MAHAYUTI Government, on the very first day of Winter Session of State Legislature, tabled supplementary grants worth over Rs 75,286 crore, thereby taking the total demands during the current financial year to Rs 1,73,019 crore. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar tabled the supplementary grants in either House. As per the bifurcation given in the supplementary statement, Finance Department stated that the total expenditure on Revenue Account is Rs 8,89,671 that is charged while the voted component is Rs 5,99,739,675 thus totalling Rs 6,00,629,346 whereas the expenditure towards Capital account voted is Rs 1,52,234,413.

 

The need for such huge funds at fag end of financial year stems from higher allocation required for giving compensation to farmers who have been hit hard by natural calamity in the State, especially due to excessive rains. Further, to foot the subsidies on account of aid to farmers and also continuing with the social welfare schemes run by Government, the extra funds are required to meet the upcoming demands. Funds are also required to meet the liability on account of new services that was not anticipated earlier and hence, the need for supplementary grants and also, to meet anticipated excess in expenditure. In fact, a whopping Rs 6,103 crore is being sought for Women and Child Development Department, and obviously, this is meant for disbursal of monthly allocation under Ladki Bahin scheme. Other than that, Rs 50,248 crore is sought for the Department to carry forward with other welfare schemes. Since last Winter Session, MahaYutiGovernment tabled supplementary grants proposal in each of the four sessions held so far, which, in itself, must be something for recordbooks.Governmentgot supplementarydemandsofRs 33,738 crore passed in Winter Session held in December 2024, same was meant for funding the Ladki Bahin scheme and other works.

 

Thereafter, in the budget session in March, they sought additional Rs 6,486 crore, this wasforadministrativeexpenses, and again in Monsoon Session, they again sought Rs 57,509 crore to continue with welfare schemes, for the upcoming Kumbh Mela. A glance at the supplementary demands indicate that funds of Rs 15,648 crore have been sought to disburse compensation andfinancial assistance to farmers. Further, Rs 9,250 crore is also for agri and other sectors, same is meant to meet expenses on account of electricity tariff subsidies for agriculture pumps, powerloom and handloom units. TheGovernmenthasproposed to release Rs 9,205 crore to Industries,Energy,Labourand Mining Department, whereas Rs 9,115 crore to Urban Development Department (UDD). Especially, for UDD, themoneywouldcomehandy to release funds for development projects ahead of elections to 29 civic bodies.

 

Similarly, for Public Works Department (PWD), Rs 6,347 crore and same could come handy for clearing the longpending projects of contractors and help accelerate pending projects inState.Similarly, Rs2,200croreismeantforallocation as a special grant to Municipal bodies,andRs2,500 croreforprovidingStampDuty cess refunds, that would help in fulfilling the development mandate. Besides, for other departments, Rs 15,721.08 crore to meet demands of Revenue and Forest Department and Rs4,439crore as State’s share in the Centre’s long-terminterest-freeloan,Rs 3,500 crore for the implementationof the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment GuaranteeScheme,Rs3,281.79 crore for the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and Ayushman Bharat schemes. The Planning Departmentis to get Rs 4,853.99 crore for the vision document as to ‘Viksit Maharashtra 2047’.Itis aimed at achieving $5 trillion economy of State. Also, Home DepartmentwouldgetRs3,861 crore, the Public Health Department Rs 3,602 crore,Rs 3,223.39 crore for Water Resources Department, Rs 2,395.44 crore to School Education and Sports Department and Rs 2,314.50 crore to the Social Justice Department.