Real Estate Maharashtra
Maharashtra Budget 2024-25: Opposition Leaders Slam Government's Populist Measures
By GeoSquare News Desk · Published 2024-06-28
Ahead of the assembly elections in Maharashtra, the state government presented its budget for 2024-25, which included a slew of populist measures aimed at wooing women, unemployed youths, farmers, and households. However, the Opposition leaders have termed these announcements as hollow promises, accusing the government of misleading people.
The Mahayuti alliance, comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar), presented the budget, which included a monthly allowance of ₹1,500, three free cooking gas cylinders, and a slashed value-added tax (VAT) on fuel in the Mumbai metropolitan region.
Reacting to the budget, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said that the budget is only for the upcoming elections and is 'all jumla'. He criticized the government for not having any schemes for the growth of the state or employment, despite many youths being unemployed. However, Thackeray welcomed the decisions taken for farmers in the budget.
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole also criticized the budget, calling it 'bogus' and full of hollow announcements that mislead the people of the state. He expressed doubts about the assurances made by the government, including the scheme to waive farmers' electricity bills, which he termed as a farce.
Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Ambadas Danve, termed the budget as 'political hypnotism', expressing doubts about the implementation of the schemes announced. He criticized the government for not considering regions of Marathwada and Vidarbha as part of Maharashtra.
Mahesh Tapase, chief spokesperson of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar), accused the government of financial mismanagement, highlighting that the debt burden of the state has crossed ₹7 lakh crore. He said that the populist but hollow promises would not sway the people ahead of the elections.
The Opposition leaders' reaction to the budget has set the tone for a heated political battle ahead of the assembly elections in Maharashtra.
Information
The Mahayuti alliance came into power in Maharashtra after a series of dramatic events, including the fall of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena government. The alliance, comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar), has been criticized for its handling of various issues, including the economy and farmers' welfare.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) is a political party led by Uddhav Thackeray, which has been a major force in Maharashtra politics for decades. The Maharashtra Congress is the state unit of the Indian National Congress, led by Nana Patole. The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) is a regional party led by Sharad Pawar, a veteran politician from Maharashtra.