Maha CM & Dy CM engage in verbal duel over increase in road project by Rs 8000 crore 

Mumbai, Aug 14 (IANS) Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar at the cabinet meeting held on Wednesday engaged in a heated exchange of words over the Public Work Department’s move to bring in a proposal without any prior notice for revision in the cost of construction of 6,000 km of concrete roads in the state by almost Rs 8,000 crore. 

The Deputy Chief Minister, who is the Finance and Planning Minister, expressed his displeasure as the proposal was rushed for cabinet’s approval at the last minute and argued that it should have been brought sometime later giving an opportunity for the ministers to read and express their views.

He took a serious objection against the Public Work Department’s proposal for a hike in the construction of concrete roads instead of asphalt roads especially when the Cabinet in February had cleared the proposal worth Rs 28,500 crore for the construction of asphalt roads but yesterday the department had changed to concrete roads with the increased cost of Rs 36,964 crores.

A minister, who was witness to the war of words between the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister said: “Pawar questioned the significant hike in the amount and asked whether such decisions should be pushed without any discussion. Incidentally, the Finance Department had also given negative observations over the proposal while sounding the caution.”

“How can it be allowed? Was it not studied well before as such a huge hike has been requested? Why should the Finance department clear such proposals?” the Deputy Chief Minister reportedly asked in the cabinet meeting.

His outburst is important as the state government will have to struggle to do fiscal management especially after it has announced a slew of welfare and development schemes worth Rs 1 lakh crore with an eye on the upcoming assembly election.

While another Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis did not intervene, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde maintained that the proposal should be passed.

The Chief Minister defended the urgency of the Cabinet’s approval and reportedly told the Deputy Chief Minister that his department’s proposals were also rushed for approval at the eleventh hour. Then the Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar replied “Don’t approve them.”

A senior minister Chhagan Bhujbal stepped in and suggested that the proposals moved by various departments should be circulated a day in advance of the Cabinet instead of bringing them without any notice.

Meanwhile, NCP ministers and MLAs are reportedly unhappy about the Chief Minister's Office not clearing the files related to respective departments.

The ongoing tensions between two parties - Shiv Sena and NCP - and its top leaders seem to be getting reflected in the Cabinet meetings as well.