Maharashtra Forms Ministerial Task Force to Implement State Drone Policy
The Maharashtra government has announced the formation of a ministerial task force under the Electronics, Information Technology, and Artificial Intelligence department to oversee the implementation of the State’s drone policy. The decision was finalized on Thursday during a meeting with drone manufacturing representatives at Sahyadri Guest House in Malabar Hill, Mumbai.
The task force will be chaired by Ashish Shelar, the State Minister for Electronics, Information Technology, and Artificial Intelligence. The move comes in response to drafting conflicts, procedural delays, and industry concerns regarding a lack of competitive incentives compared to other states.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that the primary need for the policy is to strengthen the existing drone ecosystem by assisting operating companies while simultaneously attracting fresh investments. During the discussions, Mr. Fadnavis called for creating a “policy of policies” by consolidating various provisions from existing State policies that govern research and development.
The meeting followed concerns raised by BJP leader Dhananjay Mahadik, who had written to the Chief Minister requesting an inquiry into an alleged conflict of interest involving consultants tasked with drafting the policy. The letter noted that these issues could adversely impact local businesses, drone training operators, and women entrepreneurs. The government convened the stakeholder meeting to address these matters and gather feedback directly from the industry.
The government had previously approved the Maharashtra Automated Systems Policy 2026 two months ago in June, which aims to attract ₹25,000 crore in investments and generate more than 1,00,000 jobs across the state.
In addition to establishing the task force, Mr. Fadnavis instructed officials to expedite work on developing a dedicated 'Drone City' in the Industrial City area of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. He also suggested that a special incentive policy should be considered over the next two to three years to facilitate land allocation for the drone industry through the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation.
