Now Reading: Maharashtra scraps extra 10% construction rates in tribal areas
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Maharashtra scraps extra 10% construction rates in tribal areas
The Maharashtra government has withdrawn the additional 10 per cent construction rate previously allowed for works in tribal-dominated areas. The Public Works Department issued an order on Thursday cancelling the provision under…
The Story in Brief
The Maharashtra government has withdrawn the additional 10 per cent construction rate previously allowed for works in tribal-dominated areas. The Public Works Department issued an order on Thursday cancelling the provision under the State Schedule of Rates 2022-23, aligning tribal works with general-area rates. The decision followed a meeting of top bureaucrats and ministers who found that existing facilities in tribal areas did not justify the extra cost. The Tribal Development Department also agreed, according to India Today.
The move is part of a wider cost-cutting drive by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Earlier steps included halving the number of vehicles in ministerial convoys, cancelling proposed foreign tours, and advising ministers to use commercial flights instead of special aircraft or helicopters.
The Indian Opinion
This move will be welcomed by fiscal conservatives, but the real test is whether basic infrastructure in tribal areas suffers. The government’s claim that existing facilities justify the rate cut is vague, numbers on current road quality and connectivity would settle the argument. Without transparent data, critics will see it as cost-cutting at the cost of remote communities. Will the government publish a comparison of tribal-area construction progress before and after this order?
Source: indiatoday.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
