Maharashtra Tightens Grip on Big Projects: CM-Led Panel to Approve ₹500 Crore+ Ventures
Mumbai: In a bold step to centralize control over major projects, the Maharashtra government has issued an order stripping state departments, enterprises, and semi-government bodies of their power to independently greenlight projects worth ₹500 crore or more. Agencies like MMRDA, CIDCO, MHADA, SRA, and MahaHousing are now required to seek approval from a Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The directive, issued by the Finance and Planning Department under Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, mandates that all high-value projects be vetted by the CM-led panel. This move significantly curbs the autonomy of key agencies, particularly impacting the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, which controls the urban development and housing departments overseeing MMRDA, CIDCO, MHADA, SRA, and MahaHousing. The decision comes as Shinde’s faction grapples with multiple controversies involving its leaders, further complicating their position.
The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure includes six members: CM Fadnavis, Deputy CM Shinde, Ajit Pawar, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif, and Industries Minister Uday Samant. The chief secretary will now serve as the committee’s secretary, replacing the planning department secretary, with finance and law and judiciary department secretaries as permanent invitees to ensure rigorous scrutiny.
Government sources cite the state’s strained finances as the driving force behind the decision, with Maharashtra’s projected debt reaching ₹9.5 lakh crore by the end of the fiscal year. The state is currently allocating over ₹1.5 lakh crore annually to service loans and interest payments.
The Shinde-led Shiv Sena faces additional scrutiny amid ongoing controversies. Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat has been embroiled in criticism, while a viral video recently surfaced showing Horticulture Minister Bharat Gogawale engaging in occult practices. Additionally, Lok Sabha MP Sandipan Bhumre from Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) has faced questions over rapid liquor permit approvals linked to his family and associates.
Speculation surrounds Shinde’s recent Delhi visit on Thursday, with sources suggesting it was tied to addressing these controversies and a looming Supreme Court hearing on July 14 regarding the recognition of his faction as the legitimate Shiv Sena and its claim to the party’s bow-and-arrow symbol.