Fadnavis okays amendments to GST, Maharashtra Public Universities Act

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis approved several important decisions related to the restructuring of departments under various ministries, the streamlining of the process for approving new colleges in the state, and amendments to the Goods and Services Act at a cabinet meeting here on Tuesday.

An important decision was taken to restructure state ministerial departments by approving a proposal from the General Administration Department. Accordingly, the number of administrative departments, which is currently 33, will be increased to 43. Two sub-departments included in the same department will henceforth function as separate departments.

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The restructuring will not create any new posts; instead, it will divide work more effectively among existing officials to facilitate swifter decision-making and implementation. This move is intended to speed up administrative processes in the state, sources said.

The cabinet also approved amendments to the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016, as proposed by the Department of Higher and Technical Education. These reforms are expected to facilitate the final approval of new colleges being set up in the state, the opening of new faculties in existing colleges, and the introduction of new courses, subjects, and additional units to ensure that students have more educational options available in their locality.

As per the proposal of the state Finance Department, the cabinet approved the amendment to the Maharashtra Goods and Services Tax (MGST) Act, 2017, to maintain consistency with the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Act, 2017.

Cabinet approval has been given to make necessary changes in the Maharashtra Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which is expected to help increase the uniformity between the state and central GST laws, in order to make the tax system more coherent and effective.

The cabinet approved the proposal of the Industries Department to increase the loan-raising powers of the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) through the promulgation of an ordinance and necessary amendments to the Maharashtra Industrial Development Act, 1961. The decision is expected to make it easier to raise funds for industrial infrastructure development and accelerate industrial projects in the state.

These decisions of the state cabinet are expected to strengthen the objectives of making the state administration more efficient, promote expansion in the higher education sector, enable more coherence in the tax system, as well as increase economic capacity for industrial development.

However, Tuesday’s cabinet meeting also witnessed Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena ministers expressing their strong displeasure to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis about Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde not being invited to a recent event where Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue was unveiled at the Adani-owned Navi Mumbai International Airport.

Shiv Sena ministers at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting demanded action against officials of CIDCO, the Protocol Department and the Airport Authority of India responsible for Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde not being invited to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue unveiling event at the Adani-owned Navi Mumbai International Airport.

At the cabinet meeting, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena ministers stated that keeping Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde away from such an important government event is a serious matter.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took serious note of their statement and assured them that an order will be issued to investigate the matter and that appropriate action will be taken against those found guilty.