Ahead of budget, Maha govt presents supplementary demands of Rs 8,609 crore

Mumbai, Feb. 26 (IANS) On the eve of tabling the state budget for 2024-2025, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar presented supplementary demands worth Rs 8,609 crore to the legislature on Monday, besides the additional demands of Rs 55,520 crore made during the previous Winter Session in December 2023.  

These include allocations for farmers, power sector, urban and rural civic bodies, judiciary department, public health, transportation and other departments. 

The government has already set aside an amount of Rs 2,210 crore for farmers who suffered damage to crops and horticulture in the bouts of unseasonal rains and hailstorms, plus another Rs 2,031 crore for subsidy to MahaVitaran for power supplied to agricultural pumps, handlooms, and powerlooms in the state. 

The government has also made provisions of Rs 2,019 crore towards loan to urban bodies under the Urban Infrastructure Development Fund from nationalised banks, plus Rs 800 crore for providing civic amenities by urban and rural civic bodies. 

Another amount of Rs 1,438 crore has been earmarked for payment of loans arrears to Mumbai Metro 3, and the Pune and Nagpur Metros. 

A provision has been for Rs 1,328.33 crore towards the arrears of various allowances provided to judicial officials as per the Reddy Commission. 

The government has set aside Rs 485 crore for the salaries of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) staff and Rs 251 crore for transport cess, plus Rs 432 crore for pensions and other retirement benefits of high court judges. 

Provision has been for Rs 384 crore for various irrigation development bodies, and Rs 381 crore for the Public Health Department to build new urban hospitals. An amount of Rs 256 crore has been earmarked for the state-central contribution under the National Rural Health Campaign, Rs 200 crore each for district road repairs, government buildings and Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank for pending loans given to various cooperative sugar factories which were given government guarantees, and Rs 248 crore as subsidy for milk and milk powder. 

Ajit Pawar will table the budget in the Legislature on Tuesday. 

--IANS

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