Maharashtra's Finance Minister Ajit Pawar presented the state budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 in today's Assembly session. The budget includes several populist schemes aimed at addressing the upcoming assembly elections following the Grand Alliance's setback in the recent Lok Sabha polls. Ajit Pawar announced in the state budget that 44 lakh farmers in Maharashtra to get waiver of electricity bill dues.
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Pawar announced that the maximum compensation for crop damage, previously set at Rs 25,000, has now been doubled to Rs 50,000. Subsidies of over Rs 850 crore has been given in the form of Rs 350 per quintal to provide financial assistance to the onion-producing farmers. A revolving fund of 200 crore each is being created to purchase onion and cotton at guaranteed prices, the deputy CM said.
The government remains dedicated to supporting farmers with a range of initiatives. These include subsidies for seeds, irrigation facilities, adoption of technology, and storage of agricultural produce. Starting from the financial year 2023-24, schemes like Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi and crop insurance for one rupee have been introduced to further aid farmers, stated Pawar.
Projects in 16 districts of Vidarbha and Marathwada have been successfully completed, Pawar announced. The government plans to initiate the second phase of these projects, totaling 6 thousand crores, across 21 districts.