Maharashtra cabinet approves new startup policy, freight corridor project

The Maharashtra Cabinet on Tuesday approved several key decisions, including a new startup and innovation policy, a freight corridor project, land reforms, and enhanced support for leprosy care organisations.

The cabinet approved the Maharashtra Startup, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy 2025 to promote skill development, entrepreneurship, and innovation across the state, a statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said.

It also gave approval for a new freight corridor connecting the Vadhavan Port (in Palghar district) to the Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg at Bharvir. The project planning and land acquisition process have been cleared, the release said.

A policy for the disposal of unviable government land was also cleared by the cabinet. This includes small, narrow, inaccessible or landlocked plots that are unsuitable for construction, it said.

A revised policy for the commercial use of surplus land of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation was also approved, allowing the MSRTC to monetise additional land holdings, it said.

The release further said a Rs 50 crore grant for 1,124 workers of Nagpur Weavers' Cooperative Spinning Mill has been sanctioned. The grant will be funded through the sale of the mill's land.

The cabinet also approved an increase in the monthly grant for the non-government organisations (NGOs) working for leprosy patients from Rs 2,000 to Rs 6,000, the statement said.