Mumbai: In a major administrative move, the Maharashtra Government, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has revoked approval for 903 development projects across the state that had remained stalled for the past several years with no visible progress. The decision was formally communicated by the Soil and Water Conservation Department.
The scrapped projects include a range of schemes such as minor irrigation works, core seepage dams, seepage reservoirs, and repair plans for water storage ponds. These initiatives had been languishing without implementation for the last three years due to persistent challenges such as land acquisition issues, opposition from local residents, and non-cooperation from contractors.
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06 June 2025
Instead of granting further extensions, the State Government opted to cancel the administrative approvals entirely to prevent financial wastage and pave the way for more feasible and effective schemes. Officials noted that despite the government’s commitment to development, incomplete and stagnant projects often tie up crucial funds and fail to deliver the intended benefits to the public.
“This decision is expected to free up resources and clear administrative hurdles for newer, better-planned schemes that can be executed without delay,” an official from the department stated.
The move has attracted attention at both district and taluka levels, where the impact of the cancellations will unfold in the coming weeks. Many are viewing the decision as a bold step toward restructuring the state’s developmental priorities.
Tension over ‘Ladki Bahin Yojana’ budget allocation
Meanwhile, the government is also facing criticism from some quarters alleging that large-scale budget allocations for the much-publicized Ladki Bahin Yojana have strained the state treasury. With thousands of crores reserved monthly for the scheme, there have been reports of dissatisfaction among other departments whose funds were reportedly diverted to support it.
However, Chief Minister Fadnavis strongly refuted these claims, dismissing them as baseless. “Only those who don’t understand the budgeting process are making such accusations,” he said. He asserted that the cancellation of the stalled projects has no connection to the funding of the welfare scheme and that the decision was purely administrative, aimed at increasing the state’s operational efficiency and resource optimization.
