Maharashtra’s Interim Budget 2024-25: A Comprehensive Overview by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar

In a significant development on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, Deputy Chief Minister (Finance) Shri Ajit Pawar presented the Interim Budget for the year 2024-25, providing insights into the state’s economic direction, policy initiatives, and allocations across various sectors.

Highlights of the Interim Budget:

Shivneri Museum of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Mauje Vadaj, Taluka Junnar:

Welfare Schemes:

1. Implementation of welfare schemes for four major constituents: Youth, Women, Poor, and Farmers.
2. State policy to achieve sustainable, environment-friendly, and inclusive development.

Economic Advisory Council:

• Implement policies as per the report of Maharashtra Economic Advisory Council to achieve a one trillion dollar economy for the State.

Infrastructure Development:

1. Enhanced capital investment for infrastructure.
2. Swatantrya Veer Savarkar Versova – Bandra Sea Bridge extension to Palghar.
3. Vilasrao Deshmukh Eastern Freeway extension to Thane city.
4. Rs. 22,225 crores for land acquisition for Virar-Alibag multi-modal corridor.
5. Rs. 10,519 crores for land acquisition for Pune Ring Road.
6. Rs. 2,886 crores for land acquisition of Jalna-Nanded Expressway.

Urban Development:

• Outlay of Rs. 10,629 crores to the Urban Development Department for program expenditure.

Road Development:

• Outlay of Rs. 19,936 crores to Public Works (Roads) Department.
• 7,500 km road works under Annuity Scheme Part-2 through Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation.
• Upgradation of 7,000 km long roads at a cost of Rs. 7,600 crores.

Railway Infrastructure:

• Land acquisition for new railway lines Kalyan-Murbad, Pune-Nashik, and Solapur-Tuljapur-Dharashiv started.
• Financial participation for various new railway lines.

Maritime Development:

• 26 percent participation of Maharashtra Maritime Board in Vadhvan Development Project.
• Construction of a well-equipped jetty radio club near Gateway of India in Mumbai under the Sagarmala scheme.

Airport Expansion:

• Fund of Rs. 578 crores 45 lakhs for land acquisition for the expansion of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar airport.

Rural Development:

• Rs. 9,280 crores to the Rural Development Department for program expenditure.

Home (Transport, Ports) Department:

• Rs. 4,094 crores for program expenditure.

Industrial Development:

• Revised industrial, electronics, space, and defense manufacturing policy.
• Creation of about 36 thousand employment by setting up 18 small-scale garment industry complexes.

Textile Policy:

• “Integrated and Sustainable Textile Policy 2023-28” announced.
• Rs. 450 crores in infrastructure development program to promote exports.
• Rs. 400 crores to provide special incentives to exportable components.

Employment Creation:

• Chief Minister’s Employment Creation Program – 25 thousand industry units to be established, with 30 percent for women entrepreneurs.

Industries Department:

• Rs. 1,021 crores for program expenditure.

Co-operation, Marketing, and Textiles:

• Rs. 1,952 crores for program expenditure.

Urban Development Projects:

• 312 projects worth Rs. 28,315 crores approved under Amrit 2.0 mission.
• Maharashtra Suvarn Jayanti Nagaroththan Mahabhiyan till 2030.

Water Supply and Sanitation:

• Rs. 3,875 crores for the Water Supply and Sanitation Department.

Environmental Initiatives:

• Roadside tree plantation of 25 thousand kilometers yearly.
• Atal Bambu Samruddhi Yojana – Plantation of bamboo on 10 thousand hectares.

Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan 2.0:

• Sanctioned 1 lakh 59 thousand 886 works in 5 thousand 700 villages.

Environment and Climate Change:

• Rs. 245 crores for program expenditure.

Forest and Soil Conservation:

• Rs. 2,507 crores to Forest Department.
• Rs. 4,247 crores to Soil and Water Conservation Department.

Agriculture and Solar Initiatives:

• Chief Minister Solar Agriculture Channel Scheme 2.0 to generate 7 thousand megawatts of solar power.
• “Magel tyala Saur Krishi Pump” – Installation of 8 lakh 50 thousand new solar agriculture pumps.

NAMO Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana:

• Rs. 1,691 crores disbursed as the first installment.

Agriculture Department:

• Rs. 3,650 crores for program expenditure.

Irrigation Projects:

• Completion of 39 ongoing irrigation projects, establishing 2,34,000 hectares of irrigation capacity.

Kharbhumi Development Programme:

• Provision of Rs. 113 crores.

Water Resources Department:

• An outlay of Rs. 16,456 crores for scheme expenditure.

Women’s Empowerment:

• Direct benefit of various government schemes to at least 1 lakh women in each district under the Chief Minister’s Women’s Empowerment Mission.

Child Development:

• Urban Child Development Center started to overcome the problem of malnutrition.

Medical Education and Public Health:

• New Government Medical College in various districts.
• Accident Insurance Scheme for Sugarcane Workers.
• Day Care Chemotherapy Center, Dialysis service centers, and Hearse in each taluka.

Department for Medical Education and Drugs:

• An outlay of Rs. 2,574 crores.

Public Health and Family Welfare Department:

• An outlay of Rs. 3,827 crores.

Social Justice and Special Assistance:

• Establishment of “Annabhau Sathe Research and Training Institute for Matang community.
• An outlay of 18 thousand 816 crores.

Tribal Development:

• An outlay of Rs. 15 thousand 360 crores.

Economic Development Corporations:

• “Sant Gadgebaba Bara Balutedar Economic Backward Development Corporation” to be established.
• Enhanced loan guarantee to Maulana Azad Economic Development Corporation.

Housing Department:

• New housing scheme for Divyang, 34 thousand 400.

Housing and Labour Department:

• An outlay of Rs. 1,347 crores for Housing Department.
• An outlay of Rs. 171 crores for Labour Department.

OBC, Bahujan Kalyan, and Minority Departments:

• An outlay of Rs. 5,180 crores.

Sports Development:

• “Mission Lakshyavedh” scheme for sports development.
• Rs. 537 crores to Sports Department.

Skill Development:

• Rs. 238 Crore 63 Lakh for 5 years for “Maharashtra Drone Mission”.
• An outlay of Rs. 807 crores to the Department of Skill, Innovation, Employment, and Entrepreneurship Development.

Tourism and Cultural Affairs:

• Renovation and conservation of 32 Shiv era forts to promote tourism.
• An outlay of Rs. 1,186 crores for Cultural Affairs Department.
• An outlay of Rs. 1,973 crores for Tourism Department.

Home Department:

• An outlay of Rs. 2,237 crores.

Finance and GST Department:

• An outlay of Rs. 208 crores for Finance Department.
• Restructuring of Goods and Services Tax Department.

Memorials and Pilgrimage Development:

• Development of various memorials and pilgrimage sites.
• Pilgrimage Development Authorities to be formed.

District Annual Plan:

• An outlay of Rs. 18,165 crores under District Annual Plan.

Total Budget and Fiscal Deficit:

• Total expenditure: Rs. 6,522 crores.
• Revenue receipts: Rs. 4,98,758 crores.
• Revenue expenditure: Rs. 5,08,492 crores.
• Revenue deficit: Rs. 9,734 crores.
• Fiscal deficit: Rs. 99,288 crores.