Maharashtra Budget session 2024: A budget for every stratum

With a projected fiscal deficit of Rs 99288 crore and an aim to foster a trilliondollar economy by 2028 the interim budget for 202425 presented by Finance Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday is full of announcements for all strata of societyWithout revising existing taxes or introducing new ones the fiscal deficit is 165 per cent or onesixth of the total outlay The Opposition raised doubts over the health of the economy with such a deficit but both deputy CMs said the deficit is within limitAhead of the general election due in AprilMay and the assembly poll likely to be held in October Pawar presented a budget that referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at least six times and NaMo schemes twiceMajor announcementsThe state government proposed a worldclass skywalk project at Lonavala that costs about Rs 33356 crore Pawar announced the creation of a Maharashtra Bhavan at Srinagar and Shri Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya and R77 crore has been set aside for this A scheme is proposed to provide pink rickshaws to 5000 women in ten major cities was also proposed as well as the establishment of at least five memorials and schemes for minorities OBCs and microOBCsAlso Read Maharashtra Budget 2024 Key highlights of interim budget for FY 202425Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said ldquoThe interim budget is in line with the Central government and an inclusive one with infrastructure development as well as development of religious and historical places It also includes welfare schemes for all strata of societyrdquo he said An outlay of Rs 600522 crore has been proposed for total expenditure in 202425 Revenue receipts of Rs 498758 crore revenue expenditure of Rs 508492 crore and revenue deficit of R9734 crore have been estimatedldquoThe revenue deficit is around 232 per cent which is within the three per cent mandated limit of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act This is an interim budget for four months and maintaining financial discipline we tried to provide projects to every section of societyrdquo said Pawar Despite the revenue deficit Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said state finances are in a healthy condition and the fundamentals are strong He added that the evaluation of the statersquos financial position has to be made scientifically and the aim to make it a 1 trillion economy by 2028 is within sightAgainst the expected GST compensation the state has so far received R110816 crore for the period 201810 to 202324 from the Centre The state received Rs 8618 crore in this financial year The Centre has yet to pay compensation of R5191 crore said Pawar in a press conferenceOpposition SpeakVijay Wadettivar leader of the opposition in the state assembly said ldquoFiscal deficit of R99000 crore means the state has started moving towards bankruptcy The Prime Ministerrsquos dream of creating a trilliondollar economy is going to be a daydream Three lakh crore MoUs were inked in Davos but where did the investment go Only 50 per cent of last yearrsquos budget has been spent so the announcements of this interim budget wonrsquot be implementedrdquoNana Patole chairman of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee claimed people in the state are deeply dissatisfied with the ldquotripleengine government due to political vandalism inflation unemployment exam paper leakage and communal striferdquoInteresting schemes announced in interim budgetgtgt Maharashtra BhavanRs 77 crore has been provided for setting up a Maharashtra Bhavan at Srinagar and Shri Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhyagtgt Maha VistaUnder this Mantralaya and other government buildings in the vicinity will be developed Fadnavis said that they are considering international architectsrsquo plans to develop a worldclass project to enable the accommodation of more MLAs in the coming yeargtgt Drone missionA committee headed by the chief secretary will oversee the implementation of a fiveyear plan drafted on the basis of an IITB report 13 districtlevel and six divisional drone centres will be established An estimated cost of R23863 lakh has been proposed The technology will be used for security surveillance rescue and relief work during disasters delivery of emergency medicines and vaccines to remote areas monitoring infrastructure projects and traffic managementgtgt Solar pumpsUnder the scheme the state will provide solar agricultural pumps to 850 lakh farmers ldquoIt will not only help farmers who complain about loadshedding but also industries who threaten to go outside the state as they arenrsquot receiving a continuous electric supplyrdquo said Ajit Pawargtgt Bamboo plantationBamboo will be planted along 25000 km of state highways and major district roads under the Atal Bambu Samriddhi Yojanagtgt 11 new government medical collegesThese have been proposed for Washim Jalna Hingoli Amravati Bhandara Gadchiroli Wardha Buldhana Palghar Nashik and Ambernath in Thane district They will be attached to 430bed hospitals An All India Institute of Medical Sciences at Aundh Pune is also on the cardsgtgt 7 new government nursing collegesThese have been proposed for Jalgaon Latur Baramati Nandurbar Gondia Kolhapur and Miraj district in Sangli Each will be affiliated with government medical collegesgtgt Schemes for various communitiesFadnavis said that the budget caters to all including women children OBCs and micro OBCs The state interim budget proposes the establishment of the Annabhau Sathe Research and Training Institute for Matang community Sant Gadgebaba Bara Balutedar Economic Backward Development Corporation for overall the development of 12 Balutedar communities The Maulana Azad Economic Development Corporation meanwhile has been given an enhanced loan guarantee of Rs 500 crore for implementing Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Educational Loan and Micro Credit Scheme Outlays of R18816 crore R15360 crore and R5180 crore have been proposed for the department of social justice and special assistance tribal development department and OBC Bahujan Kalyan and minority departmentsgtgt MemorialsThe state government proposed the installation of the Sant Gorobakaka Maharaj in Dharashiv district Veer Jiwa Mahal at the base of Pratapgad Lahuji Vastad Salve at Sangamwadi Pune Sane Guruji at Amalner Jalgaon and Martyr Shri Shivram Hari Rajguru Memorialgtgt Tourism with religious touchA pilgrimage development authority is to be formed for the development of pilgrimage sites at Aundha Nagnath district Hingoli Shri Kshetra Mahurgad Nanded and Ekvira Devi Mandir in Pune Provisions have also been made for the renovation and conservation of 32 forts from to Shivaji Maharajrsquos era to promote tourism in the Konkan Plans are afoot to develop Swarajya Rakshak Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj memorials at Tulapur and Vadu Budruk in Pune district at a cost of R270 crore while R53 crore will be provided for the preservation and conservation of temples and step wellsRs 77crAmount earmarked for creating 2 Maharashtra Bhavans