The practice of putting up hoardings in villages for personal, celebratory, or promotional purposes will soon be brought under regulation. The Maharashtra Rural Development Department has initiated the process of framing a comprehensive policy to govern hoardings and advertising boards in gram panchayat jurisdictions. Over the past 15 years, the number of hoardings and display boards in villages has grown rapidly, from congratulatory messages and condolence tributes to advertisements by educational institutions, cooperatives, and businesses. At present, there is no unified policy in rural areas, and local gram panchayats levy arbitrary charges based on local resolutions.
To address this, a state-level committee has been formed to draft a structured framework. The committee has been tasked with studying policies from other states, evaluating current practices, assessing the revenue potential for village councils, and establishing protocols for granting permissions and assigning liability in case of accidents. It will also define criteria for using hoardings for government advertisements.
The committee is expected to submit its report by June 6, 2025.
Composition of the Committee:
Chairperson: Director, Panchayat Raj, Maharashtra
Members:
Joint Secretary, Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department, Mantralaya
Deputy Commissioner, Pune Division
Superintending Engineer, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Pune
Executive Engineer, Zilla Parishad, Pune
Vishal Tanpure, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Sindhudurg Zilla Parishad
Rahul Kalbhor, Principal, Gramsevak Training Centre, Manjri, Pune
At present, while municipal corporations and councils follow established advertising policies, villages have lacked consistency. This new initiative aims to bring uniformity and boost revenue for gram panchayats.
“The government's decision to appoint a committee is appropriate. There should be a clear set of rules to help generate income for village councils. A unified policy across the state’s gram panchayats will benefit all,” said Dadaso More, Sarpanch of Ingli village.
This move is expected to streamline outdoor advertising practices in rural Maharashtra and ensure fair revenue distribution while maintaining public order and aesthetics.