Tis the‘Sanjivani’ that will accelerate Maharashtra’s development

 

The state budget for financial year 2023-24 is unique in many ways. Based on the principle of ‘Panchamurt’, the budget has laid emphasis on sustainable farming, empowerment of different sections of the society, infrastructure development through capital investments, employment generation and eco-friendly development. It is undoubtedly a ‘dream budget’ for Maharashtra.

In 2019, by betraying the Bharatiya Janata Party, Uddhav Thackeray became the chief minister with support from Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party. The two-and-a-half years lackadaisical and decision-less tenure of Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government downgraded Maharashtra in many ways. Against this backdrop, the government led by Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis had a massive challenge to once again bring the state back on the path of development.

Undoubtedly, Devendra Fadnavis has achieved this feat. By announcing various welfare schemes for different elements of the society including the farmers, the youth, women, backward classes, other backward classes, minorities and other elements of the society, Fadnavis showed how the development of a state can be accelerated. Also, by making financial allocation of Rs 53,000 crore in the infrastructure development sector, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis showed how comprehensive development of a state looks like.

During the tenure of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, the rate of industrial and agricultural development of the state had slowed down, thanks to their mismanagement and inefficient governance. This budget will provide the necessary impetus to industrial investments, investments in infrastructure development and in the development of agriculture. It will definitely act as ‘Sanjivani’ for these sectors.

While presenting the budget of any state, it is important that the decision makers keep the next 15-20 years in mind and take strategic decisions accordingly. And while making these decisions, it is important that certain short-term benefits are ignored to gain far-reaching benefits. Devendra Fadnavis has struck this balance and has once again accelerated the development cycle, keeping in mind the state’s revenue sources and fund-raising constraints.

Many concrete provisions have been made in this budget to increase the share of agricultural sector in the growth rate of the state. The state government has decided to contribute Rs 6,000 each to the beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Yojana in the state taking the amount they get annually to Rs 12,000. In order to achieve the goal of sustainable irrigation, substantial funding has been made for projects like river link scheme, Jalyukta Shivar and Marathwada water grid, thereby contributing towards Prime Minister’s ambition of doubling farmer’s incomes. The budget has also made provisions to provide debt relief to farmers who are in distress owing to various natural calamities.

It may be recalled that when Devendra Fadnavis was the chief minister, he had waived off loans of lakhs of farmers through the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Debt Relief Scheme. At that time, some farmers were not able to get the benefit of this loan waiver scheme due to various reasons. And today, Fadnavis has resolved that all the remaining eligible farmers, who had not received the benefit, will receive it under the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Shetkari Sanman Yojana.

In view of the series of natural calamities, it is important to provide crop insurance to farmers. Changes have been made in the earlier crop insurance scheme and a new plan of providing crop insurance cover at Re.1 to farmers has been announced by the Shinde-Fadnavis government. This government will shoulder the burden of additional Rs 3,312 crore for this scheme. Apart from this, the incumbent government has also decided to make necessary amendments to the Gopinath Munde Accident Insurance Scheme. This scheme gives financial assistance to families of farmers who have lost their lives in accidents. Earlier, this scheme was being implemented through insurance companies. But now, the Shinde-Fadnavis government made necessary amendments and announced the new Gopinath Munde Farmers Security Ex-gratia Grant Scheme. Through this scheme, the families of accident victims will get benefit of Rs 2 lakhs instead of the existing Rs 1 lakh.

Considering the adverse effects on the agricultural sector due to excessive use of chemical fertilizers, the Modi government at the Centre announced a scheme to promote organic farming. To effectively implement this scheme, the Shinde-Fadnavis government announced a target of bringing 25 lakh hectares of land under organic farming over the next three years. For this, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, in this budget, announced a provision of Rs 1,000 crore to be made available over the next three years. Schemes like setting up of processing units for oranges in Vidarbha and the decision to deposit cash in the bank accounts of orange ration card holders in 14 disaster-affected districts of Vidarbha and Marathwada, the Shinde-Fadnavis government has reaffirmed their aim of empowerment of these elements of the state.

Several significant provisions have also been made in this budget to realise the concept of ‘Sabka Saath….Sabka Vikas….Sabka Vishwas….Sabka Prayas’ of the Modi government. Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, the state government hopes to construct 10 lakh houses over a period of three years for the other backward class beneficiaries in the state. Rs 1,000 crore provision has been made for the welfare schemes of Dhangar community by setting up the Sheep and Goat Cooperative Development Corporation that will provide interest free loans of Rs 10,000 crore. A fish development fund of Rs 50 crore has been proposed for the fishing community and provision of free medical treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh in Mahatma Phule Jan Arogya Yojana has been proposed in the budget. The government has also proposed substantial funding to institutions of social groups like Barti, Amrit, Sarathi and Mahajyoti. These provisions undoubtedly reassure that the Shinde-Fadnavis government will help achieve Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Sabka Saath….Sabka Vikas’ goal. 

The budget has proposed several schemes for the empowerment of women. The ‘Lek Laadki Yojana’ has been proposed in a new format wherein financial assistance will be given when a girl child is born, for her education and later even for her marriage. Various other decisions like 50 per cent

concession to women in state transport buses fare, increase in salaries of Asha volunteers and construction of 50 hostels for working women have been taken. Seeing all these provisions made for various sections of the society, there is absolutely no doubt that this budget will definitely bring welfare and empowerment of all.

 

(Article Pre-Published in Times of India Online  –13 March 2023)

 

Keshav Upadhye, Chief Spokesperson