In the first Maharashtra Cabinet meeting after the Budget session, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, the policy on electric bike taxis to benefit solo commuters across the State was approved. 
| Photo Credit: ANI

In the first Maharashtra Cabinet meeting after the Budget session, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday (April 1, 2025), the policy on electric bike taxis to benefit solo commuters across the State was approved. This was among the nine decisions taken at the meeting, in which infrastructure projects, including the Sindphana river projects and the Gadchiroli railway project, were also cleared.

State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik proposed the policy on e-bike taxis. “The policy has prioritised women’s safety by inducing proper partition between front and pillion riders, and also a roof cover for the monsoon. We are working on the revenue model, providing affordable tariffs for single passengers,” Mr. Sarnaik said.

Also read:Villagers protest mining in Gadchiroli

The Minister said the policy was the “first step” towards a pollution-free Maharashtra. He expected e-bike taxis to generate 10,000 jobs in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, and 20,000 jobs across Maharashtra.

The policy also provides aid of ₹10,000 for children of auto-rickshaws and taxi drivers who wished to apply for e-bike taxis, and were associated with the government-certified corporation. The policy has been formulated on the recommendations of a committee headed by Ramnath Jha.

Mining foundation

The Cabinet also took major decisions for the tribal district of Gadchiroli in Maharashtra, and approved the establishment of the Gadchiroli District Mineral Foundation and the Wadsa-Desaiganj-Gadchiroli railway project.

“The foundation will fulfil the need of creating an industrial environment for setting up ultra mega projects as well as micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) projects in Gadchiroli,” the Chief Minister’s Secretariat said. 

The Cabinet also proposed to form an authority for monitoring the mineral sector in the district, which was approved on Tuesday. The executive committee headed by the Chief Secretary will be responsible for implementing the authority’s decisions, while the authority will be chaired by the Chief Minister and 13 other members.

Administrative expenditure of ₹1,886.05 crore has been approved for the Wadsa-Desaiganj-Gadchiroli railway project, with the State government contributing 50% of the cost (₹943.025 crore).

The Cabinet also approved the establishment of the ‘Maharashtra Research and Vigilance for Enhanced Law Enforcement (MARVEL)‘ to facilitate AI for law enforcement.

The State government approved administrative expenditure of ₹161.12 crore for Nandurbar district’s Nagthan Medium Project, administrative expenditure of over ₹58 crore for three projects on the Sindphana river, and an incentive grant of ₹79.71 lakh for 500 farmers in the Murbad taluk of Thane district.