The Maharashtra Cabinet approved the ‘Mukhyamantri Baliraja Shet-Pandan Rasta Yojana’, which aims to build all-weather, motorable farm-to-field roads across rural Maharashtra through fully mechanised construction.
Maharashtra Approves New Scheme for All-Weather Farm-to-Field Roads
The scheme’s goal is to improve connectivity between farms and villages and remove delays in transporting agricultural goods.
It intends to make transportation easier, accessible, and affordable for farmers so they can reach markets without difficulty.
Officials expect the new scheme to eliminate long-standing challenges that existed under the earlier MGNREGA road-construction framework.
Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, who heads the monitoring committee, said farmers have struggled “for decades” with muddy and damaged approach roads that become unusable during monsoon.
He stated that the scheme will ensure durable roads reaching every farm, enabling timely sowing, smooth harvesting, and faster movement of produce to markets.
The plan allows 100 per cent use of machinery to ensure fast, high-quality construction and reduce reliance on manual labour.
Scheme Calls for Immediate Removal of Encroachments on Marked Village Roads
The scheme mandates the immediate removal of any encroachments on roads marked in village maps.
It also includes “mandatory tree plantation on both sides of every road (Bihar pattern or through MGNREGA),” according to an official.
As per the official, “Mandatory tree plantation on both sides of every road (Bihar pattern or through MGNREGA) will be done under the scheme. Dedicated funding will be provided through cluster-based tendering (25-km clusters) to ensure rapid execution. The scheme will be implemented across all districts of Maharashtra and will be monitored by a high-level committee headed by Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule.”
In short, funding will be allocated through cluster-based tendering for 25-km stretches to speed up the execution process.
The scheme will be implemented across every district in Maharashtra and monitored by a high-level committee led by the Revenue Minister.
Special campaigns were launched on September 17, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday, to accelerate execution of the program.
In its first phase, the scheme is expected to benefit 50,000 farmers and cover 1 lakh acres of farmland.
