Maha cabinet clears MahaNet Digital Infrastructure Limited for BharatNet expansion

Mumbai, June 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Maharashtra Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on Tuesday cleared the formation of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) named Mahanet Digital Infrastructure Limited (MDIL) to effectively execute the upgraded BharatNet Phase-2 programme.

According to the government release, MDIL will build a robust, high-speed optical fibre broadband backbone connecting all gram panchayats and rural households to high-speed internet, boosting e-governance, 4G mobile expansion, and Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) connections. The existing network from BharatNet Phase-1 and 2 will be transferred to this new SPV on an "as-is" basis. Crucially, any pending legal disputes or financial liabilities from previous phases will not be passed on to MDIL.

The Administrator of the Digital Bharat Nidhi will serve as the Chairman of MDIL, with senior bureaucrats from Maharashtra's Finance, Rural Development, IT and Revenue departments, along with four central government nominees, serving as board members.

Further, the State cabinet approved crucial amendments to the Maharashtra Employment Guarantee Act, 1977, via an ordinance to seamlessly implement the central government's newly enacted Viksit Bharat Employment and Livelihood Guarantee Mission (Rural)—also known as the Viksit Bharat-G Ram Ji (VBG Ram Ji) Act, 2025.

This amendment will allow the State to integrate local employment generation with national sustainable livelihood goals. It empowers the State government to make necessary budgetary provisions under Section 3-A (1) of the State Act to boost the rural economy. The cabinet has cleared the proposal to send the ordinance to the Governor for formal approval.

Moreover, the State cabinet approved an ordinance extending the deadline for submitting Caste Validity Certificates by an additional six months. This is expected to give local body representatives the relief they need to complete the finalities required for the submission of Caste Validity Certificates.

Due to a temporary manpower shortage in Caste Verification Committees and the deployment of government teachers for census duties, mandatory school and home inquiries faced severe delays.

Representatives elected to reserved seats (SC, ST, and OBC categories) in the Local Self-Government elections held during 2025-26 who faced disqualification risks due to processing delays will be eligible for this final window. The Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act and the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act will be amended accordingly, the release said.

Source: IANS