Mumbai, Oct 1: Facing a severe drought triggered by persistent rainfall deficits and heightened El Niño threats, the Maharashtra government, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on Thursday announced a sweeping relief package for the state’s distressed farming community. In a landmark decision, the government issued an order, staying all agricultural loan recoveries across drought-hit regions.

To ease immediate financial strain, banks have been directed to restructure existing crop loans — setting a strict deadline of April 30, 2027, to complete the process — while ensuring fresh crop credit remains fully accessible for the upcoming Kharif season.

Revenue Minister and Drought Relief Sub-Committee Chairman Chandrashekhar Bawankule issued a stern directive to local administrations, instructing District Collectors and police authorities to prevent any bank or credit society representatives from approaching farmers for recovery during this crisis.

Following strong pushback from ministers and ruling alliance MLAs over excluded pockets, the cabinet added 43 new talukas to the drought list. Over 305 talukas — encompassing nearly 75 per cent of the state — are now covered under ‘Trigger-1’ drought mitigation measures.

Examination fees for Class 10 and Class 12 students in all designated drought-affected regions have also been waived.

To prevent distress migration and secure rural livelihoods, the Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS) department has unlocked Rs 6,728 crore. The funds will drive local employment across various projects, including irrigation works, cattle sheds, orchard plantations, borewell recharge units, bamboo cultivation, and public lake repairs.

With drinking water shortages intensifying and crop yields severely impacted, the administration has placed water management and rural employment at the forefront of its emergency strategy.

To support farmers, agricultural labourers, and affected rural populations, the state government has extended a 12-point relief and concessions package for the designated 265 talukas.

The government has announced full waiver of land revenue for affected farmers, restructuring of existing agricultural loans, immediate stay on the recovery of all agriculture-related bank loans, exemption/concessions on current electricity bills for agricultural pumps above 7.5 HP capacity (up to 7.5 HP is already waived), waiver of examination fees for school and college students in the affected zones, relaxation of work norm criteria under the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (erstwhile Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) to maximise employment generation and deployment of water tankers wherever drinking water shortages occur.

Further, the government has issued strict orders preventing the disconnection of agricultural pump power supplies in declared ‘scarcity villages’. It has ordered the implementation of targeted distribution systems to prevent foodgrain shortages for farmers and daily-wage agricultural workers, measures to ensure adequate supply and availability of fodder for cattle, immediate rollout of water conservation works in the affected belts and comprehensive planning for drinking and livestock water resources in accordance with government directives.

Mumbai: Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar visited the project site today (September 30, 2026) to inspect the flyover and subway project currently under construction by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation between the Nehru Science Centre and the Nehru Planetarium in Worli. During the visit, he reviewed the current status and progress of various works, as well as the future course of action. Bangar issued clear directives to accelerate the pace of work to ensure that the remaining project tasks are completed within the stipulated timeframe; specifically, he instructed that the flyover work be completed by January 31, 2027.

On the Nehru Science Centre (NSC) side, the work on 1,200 mm diameter main piles is 100% complete. Work on 17 out of the total 18 pile caps, piers, and pier caps has been finished. Similarly, on the Jijamata Nagar side, the 1,200 mm diameter main piling work is complete; all 17 pile caps, piers, and pier caps have been finished. Fabrication of portal beams and girders is underway at both the project site and the manufacturing unit. Work on all 14 portal beams is complete, and 17 out of the 18 girder spans have been finished. Work on the remaining girder spans is currently underway. The installation of portal beams and girder spans is progressing rapidly; out of a total of 14 portal beams, 13 have been installed, and work on 9 of the 18 girder spans has been completed. Furthermore, deck slab concreting has been finished for 7 of the 18 spans, with work ongoing on another 2.

The Nehru Science Centre flyover will save travel time for commuters. Currently, motorists using this route are forced to take a longer, alternative path via Worli Naka (Acharya Atre Chowk). The proposed flyover is expected to reduce travel time by approximately 15 minutes. It will provide a more convenient and direct route connecting E. Moses Road to Annie Besant Road and the Dharmveer Swarajya Rakshak Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Coastal Road. Vehicles arriving from Lower Parel, Mahalaxmi, and Curry Road will also be able to use this flyover directly. Consequently, this will help alleviate traffic congestion in the Worli Naka area; the reduction in travel distance and traffic jams will also save fuel for vehicle owners.

Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar directed that proper planning regarding manpower, machinery, and resources be implemented to ensure the remaining project works are completed on schedule. He directed that the pace of work be accelerated and the project advanced through effective coordination among various departments. He also instructed that a traffic plan be formulated in collaboration with the traffic police.

Chief Engineer (Bridges) Rajesh Muley, along with other concerned officials and engineers, was also present on the occasion.

Mumbai, Sep 30: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said that Maharashtra is India’s undeniable startup capital, both in sheer numbers and effective implementation.

At the prize distribution ceremony of the 4th edition of ‘The Governance Challenge’, he expressed confidence that youth-led research and innovation will soon position Maharashtra as a global innovation hub.

The prestigious governance competition was organised in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Samagra. Prominent dignitaries present included Chief Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal, MITRA Governing Council Member Deepak Karanjikar and Gates Foundation Deputy Director Arnav Kapoor.

CM Fadnavis said that Maharashtra currently hosts over 18% of India’s total startups, exceeding 30,000 active ventures—the highest in the nation. He announced plans to construct a massive 300-acre Innovation City in Navi Mumbai, focusing primarily on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced deep-tech research.

Under the Maharashtra Artificial Intelligence Policy 2026, the state will establish dedicated AI incubators and train over 200,000 youth and working professionals. Additionally, ‘M-Hub’ is being built as the state’s first dedicated startup incubator, he informed. Powered by innovation, Maharashtra aims to build a $1 trillion economy by 2030 and expand to a $2 trillion economy by 2035, he said.

CM Fadnavis stated that the state is establishing an end-to-end innovation pipeline—bridging ideas from tier-2 and tier-3 regional centres (such as Nagpur, Nashik, Kolhapur, Nanded, and Amravati) directly into market-ready global enterprises. “This initiative goes beyond a mere competition—it is a platform to discover talent and ideas that will shape the future administrative setup of Maharashtra and India. Hackathons should not end with certificates; their true strength lies in real-world implementation,” he added.

Chief Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal emphasised the synergy between government, corporate sectors, and market dynamics to foster self-sustaining innovations with minimal governmental friction.