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Religious Tourism, Student Welfare, Urban Infra Get Boost In Maharashtra Cabinet Decisions
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The state cabinet has sanctioned Rs 20,000 crore for the Maharashtra Shaktipeeth Expressway, to link 18 significant pilgrimage sites across the state
In a major boost to both infrastructure and welfare, the Maharashtra cabinet has cleared several key proposals, including the ambitious Shaktipeeth Expressway connecting Pavnar in Wardha district to Patradevi on the Maharashtra-Goa border. The expressway aims to link 18 significant pilgrimage sites across the state, including the three and a half Shaktipeeths, two Jyotirlingas, Pandharpur, and Ambejogai.
The state cabinet has approved the planning and land acquisition for the high-speed corridor, to be developed through a dedicated project corporation. A provision of Rs 20,000 crore has been made for its implementation, aiming to improve regional connectivity and boost religious tourism.
Focusing on the welfare of tribal communities, the state government has approved a substantial increase in allowances for students residing in government-run tribal hostels. The monthly subsistence and meal allowances will now be doubled, offering relief to families from economically weaker backgrounds. Furthermore, the annual allowance for the purchase of educational materials has also been significantly increased, a step that is expected to enhance access to quality education for thousands of tribal students across Maharashtra.
The cabinet also granted revised administrative approval for the Koyna Dam Base Hydroelectric Project, one of the state's key renewable energy initiatives. In a move aimed at simplifying the tax regime, the government will introduce a new Maharashtra Goods and Services Tax Bill in the upcoming legislative session. Amendments to facilitate the settlement of pending taxes, interest, penalties, and late fees for public sector undertakings will also be introduced.
Other notable decisions include a waiver of Rs 31.75 crore in resettlement fees for people displaced from land reserved for the High Court complex at Bandra East. These premises will now be transferred to the public works department free of cost. The government also approved the use of 7,000 sq m of cemetery land in Mouje Chikhali, Pimpri-Chinchwad, for a sewage treatment plant. Additionally, the state will guarantee a Rs 2,000 crore HUDCO loan under the Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme, benefitting water and sewage projects in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nagpur, and Mira-Bhayandar.
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