Just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Maharashtra cabinet on Monday cleared 18 proposals, including the development of a 300-acre park in Mumbai and the construction of a guesthouse in Ayodhya for pilgrims from the state. As per an official statement, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde chaired a cabinet meeting, during which he cleared the urban development department’s proposal to develop a 300-acre landscaped park along the lines of New York’s Central Park.
The cabinet approved the public works department’s proposed construction of a guesthouse in Ayodhya for pilgrims from the state visiting the newly inaugurated Ram temple and other sites in the Uttar Pradesh town, it said.
Among other decisions, the cabinet also cleared a proposal by the women and child development to include names of mothers in all state government documents. The department had earlier said that this decision could be seen as a step towards giving more recognition to mothers as government documents traditionally carry the father’s name.
The cabinet also approved the housing department’s proposal to reduce stamp duty for residents of the BDD chawl and slums and a plan for permanent houses for families of workers from 58 textile mills, which were once operational in the city.