VIDC Five-Work Cap on Contractors: Relaxation Proposal in Progress at Govt Level The state government confirmed that the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) has imposed a restriction limiting contractors to a maximum of five simultaneous works. This policy, formalized through a VIDC circular dated March 5, 2019, prohibits a single contractor or joint venture consortium from holding more than five projects with the corporation at any given time. The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly was informed on Friday that a proposal to relax this ceiling is currently under consideration by the government. Water resources minister Girish Mahajan clarified that the restriction does not apply to other water resources corporations in the state. He stated that the matter was discussed with the chief minister and that VIDC had forwarded a proposal to the government for relaxing the five-work cap via a letter dated June 5, 2024. However, Mahajan did not provide details on whether the proposal had received approval from the finance department or specify a timeline for a final decision. Chimur MLA Bunty Bhangdiya raised the issue through a starred question, questioning whether the cap was exclusive to VIDC and whether it was disadvantaging local contractors. He alleged that the restriction was leading to outside contractors dominating development projects in Vidarbha. Mahajan acknowledged the concerns but emphasized that the proposal was still under review, with no official announcement on its status yet. The policy has sparked debate over its impact on local businesses and the efficiency of infrastructure projects in the region.#maharashtra_legislative_assembly #vidarbha_illumination_development_corporation #girish_mahajan #chimur_mla_bunty_bhangdiya #vidc_circular_march_5_2019
Two foresters suspended in teak tree felling case; panel moots dept probe Nagpur: Two forest department employees were suspended on January 16 in connection with the unauthorized cutting of 268 teak trees in the reserved forest of Wadgaon range, located in Yavatmal district. During a session of the Maharashtra legislative assembly on Wednesday, forest minister Ganesh Naik disclosed that the suspension was initiated by the deputy conservator of forests. A three-member inquiry panel, led by a retired divisional forest officer, was established to investigate the matter. The committee conducted interviews with the implicated staff, senior officers, and the complainant, reviewed relevant documentation, and submitted its findings to the Yavatmal chief conservator of forests on February 10. The incident highlights ongoing challenges in enforcing forest conservation laws, as the illegal felling of trees in protected areas continues to draw attention. The suspension of the two foresters underscores the administrative response to such violations, though the broader implications of the case remain under scrutiny. The inquiry panel’s report is expected to provide further insights into the circumstances surrounding the tree felling and the roles of those involved. The case also reflects the complexities of managing forest resources in regions where illegal logging persists despite legal frameworks. While the suspension of the officials represents a step toward accountability, it raises questions about the effectiveness of existing mechanisms to prevent such incidents. The involvement of a retired officer in the inquiry suggests a balance between administrative oversight and the need for impartial investigations.#maharashtra_legislative_assembly #yavatmal_district #ganesh_nai #wadgaon_range #forest_minister
State Moves to Register, Regulate Private Tuition Classes After Partial Admission of Arbitrary Fee Complaints Nagpur: The state government has acknowledged complaints regarding private tuition classes allegedly charging excessive fees and has stated it is drafting a law to regulate the sector. In the Maharashtra legislative assembly on Friday, school education minister Dada Bhuse mentioned that a Private Tuition Class Registration and Regulation Act is under preparation. Bhuse explained that the draft law draws on various inputs, including a Bombay High Court order from a petition by the Forum for Fairness in Education, a Supreme Court of India order from a plea by Sukdev Saha, guidelines issued by the Union higher education department in January 2024, a proposal by the Maharashtra Commissioner of Education, and regulatory frameworks adopted by other states. Risod MLA Ramdas Masram raised concerns about the actions taken against unregistered coaching centres operating without approval and charging high fees. He also sought clarity on whether the government planned to curb arbitrary fee collection through legislation. Bhuse mentioned that the draft law is being finalised but did not indicate when it would be introduced in the legislature or enforced. He also did not specify the proposed penalty structure, whether a licensing authority would be set up, or the mechanism for addressing student grievances.#supreme_court_of_india #maharashtra_legislative_assembly #dada_bhuse #forum_for_fairness_in_education #sukdev_saha
Over 1.42 lakh scholarship applications stuck for 5 years Nagpur: Over 1.42 lakh scholarship applications for higher education students under various state government schemes have remained pending verification for up to five years, according to a written reply provided to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. Higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Patil confirmed the backlog came to the government's attention through newspaper reports in December 2025. Of the 9,76,252 applications received over the past five years, 7,80,501 students were awarded scholarships totaling Rs708.41 crore. As of March 9, 2026, 38,628 applications were still pending at the institutional level, while 14,166 remained unresolved at the departmental level. The current academic year, 2025-26, saw the sharpest accumulation of pending applications. Out of 2,07,327 submissions during this period, only 54,836 students had received their scholarships by March 9, 2026. This left 30,332 applications pending at the institutional level and 13,395 unresolved at the departmental level. Patil explained that the higher education directorate issued six circulars between July 2025 and February 2026, directing institutions to clear backlogged applications. Online review meetings were also conducted to address the issue. MLAs questioned the minister about whether colleges and officials responsible for delays should face penalties. Patil stated that no institutional misconduct was found, and the primary cause of the backlog was attributed to students failing to attach required documents, not submitting hard copies to institutions, or providing inaccurate paperwork. A fixed verification deadline could not be established due to the continuous nature of the process.#nagpur #maharashtra_legislative_assembly #chandrakant_patil #rajashri_chhatrapati_shahu_maharaj_scholarship #dr_punjabrao_deshmukh_hostel_allowance_schemes
68 out of 82 irrigation projects in Vidarbha incomplete: Min Nagpur: Out of 82 irrigation projects in Vidarbha, a few of which started over a decade ago, 68 remain incomplete, with their revised combined cost rising to Rs1.42 lakh crore. Only slightly more than half of the planned irrigation potential has been achieved so far, Maharashtra legislative assembly was informed in a written reply on Friday. The issue was raised by MLAs Vijay Wadettiwar, Rohit Pawar, Bhaskar Jadhav, and Vishwajeet Kadam. In his response, water resources minister Girish Mahajan said 14 of the 82 projects had been completed, while the remaining 68 are at different stages of implementation. Mahajan stated that as of March 2025, around Rs57,000 crore had been spent on the 68 ongoing projects. These projects aim to create irrigation potential for 14.56 lakh hectares. However, only 7.36 lakh hectares of irrigation capacity had been developed by June 2025, leaving more than 7.20 lakh hectares yet to be achieved. Regarding Vidarbha's total irrigation backlog of 7,84,720 hectares, Mahajan said 7,41,185 hectares (94%) had been cleared by June 2025. Nevertheless, Akola and Buldhana districts still account for a remaining backlog of 43,535 hectares. Eight projects are facing specific hurdles. Three projects—Human river in Chandrapur, Tultuli, and Chenna (a tributary of Godavari river) in Gadchiroli—are awaiting forest clearance. Meanwhile, Karwafa in Gadchiroli and four other projects have been delayed due to pending land acquisition. Mahajan mentioned that the proposal for forest clearance for the Human river major project has been submitted to the forest department, while the proposal for Chenna is currently being prepared.#maharashtra_legislative_assembly #vijay_wadettiwar #rohit_pawar #bhaskar_jadhav #vishwajeet_kadam
