Mumbai: The BJP led Mahayuti government will procure 50 Apple iPads worth Rs 1.16 crores for all the council of ministers and some government officials, who are going to attend the cabinet. The government will procure 50 iPads. The cost per iPad comes to around Rs 2.33 lakhs.
A government official claimed that it will help the state government reduce the use of paper and go digital while holding cabinet meetings. The iPads will provide access to a user-friendly dashboard featuring relevant references, cabinet proposals and implementation of past decisions, the official said.
The GAD (general administration department) has issued a GR (government resolutions) in connection with procurement of i-Pads for the council of ministers.
Soon after coming to power in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had decided to adopt the digitalization of the cabinet. In January 2025, Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik gave a presentation on “e-cabinet” files and the introduction of a paperless office before the cabinet. During that meeting, the Chief Minister insisted on the e-cabinet. At present, the e-cabinet has been implemented in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura of the country.
The GR said that to implement full-fledged e-cabinet, all ministers of the council will need to be provided iPads. “Chief Secretary Office has requested to procure 50 iPads for ministers of the council,” the GR said.
It further said that Rs 1,16,65,000 has been approved for the iPads and related articles. At present, Maharashtra has 41 ministers including the chief minister and his two deputies.
A senior official said that the information technology (IT) department will give training to the ministers, who are not techno savvy, in the coming days. The cabinet will be held in hybrid manner until all the ministers will become comfortable with e-cabinet mechanism.
