The budget session of the Maharashtra Legislature kicked off on Monday, and today marks the second day of the proceedings. During the session, Finance Minister Ajit Pawar presented the budget, making a noteworthy announcement for women. He pledged to provide 5,000 pink rickshaws for women in the state, emphasizing a commitment to women's empowerment.
In the Legislative Assembly, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar presented the interim budget, allocating Rs 6 lakh 522 crore for the state's total expenditure in the fiscal year 2024-25. The budget details include a revenue collection of Rs 4 lakh 98 thousand 758 crore and a revenue expenditure of Rs 5 lakh 8 thousand 492 crore. The estimated revenue deficit is Rs 9,734 crore, with a projected fiscal deficit of Rs 99,288 crore. It's noteworthy that the budget includes a four-month allocation awaiting approval.
In this interim budget, specific allocations were made, such as Rs 9 thousand 193 crore for the Planning Department, Rs 2 thousand 205 crore for the employment guarantee scheme, and Rs 71 crore for the Marathi department. Additionally, there's a provision of Rs 18 thousand 165 crore under the District Annual Plan, contributing to the overall annual plan of the state, which amounts to Rs 1 lakh 92 thousand crore. The proposal also includes Rs 15 thousand 893 crores for the Scheduled Castes Upyojana and Rs 15 thousand 360 crores for the Tribal Development Upyojana.