar panchayat.
(Home Department)
Four More Posts Approved for Mumbai Police Township Project
The Cabinet meeting approved the creation of four additional posts for the office of the Chairman of the Mumbai Police Housing Township Project. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
A decision has been taken to implement the Mumbai Police Housing Township Project to create government residential accommodation for officers and personnel of the Mumbai Police.
Under the project, there is a plan to construct 40,000 residential units on 74 plots in Mumbai, at an estimated cost of Rs 20,000 crore.
Earlier, five posts had been created for the office of the project chairman. However, the project requires extensive planning, coordination among various government agencies, financial management and time-bound implementation. Therefore, approval has been granted for the creation of four additional posts.
The posts include one Deputy Secretary, one Under Secretary and two Section Officers.
An annual expenditure of Rs 63,03,156 is expected for these posts, and approval has also been granted for the expenditure.
