Maharashtra's Pre-Election Budget: Opposition Slams Government's Torrential Assurances

The opposition in Maharashtra has criticized the Eknath Shinde government's pre-election budget, calling it a torrent of empty assurances. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar presented a Rs 20,051 crore revenue deficit budget with sops for various social segments. Opposition leaders questioned the feasibility of promised schemes and accused the government of financial mismanagement.

The opposition in Maharashtra has voiced strong criticism against the Eknath Shinde government over its recent budget, presented just before upcoming state elections. The budget, described as a 'torrent of assurances', has been called out for lacking clarity on funding sources for the numerous schemes announced.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who also handles the finance portfolio, unveiled a Rs 20,051 crore revenue deficit budget. It includes various sops for women, youth, and farmers, totaling over Rs 80,000 crore in outlay. Pawar's moves have failed to impress the opposition.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray derided the budget as a 'false narrative' aimed at wooing voters. He criticized the 'Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin' scheme for offering women a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500, calling it a 'pitiable attempt' to attract women voters ahead of the elections. Thackeray also questioned the absence of similar provisions for men amid rising unemployment.

Thackeray further demanded the formation of a committee of experts to evaluate the implementation of schemes announced by the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP 'Mahayuti' government over the past two years. He emphasized that the budget lacked details on how funds would be sourced.

Nana Patole of the Maharashtra Congress echoed similar sentiments, questioning the practicality of the Rs 1,500 allowance for women in times of inflation and calling the waiver of farmers' electricity bills 'a farce'.

Mahesh Tapase of the Nationalist Congress Party accused the government of financial mismanagement, pointing out that the state's debt has crossed Rs 7 lakh crore. Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, Ambadas Danve, labeled the budget as 'political hypnotism' and criticized its regional biases.

Overall, the opposition remains unimpressed, arguing that the hollow promises will not sway the electorate ahead of the polls.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)