"Municipal corporation given Rs 800 cr to rid city of pollution": Maharashtra CM

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday offered prayers to Saint Dnyaneshwar and said that the municipal corporation has been given Rs 800 crores to rid the city of pollution.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday offered prayers to Saint Dnyaneshwar and said that the municipal corporation has been given Rs 800 crores to rid the city of pollution. Maharashtra CM visited the Darshan Mandap building in Alandi in the Pune district on the occasion of Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Wari Palkhi.

"I consider myself lucky that I got to visit here and I pray to Saint Dnyaneshwar that our farmers become free of all problems, the rains this year are fruitful, and that all people stay blessed and happy... The municipal corporation has been given Rs 800 crores to rid the city of pollution," Maharashtra CM told reporters. Terming the state budget as "revolutionary," Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that this budget in a true sense empowers women, youth, and farmers through various schemes worth Rs 1 lakh crore.

He said that this budget is revolutionary and would make the future of weaker sections, farmers, and youth bright. Stating that the budget was a resolve to give a new direction to Maharashtra, CM Shinde said that this budget has an "unending chant of the development of Maharashtra".

Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday presented the additional budget for the year 2024-25 in the state assembly. The Finance Minister had presented the interim budget in February.

Stating that the budget has important provisions to help women and unemployed youth to stand on their own feet, the Chief Minister said that "Chief Minister Majhi Laadki Baheen scheme, free vocational education to girl students, Chief Minister Annapoorna scheme which gives 3 cylinders per year to eligible families, project worth Rs 15 thousand crores for providing free electricity to farmers during day time, Chief Minister Baliraja electricity concession scheme which provides free power to farmers using agricultural pumps, training to 50 thousand youth every year to convey government schemes to masses and resolve to remove poverty of the weaker sections of the society have made this budget special." He said that provisions like free education to girl students for engineering, pharmacy, and medical education along with degree and diploma courses along with Rs. 1500 per month to every woman prove that the government has expressed its responsibility towards women of the state.

Stating that the budget proves that it stands behind the farmers, Chief Minister Shinde said that the issue of food-grain storage would be resolved through schemes like Godown per village. He said that the lives of farmers would be transformed through various provisions in the budget which include financial assistance to cotton and soybean growers, special campaigns to complete irrigation projects, and solar pumps on demand.

Pointing out that the decision to celebrate the coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj through a ceremony every year at Fort Raigad is important, the Chief Minister said that other decisions include recommending the annual Pandharpur pilgrimage for the UNESCO World Heritage along with the rock sculptures in Konkan, Dahi Handi celebration are efforts towards the preservation of history and culture of the state. He said that the budget provides Rs 20,000 to every Dindi (the troops participating in the annual Pandharpur pilgrimage) and it has made the announcement of making arrangements for medical treatment of pilgrims through the Chief minister's medical relief cell and provision for Nirmal Waari show commitment towards the annual pilgrim and Warkari sect.

He said that a separate Warkari Mahamandal or separate Corporation for the annual pilgrims would be set up. Stating that massive investment would be made in priority sectors and the green hydrogen sector, he said that it would generate employment in a big way.

He said that the chief minister's youth training scheme would impart training to ten lakh youngsters every year and a centre of excellence would be established in ITI's which would benefit the youngsters. The chief minister said that Metro routes worth 449 Kms in Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur along with 23 thousand kilometer road stretch works under Chief Minister Gram Sadak scheme, construction of buildings of village Panchayats under Balasaheb Thackeray memorial Matoshree Gram Panchayat scheme, PM e-bus scheme in municipal corporation areas and other infrastructure works would be undertaken in a big way which would result in speedy development of the state.

The monsoon session of the Maharashtra Assembly began on Thursday (June 28) and will go on till July 12. This is the last legislative session before the state assembly polls, in the next four months. (ANI)

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