In the Interim Budget that was presented by Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra’s Finance Minister on Tuesday, Vidarbha received a good amount of funds for water tourism at Gosikhurd, MIHAN, irrigation backlog removal, 6 medical colleges, one nursing college and for other projects. Government of Maharashtra had already approved the proposal for setting up an international-level water tourism project in the reservoir of Gosikhurd Dam Project in Bhandara district recently. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had sanctioned a fund of Rs 101.95 crore for the proposed project recently. It was to be presented in the Interim Budget. Gosikhurd is the most suited location for a water tourism project and a co-operation agreement between the Water Resources and Tourism Departments has been signed for the project. Due to this water tourism project, displaced people will get substantial employment opportunities. Also, various opportunities will be created in the area. The project will be implemented on Public Private Partner (PPP) basis.

 

State Finance Minister Ajit Pawar presented the Interim Budget for the year 2024-25. The issue of irrigation backlog in Vidarbha has been in the news since many years. This time, Pawar, being a part of grand alliance; has made a provision of Rs 2,000 crore in the budget to clear the irrigation backlog in Vidarbha. There was heavy demand from the people regarding Murtizapur-Yavatmal rail line. Through this budget, Government has pushed the project further as it has decided to bear 50 per cent of the cost incurred for the Murtizapur-Yavatmal Shakuntala railway line. In the Mahayuti Government’s pre-election interim budget, several announcements have been made for Vidarbha. Among others is Rs 100 crore for Nagpur’s MIHAN project. This money will be mostly spent on rehabilitation and land acquisition. The other funds MIHAN mainly gets is through selling the plots.

 

As Deputy Chief Minister of the State, Devendra Fadnavis has made an attempt to promote this project by allocating this much money for the project in his district. Government has already announced six medical colleges in Vidarbha. Each medical college will have the capacity of 100 students each. Washim, Amravati, Bhandara, Gadchiroli, Wardha and Buldhana districts of Vidarbha will have one medical college each. In last winter session of State Legislature, Devendra Fadnavis had announced that Wardha’s medical college will be set up at Hinganghat as per the demands of people from that place. Similarly, a Government Nursing College of 100 student capacity will be starting in Gondia district affiliated to the Government Medical College.