The Maharashtra Cabinet on Thursday (May 14, 2026) cleared a host of proposals, including a revised policy for silt removal from irrigation reservoirs aimed at enhancing their water storage capacity and providing fertile silt to farmers.
Six such dams will be taken up on a pilot basis, said officials.
The government said the move will help increase reservoirs’ storage capacity, conserve dams and make nutrient-rich silt available to farmers for use in their fields.
The Cabinet, at its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, decided that candidates from reserved categories who have availed of relaxations in age, educational qualifications, experience or number of attempts in examinations will henceforth be appointed only against reserved quota vacancies and will not be eligible to claim appointment to open category posts.
In another major decision, the Cabinet approved a revised organisational structure for the Soil and Water Conservation Department and sanctioned 8,767 posts, including 2,284 additional positions, to strengthen the department’s field-level machinery.
