INDIA. Mumbai: The Shinde-Fadnavis government tabled Rs 6383 crore in supplementary demands, on the first day of the budget session (2023-2024) of the Maharashtra State Legislature, even as the Opposition criticized the government for the governor’s address in Hindi, on Monday.
The demands were tabled by Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The supplementary demands are presented in the House to cover additional expenses over and above sums allotted in the annual budget.
After the Shinde-led government, took over on June 30, 2022, the demands worth Rs 25,826.71 crore were tabled in the monsoon session. Similarly, in the winter session, the supplementary demands worth Rs 52,327 crore for the years 2022–23 were presented. That was the highest demand sought by the government in recent years.
Thrust on rural development
Rs 6383 crore in demands included: Rs. 2,224.72 crores for the payment of pending electric bill dues for streetlights in village panchayats to the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd., Rs 1,014 crore for the incentive benefit scheme under the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule farmer loan waiver scheme, and Rs 267.73 crore for financial assistance to the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) (to clear pending salary dues for the employees who had recently called a strike).
The demands also included: Rs 763.77 crore for incentives to small, medium, large, and mega projects under package schemes of incentives, Rs 452.47 crore for maintenance and repair of roads and bridges at various places in the state, Rs 331.56 crore for the construction of the Ring Road around Pune city undertaken by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC); and Rs 598.17 crore for interest on the provident fund of teaching and non-teaching staff of aided non-government vocational education and training institutes.
Governor’s address
Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, in his first joint address to the legislature in Hindi, said that the government had brought in investments worth Rs. 2.24 lakh crore. Of these, MoUs amounting to Rs. 1.37 lakh crore were signed with 19 companies at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, (Switzerland) in January 2023, while the rest of the investment worth Rs. 87,774 crore from 24 other projects was expected. He declared that Maharashtra was committed to achieving a one-trillion-dollar economy to align with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of achieving a five-trillion-dollar economy by 2026–2027.
The Governor, who took over on February 18, was welcomed in Vidhan Bhavan in South Mumbai on Monday, by Deputy Chairperson of the Legislative Council Dr. Nilam Gorhe, Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar, Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal, CM Eknath Shinde, and Legislative Affairs Minister Chandrakant Patil. He was given a ceremonial guard of honour on arrival.
Later, NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad told the media that it was a shame that the Governor addressed the legislature in Hindi on the “Marathi Bhasha Gaurav Din.” Many Southern languages have been accorded “classical language” status, but Marathi has yet to get that honour.
Shinde faction issues a whip
As expected, the Shinde faction gave a whip to all 56 Shiv Sena MLAs, including 16 MLAs from the Uddhav Thackeray faction. The chief whip of the Shinde faction, Bharat Gogawale, said all will have to follow it, otherwise, action can be taken after two weeks. A whip is a written ordinance that mandates party members to be present in a state assembly or parliament if an important vote is to be cast.
However, a whip and MLA from the Thackeray faction, Sunil Prabhu, told the media that, “We met the Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar and told him that a case is pending before the Supreme Court and any action will be contempt of court.”
At the same time, the Shinde faction announced that MLC Viplav Bajoria would be the state legislative council’s chief whip. It also stated that Bajoria had shifted loyalty from the Thackeray faction to the Shinde faction.
Also Read: SC Declines to Stay EC’s Decision to Recognize Shinde Faction as “Real Shiv Sena”
