On October 10, 2017, Maharashtra State cabinet approved a climate change adaptation policy that will focus on developing environment-friendly villages and cities also decided to set up a separate cell to oversee the implementation of the policy under the state Environment Department.
Key objective:
- To develop environment-friendly villages and cities.
Other decisions taken by the Maharashtra State Cabinet:
- Cabinet has approved provision of funds for agriculture pumps and special scheme for pending agricultural pumps in Vidarbha and Marathwada region.
- Maharashtra cabinet also grants Rs 10 lakh to the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal and six other regional educational institutions and for the development of basic infrastructure of 26 municipal corporations in A and D category in the state, and also increased subsidy from 50 percent to 75 percent.
- State government has accepted 14 recommendations and set up a panel of experts to oversee the implementation of the policy.
- One of the main recommendations is to ensure plantation of trees and protect the area around the origins of a river for preventing soil erosion to reduce the intensity of floods.
- The government will spread awareness about the need for protection of the environment and through people participation; it will create climate proof villages through Jan Sabha.
- Under The policy approved by the state cabinet, will invest in research on seeds and fruits and promote native varieties as Climate change will vastly affect the yield of sugarcane, cotton and wheat, and these will be prone to diseases unless newer technologies that increase resilience against climate change are adopted.
- The state government set strict norms to reduce air pollution from vehicles and assured the Centre that it will introduce congestion tax in urban areas to discourage use of private vehicle where it has created sufficient public transport capacity.
| Name of the policy | Climate change adaptation policy |
|---|---|
| Launched by | Maharashtra govt |
| Approved | On October 10, 2017 |
| Aim of this scheme | To develop environment-friendly villages and cities. |
