Confronted with a growing financial burden, the state government has decided to enforce strict financial discipline starting this year. The upcoming state budget, set to be presented in March, will incorporate these measures. Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar has been conducting extensive discussions with finance department officials to gather input and develop effective strategies.
The state currently carries a debt of over Rs7.5 lakh crore, with significant funds going towards interest payments. Additionally, schemes like the Ladki Bahin Yojana have incurred expenditures of around Rs34,000 crore, requiring substantial monthly funds. The state’s precarious financial position has drawn criticism from opposition parties, who blame the ruling Mahayuti alliance for financial mismanagement.
After a decisive victory in the assembly elections, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has initiated review meetings across various departments. During these sessions, he halted some projects approved during the Eknath Shinde administration. Recently, an inquiry committee recommended canceling the tender process for hiring 1,310 ST buses, citing irregularities. A final decision on this matter is expected soon.
Fadnavis has also directed infrastructure departments such as MMRDA, MSRDC and PWD to improve coordination, ensuring duplicate payments for similar work are avoided. Meanwhile, the Women and Children Department has begun streamlining the list of Ladki Bahin Yojana beneficiaries, with 4,000 recipients voluntarily surrendering funds. New criteria for beneficiary selection have also been introduced.
A committee headed by the state agriculture commissioner has proposed discontinuing the Rs1 crore crop insurance scheme, introduced by former CM Eknath Shinde in 2023-24. The scheme, which covered farmers’ contributions to the Prime Minister Crop Insurance Program, has been criticised for alleged irregularities in its implementation.
On Tuesday, Ajit Pawar reiterated the government’s commitment to financial discipline. “We aim to establish financial discipline starting this year, and its impact will be visible in the upcoming budget,” Pawar stated.
State to cap event expenditures
With allegations of huge spending on organizing functions attended by VVIPs, the state government has released an SOP for it. Henceforth the district will be the chief of the organising committee irrespective of the department who is going to host it. All the departments will have responsibilities fixed for them like making available the venue, parking arrangements, erecting a helipad, barricading the venue, various permissions required for the program, etc.
The permissible expenses for holding an event where 50,000 people are expected would be Rs5.05 crore. It will be Rs9.08 crore for an event where one lakh people are expected and Rs25 crore for an event with 3 lakh people expected to gather, says the order signed by Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik.
