The Maharashtra government is working efficiently even though there is no full-fledged cabinet in place, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Tuesday and promised to "soon" undertake the exercise to add new members in his team.
At present, Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis -- both took oath on June 30 -- are the only members of the state cabinet. "We will soon expand our cabinet. Even as the cabinet expansion has not taken place, the government is working efficiently. We have taken multiple decisions that are people-oriented," Shinde told reporters when asked about the long-awaited exercise to expand his team.
The CM, who is on a Pune visit, reviewed the status of various development-related projects in five districts that fall under the Pune division.
Shinde listed major decisions taken by his government and mentioned about reducing fuel prices, granting approval for constructing a Metro car shed at Aarey Colony in Mumbai and proposed diversion of rainwater to drought-prone areas of Marathwada in central Maharashtra.
Responding to the controversy over shifting of the proposed MIDC (Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation) area from Saswad in Pune to Koregaon town in adjoining Satara district, Shinde said any decision on the issue will be taken only after considering technical aspect and availability of land.
"We will take a decision on the MIDC area after considering availability of land (in Koregaon)," he said. Asked about the proposed international airport at Purandar in Pune district, Shinde said the new aerodrome will be developed at the site selected during the tenure of the BJP government.
During the Devendra Fadnavis-led government (2014-19), a land parcel under Purandar tehsil was identified for the airport. However, the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, citing opposition from local farmers, shifted the project to nearby villages under the same tehsil.
The Ministry of Defence, however, revoked the approval for the project site identified by the MVA government. During his Pune visit, Shinde is scheduled to attend multiple programmes, including a public rally in Saswad.
(With PTI Inputs)
