The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) has alleged that the government has used funds worth Rs 7,000 crore from the Backward and Tribal Community Development Department for the Ladki Bahin Scheme. The party has criticized the government's action as unconstitutional and a drain on the resources of the poor community.
The party's state spokesperson Sunil Mane said that the government had said before the assembly elections that it would not take funds from any other department for this costly scheme. However, the government has forgotten that. They diverted funds worth Rs 7,000 crore from this department to this scheme and wiped the slate clean from the faces of the poor backward community. They diverted their due money and did not even give them simple information about it, but instead tried to hide it.
Sunil Mane said that the government won the election and scrutinized the applications received for the Ladki Bahin Scheme. The government, which approved every application before the election, excluded more than 5 lakh sisters from this scheme as soon as it came to power after winning the election. Since the remaining sisters have to pay money every month, a total of Rs 7,000 crore was diverted to this scheme, including Rs 3,000 crore for the backward class and Rs 4,000 crore for the tribal community. This will affect the assistance being received by the backward class and tribal students from the government. This action is basically unconstitutional. If such funds are diverted, it is even more serious that the ministers concerned do not inform the House about it.
The government should immediately transfer this fund to that department. The educational schemes of the backward and tribal students in the state are stalled due to lack of funds. The non-receipt of money for schemes like scholarships is affecting the education of the students. Therefore, the government should take note of this, otherwise we will not only protest in this regard but also seek legal action at the appropriate place, Mane has warned.