Maharashtra to provide 'Diwali kits' ahead of festivites; to include poha, refined flour too

Eknath Shinde/ File Photo/PTI

In a recent cabinet meeting held on Tuesday, October 3, the Maharashtra government made several significant decisions across various departments. The key highlights include provisions for Diwali celebrations, agricultural pump electrification, scholarship schemes for minority students pursuing higher education abroad, and expansion of the judiciary system.

The Shinde government, to enhance Diwali festivities, has announced that this year as well Anand Ration kits will be distributed among the card holders which will cost Rs 100. The kit, which usually consists of semolina, sugar, pulses and cooking oil, will have two new additions - maida (refined flour) and Poha (flattened rice).

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The kits will include 1kg of sugar, 1 litre of cooking oil half a kilogram of semolina, split chickpea dal, poha and refined flour.

The decision will benefit 1,66,71,480 families from low-income backgrounds across Maharashtra. The ration kits will be sold from October 25 to November 30 and a budget allocation of Rs 5,301.9 crore was passed for the same.

Other cabinet decisions

The cabinet also approved an extension of the deadline for the completion of the high-pressure distribution system for agricultural pump electrification until March 31, 2024. This extension comes after the initial plans were delayed due to heavy rains and transformer installations. Additionally, 23 agricultural pump electrification projects and 4 sub-centers remain pending due to the pandemic. The revised budget for these projects is INR 4,734.61 crores, with a target completion date of March 2024.

Meanwhile, the government said they will give scholarships for 27 minority students per year, starting in the upcoming academic year. These scholarships will be available for postgraduate (PG) and doctoral (Ph.D.) programs in various disciplines, including science, technology, engineering, liberal arts, and humanities.

To expedite the resolution of family disputes, the cabinet also gave its nod to establish five additional family courts in Nagpur. This decision aims to alleviate the backlog of family cases and streamline the judicial process. Currently, there are 8,418 pending cases in these courts, and the allocation for the expansion is INR 5,605.54 lakhs.

During the cabinet meeting, the government directed the agriculture department to begin panchnama of soybean crops which have been affected due to yellow mosaic virus and assured farmers will be receiving relief. The government stated that the panchnamas should be done on priority so insurance coverage can be provided in time. Heavy rainfall and September rains, changes in temperature and other factors have affected soybeans. Especially in the districts of Chandrapur, Nagpur, Gadchiroli, Yavatmal, Solapur, Latur, Washim, and Nanded.