Good news for anyone waiting for better homes and smarter cities in Maharashtra! On Tuesday, 18 November 2025, the state cabinet took several big decisions that will change how land is used and how people live.
The star of the show is the brand-new “Iconic Cities” policy. For years, huge chunks of land owned by CIDCO (the agency that built Navi Mumbai) and other government bodies have just been sitting idle. Now the government has said: let’s turn these into world-class townships with proper homes, offices, schools, parks and even international business zones. Each township can have its own theme – think tech city, education hub or green living zone. This means thousands of new flats, lakhs of jobs and entire new neighborhoods that look and feel modern, not just another concrete jungle.
Mumbai’s home buyers have reason to cheer too. The cabinet cleared the redevelopment of all old MHADA colonies that sit on 20 acres or more in the city and suburbs. Many of these 40-50-year-old buildings are crumbling, with tiny 200–300 sq ft homes. Redevelopment will bring taller towers, bigger 1BHK and 2BHK flats, and still keep a good portion genuinely affordable for the original residents. Suddenly, thousands of middle-class and lower-middle-class families will get modern homes without having to move to faraway Ulhasnagar or Virar.
Farmers and project-affected people waiting years for compensation also got relief. The cabinet created new posts in the Relief and Rehabilitation Department so that pending land acquisition and resettlement cases move faster. No more endless delays and court trips.
Students and job seekers have something to smile about as well. The Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skills University finally got the green light to fill 339 posts – 232 teachers and 107 support staff. This means the university can start proper classes and train youngsters for real jobs instead of just theory.
In a small but important move, the government decided to clean up old, hurtful language from laws. Words like “leper” and “leper asylum” will be removed from the 1959 anti-begging law, as ordered by the Supreme Court. It’s a step toward dignity and respect for everyone.
The cabinet also cleared changes to the 1950 Public Trusts Act to make management of temples, charities and trusts smoother and more transparent.
Put together, Tuesday was a big day for Maharashtra’s future. Land that was locked for decades will finally become lively cities. Old, unsafe buildings in Mumbai will turn into proper homes. Youngsters will get better skills training, and old laws will sound kinder.
For ordinary citizens, the message is clear: whether you’re hunting for an affordable flat, worried about traffic-clogged suburbs, or just want cleaner, better-planned towns, the government has started pressing the accelerator. Now the real test begins – turning these approvals into actual homes, roads and jobs on the ground.
