Maharashtra CM Lauds Union Budget 2024-25 For Focus On Youth, Farmers, Women, And Infrastructure

Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has lauded the Union Budget for its special focus on youth, farmers, women and infrastructure development. Calling it a Navratna Budget, Mr Shinde said the budget rightly focuses on agriculture, skill development, social justice, urban development, energy conservation, infrastructure development, manufacturing and services sector and reforms for the new generation to achieve the aim of Viksit Bharat. Mr Shinde said the change in the tax structure will provide significant relief to taxpayers. 

The Chief Minister welcomed the decision to set up digital public infrastructure for agriculture and to promote organic farming. Mr Shinde said announcements with regard to skill development and Employment Linked Incentive schemes will help in the creation of 50 lakh additional jobs.

Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister and state Finance Minister Ajit Pawar said the budget fulfils the aspirations and expectations of the middle class while laying the foundation of a strong and developed India. He said the proposal to cut excise duty on certain essential medicines and mobile chargers will help citizens. Mr Pawar hoped that the decision to introduce internships, setting up industrial parks, and housing under PM Awas Yojana would prove



beneficial for the people of Maharashtra.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis too hailed the budget, saying the state will benefit from numerous announcements. Mr Fadnavis listed a few of the announcements made for Maharashtra like the provision of 600 crore rupees for irrigation projects in Vidarbha and Marathwada; 150 crore rupees for MMR Green Urban Mobility project, 1087 crore for Mumbai Metro, 683 crore rupees for Nagpur Metro and 814 crore rupee for Pune Metro projects besides other provisions for sustainable agriculture and river rejuvenation projects. 

Opposition parties in Maharashtra claimed that the Union Budget 2024-25 had nothing much to offer to the state, while claiming that it was a tailor-made budget for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising Congress, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar-headed NCP (SP) complained that Maharashtra was totally ignored even though it contributes as the highest tax-paying state.

Maharashtra Congress Chief Nana Patole said it is a budget with few catchy slogans but no policy and vision. NCP(SP) leader Jayant Patil said that the budget does not contain any bold announcement as was expected.