The Maharashtra Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday cancelled the decision taken by the previous Devendra Fadnavis government to dissolve the Nagpur Improve Trust (NIT). The Cabinet has given its nod for the revival of NIT which will function as planning authority in the earmarked area while the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) will be planning authority for the area under its jurisdiction.
The Fadnavis government had taken an in-principle decision on December 27, 2016 under the provisions of Rule 121 (2) to remove NIT from Nagpur and take away its jurisdiction within municipal limits. The overlapping jurisdiction of NIT and NMC was a point of friction between both the agencies and there was a demand to scrap NIT or at least drastically curtail its powers for areas within 217 sq km area of Nagpur city.
Nagpur District Guardian Minister Dr Nitin Raut had consistently demanded restoration of NIT as planning authority citing incomplete works in city and fulfilling development of city. The cabinet accorded its nod as the government had received representations for the revival of NIT while citing the NMC’s failure on Gunthewari regularisation front and development of unauthorised layout.
Meanwhile, the state cabinet also cleared the Chief Minister’s Water Conservation Project which aims to restore and revive the water sources across the state. The proiect will be implemented between April 2021 and March 2023 with the proposed expenditure of Rs 1,375 crore.
Although the state has increased irrigation potential through dams and also revival and restoration of water sources, enough attention has not been paid on its maintenance. So far 7916 schemes have been completed. The cabinet has cleared the repairs in water sources and thereby increase the irrigation potential and restore water availability. The project will be implemented through the department of soil and water conservation.
