Maharashtra Politics & Governance

Satara Civil Surgeon suspended after body mix-ups

1 April 2026

Maharashtra’s Public Health Department suspended Satara District Civil Surgeon Dr Yuvraj Karpe and ordered a departmental inquiry after two body mix-ups at the district government hospital within a month. One of the incidents occurred on 5 March.

Census 2027 house-listing phase scheduled with online self-enumeration

1 April 2026

The house-listing and housing phase of Census 2027 was scheduled for April to September 2026, with each state and Union Territory selecting its own 30-day enumeration period. The census is planned as a digital exercise with online self-enumeration, and the Union government approved a budget of ₹11,718.24 crore.

Key Facts

• The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India conducts the census under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Self-enumeration lets residents submit their own census information online.

Maharashtra orders faster city gas network expansion

1 April 2026

Maharashtra ordered measures to accelerate expansion of its city gas distribution network, including treating pending pipeline-permission applications as approved and setting a 24-hour deadline for new applications. The measures also waive road-restoration charges and permit round-the-clock work; the Director of Civil Supplies was designated as nodal officer.

Key Facts

• The order prioritizes household PNG supply while providing hotels, schools, hospitals, community kitchens and hostels 50% commercial supply.

Maharashtra Cabinet approves river authority and Sakalai irrigation funding

1 April 2026

The Maharashtra Cabinet approved the establishment of a state river-rejuvenation authority to undertake projects covering 54 polluted river stretches. It also approved ₹1,234 crore for the Sakalai lift-irrigation scheme in Ahilyanagar district; both decisions remain to be implemented.

Key Facts

• The Sakalai lift-irrigation scheme is intended to benefit about 32 drought-affected villages and irrigate 9,600 hectares.

Maharashtra approves ₹500-crore tranche for pending farm-loan-waiver benefits

1 April 2026

Maharashtra approved a first tranche of ₹500 crore for pending benefits under the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Shetkari Sanman Yojana, the 2017 farm-loan waiver. Distribution is to be made online to eligible accounts under scheme rules, with priority for account holders linked to district central cooperative banks in Nagpur, Wardha, Buldhana, Nashik, Jalna, Dharashiv and Nanded.

Key Facts

• The waiver targets eligible loan accounts on the scheme’s ‘green list’, with payments routed online through the Cooperation Commissioner.

Aadhaar-based payments required for MahaDBT agricultural subsidies

1 April 2026

From 1 April 2026, agricultural subsidies through Maharashtra’s MahaDBT portal are to use Aadhaar-based payments, replacing account-based payments through PFMS. Farmers’ bank accounts must be linked to Aadhaar for transfers, and Aadhaar-based approval is required for disbursement.

Key Facts

• Aadhaar is a voluntary, 12-digit resident identity based on demographic and biometric data; UIDAI assigns the number.

Maharashtra keeps Ready Reckoner rates unchanged for 2026–27

1 April 2026

Maharashtra kept Ready Reckoner rates unchanged for the 2026–27 financial year, effective 1 April. The rates serve as annual market-value benchmarks for property transactions. District proposals had sought average increases of 5–8%, but the state decided against an increase; technical changes to valuation records were also reported.

Key Facts

• Ready Reckoner rates are annual market-value benchmarks used in property valuation and transactions.

BMC Standing Committee approves proposed Gargai water-supply project

1 April 2026

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s Standing Committee approved the proposed Gargai water-supply project near Ogde village in Palghar district. The dam is planned to add 440 million litres per day to Mumbai’s supply, while forest and wildlife clearances remain pending. The project is proposed to affect some villages fully and others partly, with rehabilitation planned.

Key Facts

• The proposed rehabilitation package offers each affected family a job for one member or ₹5 lakh as an alternative.

Maharashtra defends decision on Muslim-reservation ordinance in High Court

2 April 2026

The Maharashtra government told the Bombay High Court that the 2014 ordinance providing 5% reservation for Muslims in education had lapsed because it was not converted into law within the prescribed period. The Court adjourned a petition challenging the state’s decision and gave the government two weeks to respond; petitioners were allowed a week to reply thereafter.

Maharashtra issues statewide IAS reshuffle

2 April 2026

Maharashtra issued transfers affecting district and municipal administration, including Kumar Ashirwad’s appointment as Nagpur District Collector and S. Karthikeyan’s appointment as Solapur District Collector. Other reported changes ...