State Bhawan At Srinagar And Ayodhya, Solar Pump To Farmers: Key Highlights From Maharashtra Interim Budget 2024-25

Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar, who also holds the Finance portfolio, presented the interim budget for FY 2024-25 in the state Legislative Assembly today, 27 February, 2024. The total expenditure expected for the financial year has been pegged at Rs 600,522 crore.

In his budget speech, Pawar emphasised that since it was an interim budget, the provisions have been made only for the next four months. "Complete budget for FY 24-25 will be prepared and tabled in the monsoon session," he said.

Here are some of the key highlights from the budget speech:

1) Proposal For World Heritage-Tag To Maharashtra Forts

Deputy Chief Minister Pawar said that the proposal for 11 forts in Maharashtra to be declared as World Heritage Sites has been sent to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation by the union government on the request of the state government of Maharashtra.

2) Consistent Support To Maharashtra From Centre

Pawar thanked the union government for consistently supporting the state government in carrying out developmental activities. He noted that a grant-in-aid (over and above state’s share in the goods and services tax revenue pool) of Rs 8,618 crore has been devolved to the state by the centre.

"Apart from this, an interest-free loan for capital investment of Rs 57.73 crore has also been approved by the union government," he said.

3) Infrastructure

The budget entails a provision of Rs 19,000 crore for Public Works Department for construction and maintenance of roads in the state.

Continuing its focus on improving connectivity in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, state government announced that the proposed Swatantryaveer Savarkar Bandra-Versova Sea-Link will be extended up to Palghar, whereas the existing Vilasrao Deshmukh Eastern Freeway will be extended up to Thane.

In order to improve connectivity in the Marathwada region, Pawar announced that government's decision to construct an expressway between Jalna and Nanded. "Cost for land acquisition for the same has been estimated at Rs 2, 886 crore," he said.

This apart, provisions have been made in the budget to augment marine transport and logistics capacity along the state coastline.

In this regard, Pawar said, "Radio Club Jetty in Mumbai and Bhagwati Port in Ratnagiri District will be re-developed at a cost of Rs 229 crore and Rs 300 crore, respectively. Along with this, Janjira and Elephanta Jetty in Raigad District will also be redeveloped at a cost of Rs 111 crore and Rs 88 crore, respectively."

He also said that the work on developing Wadhavan Port as an alternative to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port and the Bombay Port Trust was being fast-tracked.

With regards to the infra-projects to be executed in partnership with the union government, he said, "Capacity expansion work will be undertaken at the Chatrapati Sambhajinagar Airport. Maharashtra Government will give Rs 529 crore to the Airports Authority of India for the same. This apart, the land acquisition work for the much awaited Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail is almost complete."

4) Social Welfare

Finance Minister Pawar announced an increase in the monthly monetary assistance given under the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500.

He also said that the state government will be providing monetary assistance to nearly five thousand women, in ten cities across the state, for starting 'Pink Rickshaw' services.

Apart from emphasising state's commitment to uplift backward and vulnerable sections of the society, Pawar announced that nearly 34,000 houses will be constructed for the specially-abled (Divyang) under the state government's Gharkul Scheme.

5) Industries

The budget reiterated government's stance to encourage industrialisation in the state.

"Work on the five new export oriented industrial parks is in full swing. New mall to encourage Make-in-India will be also built at the cost of Rs 196 crore in Navi Mumbai,” Pawar announced.

6) Irrigation And Agriculture

Flooding of Krishna and Panchganga rivers in monsoon has now become a recurrent phenomenon over the years. To prevent the damage caused to the cities of Sangli and Kolhapur, along with the need to prevent inundation of farms, Pawar announced that a provision of Rs 2,300 crore had been made to erect adequate infrastructure. 

"Along with flood prevention works, provision of Rs 2,000 crore for undoing irrigation deficit in Vidarbha region has also been made in this budget. To alleviate issues related to drinking water supply, the state under the Jal Jeevan Mission has set a target of installing 1.47 crore individual water connections in the rural areas," he added.

Apart from this, Pawar also announced that the state government will provide 850,000 new solar-powered water pumps to all prioritised farmers across the state.

7) Tourism And Culture

While citing several provisions made to enhance tourism in the state, Deputy Chief Minister Pawar announced construction of Maharashtra Bhawan at Srinagar and Ayodhya, for the benefit of tourists from Maharashtra.

"Apart from this, new Marathi Bhasha Bhawans will also be constructed at Delhi, Belgaum and Goa to encourage research and spread of Marathi language," he said.

Considering the appeal of historical icons from the Maratha pantheon, he added that provision for development and redevelopment of monuments of Chhatrapati Sambhaji and Chhatrapati Maloji Raje had been made by the state government, along with a memorial for the socialist ideologue Sane Guruji, at Amalner in Jalgaon.