Even the district scheme funds are being directed towards drought relief...! Administrative approval deadline extended until 30 November...; priority given to water conservation, agriculture, health and education projects.

Large‑scale water‑intensive concrete roads and sewer works should not receive administrative approval.

Mumbai, 5 Oct 2026 (Anant Nalavde) – In the state, against the backdrop of a drought‑like situation, the state government has prioritized the use of funds in the District Annual Plan (General) 2026‑27. Consequently, the government has extended the deadline for administrative approval of works that were due to be completed by 30 September 2026 to 30 November 2026. However, during this extended period, the government has issued clear instructions that construction projects requiring large amounts of water should not receive administrative approval, while prioritizing works related to water conservation, agriculture, health and education.

According to the planning department's government decision No. JGP‑1026/PR No.196/Jivin‑1 (E‑1762412), dated 5 Oct 2026, this decision was taken. In line with this, while extending the deadline for approving pending works in the District Annual Plan, the government has not only extended the period but also provided clear indications on which types of works should be prioritized based on the current situation.

Primarily, the government has given explicit instructions to grant administrative approval to water storage works, water conservation, drainage deepening, soil conservation, water‑laden irrigation campaigns, repair of seasonal dams, recharge shafts and strengthening of water sources near water supply schemes, laying planks on Kolhapur‑style dams, and strengthening of dams. Thus, in the context of drought, this is seen as a clear administrative priority to redirect district planning funds toward water availability and strengthening water resources.

Health and education facilities are also prioritized…

Government, district and sub‑district hospitals as well as primary health centres’ basic facilities maintenance and related works are also in the priority list. Likewise, maintenance and repair of basic facilities in government residential schools, ashram schools, district council schools, anganwadis, industrial training institutes and government colleges have also been prioritized. This also includes Vairin development, agriculture and allied work, village electrification, solar‑based electrification and cemetery repair.

‘Water ban’ is not the case; restrictions on construction approvals…

The most striking instruction in the government decision is that large‑water‑consumption works should not receive administrative approval during the extended period. The government cited concrete roads and sewers for wastewater drainage as examples. Thus, it does not mean a general ban on water use, but a decision not to prioritize large‑water‑consumption works when granting new administrative approval from the District Annual Plan in a drought‑like situation. This has clarified the priority of fund usage before district planning committees and related administrative machinery.

Shadow of code of conduct in four divisions…

In the Pune, Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Amravati divisions, strict adherence to the ideal code of conduct applicable in the context of elections for graduate and teacher constituencies has also been instructed. Therefore, when granting administrative approval for development works in these four divisions, the availability of funds, technical‑economic rules and the limits of the code of conduct will all need to be checked. The divisional commissioners, district magistrates, competent authorities and implementing machinery are also ordered to ensure that the code of conduct is not violated.

New context for district planning politics…

Since the District Annual Plan is an important source of funds for local development, the approval of works has both administrative and local political significance. However, this year, against the backdrop of a drought‑like situation and the election code of conduct in the four divisions, the question of “which work first” will be as important as the availability of funds. Because precisely for this reason, the government has taken the stance of prioritizing water conservation, agriculture, Vairin, health and education basic facilities, and not granting administrative approval to some large‑water‑consumption constructions during this period.

What has changed…?

Approval deadline: 30 September replaced by 30 November 2026

Priority: water conservation, agriculture, Vairin, health, education, electrification

Avoid approval: large‑water‑consumption works… e.g. concrete roads, sewers for wastewater drainage…

Special condition: strict adherence to the ideal code of conduct in Pune, Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Amravati divisions.

Rule: Compliance with financial, technical standards and available provisions is mandatory....
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