NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said on Saturday the state treasury has no money even as Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who also holds the finance and planning portfolio, said money will never be a problem to implement the Mahayuti government’s ambitious Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme.
“The state treasury has no money…It is possible that one or two instalments will be given before the Assemby elections to turn public opinion in their favour,” said Sharad Pawar while talking at a book release at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Saturday.
Sharad Pawar’s jibe comes at a time when his estranged nephew is rejecting reports about his department’s negative note to implement the Ladki Bahin scheme, citing financial burden.
“Some media outlets are spreading news about the finance department’s opposition to the Chief Minister ‘Majhi Ladki Bahin’ scheme. Such news is baseless, inconsistent with facts, and politically motivated. The media should stop spreading such news,” he said.
Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme was presented in the Maharashtra Budget for the fiscal 2024-25. Ajit Pawar clarified that the announcement of this scheme was made in the state’s budget only after obtaining approval from finance and planning, all concerned departments, and the state cabinet.
“In the current financial year, the entire amount of ₹35,000 crores required for the scheme has been provisioned in this year’s budget. Thus, the question of where the money will come from for this scheme does not arise,” said Ajit Pawar adding that a financially prosperous state like Maharashtra can spend such an amount.
His uncle and veteran politician however said people feel that the money allotted for this scheme will be given only before the election. “There is also a discussion on why such scheme was not launched by the government before,” he said.
Maharashtra will go to the assembly polls in coming two to three months. The announcement of these sops is seen as an attempt by the ruling coalition government to appease women voters by transferring Rs 1,500 per month into their bank accounts.
Sharad Pawar also said in a bid to bring out a result like Lok Sabha elections, where the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi won 31 out of 48 seats in Maharashtra, the alliance must be seen on ground. “Failing to do so, the present ruling side may lose but we won’t be able to hand them a defeat as sounding as the Lok Sabha elections,” he said.
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