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The Maharashtra cabinet has sanctioned Rs 20 crore for the 'Maharashtra Shaktipeeth Expressway'. This expressway will span 802 km, connecting Pavnar in Wardha district to Patradevi on the Maharashtra-Goa border in Sindhudurg. The project aims to reduce travel time between Nagpur and Goa from 18 hours to just eight.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis chaired the cabinet meeting where this decision was made. The expressway will traverse through 12 districts, including Wardha, Yavatmal, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani, Beed, Latur, Dharashiv, Solapur, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Sindhudurg. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is responsible for implementing this project.
Connecting Pilgrimage Sites
The expressway is designed to link important pilgrimage sites such as Mahur, Tuljapur, Kolhapur, and Pandharpur. It will also connect spiritual and historical places like Ambajogai and two 'Jyotirlings' at Aundha Nagnath and Parli Vaijnath. Other notable sites include Karanja-Lad, Akkalkot, Audumber, and Narsobachi Wadi.
To address concerns about land acquisition for the expressway, Chief Minister Fadnavis suggested engaging with local farmers who might oppose the project. HUDCO has approved a loan of Rs 12,000 crore to acquire approximately 7,500 hectares of land required for the expressway.
Support for Scheduled Tribes Students
In another decision by the cabinet, allowances for Scheduled Tribes students residing in hostels have been revised. Monthly living allowances have nearly doubled across various categories. Divisional-level hostels will now offer Rs 1,400 per month instead of Rs 800. District-level hostels will provide Rs 1,300 up from Rs 600. Rural hostels will give Rs 1,000 compared to the previous Rs 500.
The special allowance for girl students has increased from Rs 100 to Rs 150. Annual education material allowances have also been raised; students in classes 8 to10 are now eligible for Rs 4,500 instead of Rs 3,200. Medical or engineering students will receive Rs 8,000 up from Rs 6,000.
Urban Development Initiatives
The cabinet has decided to support urban development by offering a state guarantee and waiving guarantee fees for a Rs 2,000 crore HUDCO loan to local bodies. This funding will aid projects like water supply lines in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Mira-Bhayander, as well as a sewage treatment plant in Nagpur.
A land parcel in Bandra East has been transferred to the Public Works Department for the construction of a new High Court complex. Additionally, the government waived off slum rehabilitation dues amounting to Rs 31.75 crore to facilitate clearing encroachments on this site.
Amendments to Tax Laws
The cabinet approved draft amendments aligning the Maharashtra Goods and Services Tax (GST) Act with the Centre's Finance Act of 2025 and decisions from the GST Council's 55th meeting. Amendments were also made to laws concerning tax arrears settlement of public sector undertakings.
This includes extending eligibility definitions to cover non-Companies Act entities like public sector banks and statutory bodies. Furthermore, an allocation of reserved land at Chikhli in Pimpri-Chinchwad was approved for a sewage treatment plant. Currently operating are 490 tribal hostels across Maharashtra, catering to around 57,700 students. Monthly food allowances have been increased too; city hostels now provide Rs 5,000 while district-level ones offer Rs 4,500.
