Maharashtra Rural Development Minister Jaykumar Gore on Wednesday, 24 June 2026 assured the state Legislative Assembly that the Gharkul Housing Scheme faces no fund shortage and that instalment disbursements to beneficiaries will not be halted under any circumstances. The minister also announced a fresh target to construct 15 lakh houses across Maharashtra within the next year.

Progress on the Ground

Responding to questions raised by members Sameer Kunawar, Nilesh Rane, Rahul Patil, Sudhir Mungantiwar, and Nana Patole, Minister Gore outlined the scheme's current status. Against last year's target of over 29 lakh houses, 28.17 lakh beneficiaries were identified and 27,85,724 houses were sanctioned.

Of these, the first instalment has been released to over 26 lakh households, the second to over 17 lakh, and the third to over 11 lakh. A total of 6,05,596 houses have been fully completed, making Maharashtra the first state in the country to complete six lakh houses within a single year.

Funding Details and SPARSH Glitches

On the financial front, Gore disclosed that ₹5,290 crore was received under the scheme in 2025–26, while ₹13,947 crore has been received in 2026–27. He acknowledged past delays in releasing instalments, attributing them to technical glitches in the Central Government's SPARSH online fund distribution system. He clarified that the portal is now functioning smoothly and no beneficiary's funds will be withheld going forward.

For beneficiaries without available land, the government is providing up to ₹1 lakh per beneficiary to assist with land purchase.

RTO Strike Called Off After Government Concessions

In a separate development reported to the Assembly, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced that employees of the Regional Transport Office (RTO) have withdrawn their indefinite strike after the government accepted several of their demands. The strike, which had begun on 16 June 2026, had threatened to disrupt daily transport operations for lakhs of citizens.

Following negotiations, the government agreed to renew orders for temporary promotions to the post of Office Superintendent for three months, with General Administration Department (GAD) approval to extend them for up to 11 months. A proposal covering 23 promotions to Senior Administrative Officer and Administrative Officer posts has been forwarded to the GAD.

Key Concessions to RTO Employees

The government also agreed to expedite service entry rules for Office Superintendent and Class-3 cadres. Designation changes are being considered — renaming Clerks and Typists to 'Transport Assistant' and Senior Clerks to 'Senior Transport Coordinator Assistant'. The finalisation of service entry rules for Assistant Police Motor Vehicle Prosecutor posts is reportedly in its final stages.

The Transport Commissioner has been directed to immediately address benefits under the Assured Career Progression Scheme for Senior Clerks and Office Superintendents. Sarnaik stated that demands linked to the Transfer Act 2005 will also be addressed within the framework of existing rules and administrative requirements.

'The government is committed to respecting the employees, addressing their problems, and securing their future,' Sarnaik said, adding that the aim is to make the transport department 'more capable, efficient and people-oriented through dialogue, sensitivity and coordination.' With the strike withdrawn, transport department operations are expected to resume normally. Both developments signal the Maharashtra government's intent to clear pending welfare and infrastructure backlogs ahead of the next legislative session.