Mumbai, Dec 5 (IANS) Amid its pursuit of making Maharashtra a trillion-dollar economy by 2030, and in the backdrop of controversies over reservation and allegations of corruption, the Devendra Fadnavis-led MahaYuti government in Maharashtra completes one year in office on Friday.
The year has been defined by a strong push for accelerated development, economic growth, and administrative speed, set against persistent political volatility arising from the coalition structure and wider social pressures.
A central focus of the administration has been the fast-tracking of major urban and state infrastructure projects. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis repeatedly highlighted a “clear vision, fast decision-making process, and focus on implementation.”
The Infrastructure War Room was used actively to clear bottlenecks and impose tighter timelines on long-pending works. The government unveiled its Viksit Maharashtra 2047 vision document with the goal of reaching a five trillion-dollar economy, while also working to position the state as the country’s top investment destination.
Efforts were directed towards improving the ease of doing business and bringing in global investment. Several policy and administrative reforms were advanced across sectors.
The cabinet approved a government guarantee for a Rs 2,000 crore HUDCO loan to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation for land acquisition required for the Virar-Alibaug Multi-Modal Corridor.
With the Navi Mumbai International Airport set to begin operations on December 25, the government firmed up plans for a proposed Third Mumbai. This includes specialised clusters such as an Edu City with foreign university campuses and an Innovation City.
The state is also banking on the Vadhavan port project involving an investment of Rs 76,000 crore, with the Chief Minister claiming it will rank among the world’s top ten ports once completed.
To strengthen regional connectivity, the government approved an additional Rs 491 crore for converting the Nagpur-Nagbhid narrow-gauge line to broad gauge to improve links in Vidarbha.
In the health sector, the coverage of state health schemes was expanded to 2,399 treatments across 38 specialities. Financial support was sanctioned for nine major diseases, including heart, lung, liver, and bone marrow transplants, with assistance ranging from Rs 9.5 lakh to Rs 22 lakh. A one-time regularisation was approved for contract staff under the National Health Mission who had completed ten years of service. The government also cleared the creation of an Urban Health Commissionerate to improve healthcare management in cities.
To strengthen administrative reforms, amendments were made to the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966, including changes to non-agricultural tax and conversion charges. Full legal validity was granted to Digital 7/12 and other key land records to support e-governance. New District and Additional Sessions Courts were sanctioned in locations such as Ghodnadi-Shirur for enhancing the judicial framework.
The fisheries sector was granted the same priority status as agriculture, qualifying it for infrastructure support and concessions. The government also cleared the winding up of the state-owned asset reconstruction firm Maha ARC Ltd after the Reserve Bank of India declined to grant it an operational licence.
Despite a strong mandate in the 2024 assembly elections, the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP coalition required a "delicate balancing act." The government faced scrutiny over coordination among the coalition partners, even as the Opposition maintained a constant combative stance.
Controversies related to land deals (Pune land transactions) and law and order issues (the fallout from the Beed sarpanch murder case) kept the government on the defensive. The Chief Minister’s announcement of performance audits for ministers hinted at efforts to reinforce accountability.
The most serious challenge emerged from the Maratha quota agitation led by Manoj Jarange, coupled with resistance from sections of the OBC community. The government was forced to set up cabinet sub-committees to handle these demands, highlighting the delicate social balancing required.
The government also faced criticism for delays in fulfilling certain campaign promises, including a state-wide farm loan waiver and higher monthly assistance under schemes such as Ladki Bahin Yojana. While trying to meet pre-poll commitments, the government must navigate a tight fiscal environment, with public debt crossing Rs 9.30 lakh crore, a revenue deficit of Rs 45,891 crore, and a fiscal deficit of Rs 1,36,325 crore.
(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)
--IANS
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