Mumbai, Sep 16 (IANS) The Maharashtra Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on Tuesday approved Maharashtra Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality Policy 2025 with an expenditure plan of Rs 3,268 crore.  The policy proposes a slew of incentives and simplification of procedures for speedy clearances. The cabinet’s decision comes when CM Fadnavis, at the recent WAVES summit, said the entertainment economy is the new engine of development for the state and the country. “With a 500-acre film city now being revamped into a next-generation global studio ecosystem, and a 120-acre media and entertainment city focused on animation, visual effects, and gaming, we will deliver on both these objectives with tangible results in the next few months,” he added.

The CM further noted that the entertainment economy is the new development engine for Maharashtra and India. “Our state is shaping the future of global storytelling. The state government is committed to nurturing this transformation. We create enabling policies to attract global partnerships,” he said. The cabinet also cleared the formation of a Joint venture company by MahaGenco and Sutlej Jalvidyut Nigam Ltd for setting up renewable energy projects of 5,000 MW. It approved financial assistance to Nilkanth Cooperative Spinning Mill in Akola as a “special case” in the ratio of 5:45:50.

The cabinet also approved an increase in the daily subsistence allowance for students in backward class government hostels, as well as a sanitation allowance for students by almost two times. The cabinet gave approval for a two-year extension to Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Shetkari Bhavan Yojana with a total expenditure of Rs 132.48 crore for the construction of new Shetkari Bhavans in 116 market committees across the state and for the renovation of existing buildings.

The cabinet also cleared the Department of Cooperation and Marketing proposal for the construction of 79 new Shetkari Bhavans at various places. In addition, the cabinet also extended by two years the implementation of a scheme for the establishment of modern orange centres at Nagpur, Katol, Kalmeshwar (Nagpur district), Morshi (Amravati district) and Sangrampur (Buldhana district). Also approved to make consequential changes in the form of the scheme. 

It cleared the construction of an access-controlled 94 km expressway between Bhandara and Gadchiroli by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation. The cabinet also approved carrying out the design and land acquisition of the project, and also an expenditure of Rs 931.15 crore for land acquisition and ancillary expenditure. Moreover, the CM-led meeting approved according the cabinet committee status to the State Infrastructure Sub-Committee.