Maharashtra spending over Rs500 crore on Maratha community: Finance minister

The government is also spending more than Rs4,000 crore on facilities for farmers

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government is spending more than Rs500 crore on the Maratha community.

The Rs9849 crore supplementary demands — tabled by finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar on Monday — includes a provision of more than Rs300 crore on account of freeships offered to economically backward class students. (HT File Photo)

Supplementary demands worth Rs9,849 crore — tabled by finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar on Monday — include a provision of more than Rs300 crore for freeships offered to economically backward class students. This decision was taken by the state government in response to the demands by Maratha outfits that have been staging protests across the state.

A provision of Rs200 crore was made for the Annasaheb Patil Corporation for economically backward classes. The corporation was founded by the previous Congress-NCP government with an aim to provide financial aid to economically weaker Marathas. The demands were put before the Legislature to be approved as this expenditure is outside the annual budget.

The ballooning figure of such supplementary demands is seen as a unhealthy practice with regard to the handling of government finances. Though Mungantiwar has been taking efforts to maintain financial discipline, it seems as though political considerations prevailed over his attempts.

The government is also spending more than Rs4,000 crore on facilities for farmers. It includes Rs1,623 crore for crop insurance, Rs1,000 crore for agricultural pumps and power looms and Rs1,707 crore on agriculture-related activities. In view of the civic polls to be held in next three-four months, generous funding has been made to civic bodies.

The supplementary demands of the urban development department that governs civic bodies is Rs1,475 crore.

A provision of Rs4.80 crore has been made to buy new vehicles for ministers and government dignitaries that are described as very important persons (VIPs).

The supplementary demands also include Rs5 crore for a memorial of Shiv Sena founder, the late Bal Thackeray, in Aurangabad.

Read

Maratha reservation: HC gives Maharashtra govt six weeks to compile data

Maratha reservation: HC asks all parties to submit synopses of arguments

20,000 Maratha bikers hit Mumbai streets