Rohit Pawar Criticizes Maharashtra Government’s New Scheme
Rohit Pawar, a leader from the Nationalist Congress Party, has claimed that the Maharashtra government’s new ‘Mukhyanantri Majhi Ladki Bahin’ scheme is politically motivated and lacks sufficient funding. He believes the scheme, which offers Rs 1500 per month to women aged 21-65, is designed to influence upcoming elections and may not last due to financial constraints.
Details of the Scheme
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who also serves as the NCP chief and holds the finance portfolio, announced the scheme during the state budget presentation. The scheme is inspired by Madhya Pradesh’s Ladli Behna Yojana and will be implemented from July 2024. Ajit Pawar stated that beneficiaries would receive payments even if their documentation is completed after the start date. The application deadline has been extended to August 31, and the age limit for applicants has been increased to 65 years.
Additional Welfare Measures
Ajit Pawar also announced several other welfare measures in the budget:
- Rs 5000 per hectare bonus for cotton and soybean farmers.
- Rs 5 per litre bonus for milk-producing farmers.
- Increased compensation for deaths due to animal attacks from Rs 20 lakhs to Rs 25 lakhs.
- Three free cylinders per year for all households under the CM Anna Chhatra Yojana.
- Reduced tax on diesel and petrol in the Mumbai region.
- Support for religious minorities and a separate category for the third gender in government schemes.
- Increased medical insurance limit from Rs 1.5 lakhs to Rs 5 lakhs and more empaneled hospitals.
- Financial support for bamboo planting and free solar pumps for farmers.
The monsoon session of the Maharashtra Assembly, which began on June 28, will continue until July 12. This is the last legislative session before the state assembly elections in the next four months.