Maharashtra Govt presents the interim budget for financial year 2019-20

In tune with Central Government’s maxim of ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’, the Maharashtra Government yesterday presented a ‘progressive’ interim budget for financial year 2019-20 and increasing it by 1,586 crore rupees over the last interim budget of 4,03,207 crores rupees. 

State Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar who presented the Budget in the legislative assembly, said the revenue expenditure is estimated to be 3,34,933 crore rupees and a deficit of 20,292 crore rupees. The budget mainly focussed on augmenting agriculture and allied sector. Hailing the Budget, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that it is a “balanced” Budget which takes care of all sections of the society.

Making a point that Maharashtra Government is standing firmly behind farmers, Mungantiwar said, special decisions have been taken for farmers. A provision of  12,597 crores rupees has been made for Water Resource Department and 2,720 crore rupees for Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Scheme. Besides including 26 on-going irrigation projects in the Scheme, the remaining costs of the projects is 22,398 crore rupees out of which, 3,138 crore rupees to be made available through Union Budget. 

Keeping in mind the drought situation in state, the government has given a nod to use modern technology to provide artificial rain during this monsoon and made 6000 crore rupees provision for drought. Other decisions for the sector include all members of farmer families to get benefits of Gopinath Munde Farmer accident insurance scheme, 200 crore rupees alloted for 4 agriculture universities, and separate provisions for fisheries and allied activities, and cashew-nut industry. 

Mungantiwar said an irrigation



policy to use “closed pipe distribution” in place of “open canals” resulting in savings in land acquisition costs is on the cards. He added that 8946 crore rupees has been alloted for Jalyukta Shivar Yojana. Significant provision of 1,531 crore rupees for Baliraja Jal Sanjivani scheme has been made. 

A target of 25,000 farm ponds to be achieved under the farm pond on demand scheme and a provision of 125 crore rupees have been earmarked for the scheme. A total of 46 projects have been approved under the Chief Minister Agriculture and Food Processing scheme. Other provisions in the budget include 10,581 crore rupees for the health sector and 100 crore rupees for Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana for Divyang people. 

Under the scheme, the government will cosntruct housing for people with 80 per cent disability. 500 crore rupees have been marked for modern weapons, instruments and technologies to counter Naxalite activities and for special skill development program to provide employment to youth in the area. 200 crore rupees for 36 hostels for OBC - Savitribai Phule scholarship scheme for 2,30,000 girls  and 1000 crore rupees for providing various facilities to Dhangar community, without using or diverting any other dept funds. 100 crore rupees alloted for employment to minority women & youth.

A grand memorial of Bharat Ratna late Atal Bihari Vajpayee to be erected at Mumbai. Atal Anandvan scheme to be implemented to plant more trees in less space in urban areas to create dense forest by using Miyawaki system. An appeal to the people of the State to participate voluntarily in the 33 crore tree plantation drive to be implemented from 1st July to 30th September.