The Maharashtra Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, made key decisions on skill development, infrastructure liquidity, and administrative reforms. One significant approval was for the launch of Pradhan Mantri Skilling And Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM SETU) in Industrial Technical Institutes to enhance youth employment opportunities. This initiative will initially roll out in ITIs in Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Pune districts, aiming to provide better job prospects through enhanced technical training.
The PM SETU scheme, initiated by the Centre on October 4, 2025, with a budget of Rs 60,000 crore, focuses on modernizing 1,000 government ITIs. It follows a “hub-and-spoke” model to align vocational training with industry demands, emphasizing infrastructure, technology, and curriculum upgrades to boost youth employability. The ultimate goal is to elevate government ITIs into Centers of Excellence, aligning training with industry needs effectively.
In another development, the cabinet approved waiving stamp duty on transactions involving “Enemy Properties” under government possession, simplifying their sale and purchase processes. Additionally, the utilization of the TReDS (Trade Receivables Discounting System) Platform was sanctioned to expedite pending payments for contractors, particularly benefiting Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) working with the Public Works Department (PWD) to ensure smoother cash flows for infrastructure projects.
Moreover, the cabinet greenlit the revival of the Jawahar Shetkari Sahakari Soot Girni (Cooperative Spinning Mill) in Dhule, with a formal request for support to be forwarded to the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) in New Delhi. Furthermore, lease periods for government lands allocated for diverse purposes will now be extended, as per the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code (1966) and the Maharashtra Land Revenue (Disposal of Government Lands) Rules (1971), allowing for longer lease durations beyond the usual 30 years.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was absent from the cabinet meeting, currently in his hometown in Satara district. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule clarified that Shinde’s absence was due to prior commitments, dispelling any notions of discord within Mahayuti.
