‘I Never Said This’: Ajit Pawar Says ‘No Timeline’ On Hiking Ladki Behin Allowance To Rs 2100
Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said there is no timeline for an increase in Ladki Bahin Yojana allowance and stressed that he never spoke about the hike in his speeches.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday clarified that he never promised an increase in the Ladki Behin Yojana allowance from ₹1,500 to ₹2,100. Addressing queries on the matter after presenting the state budget, Pawar said, “Show me one statement where I said that. I had conducted many rallies for my candidates during elections, but I never said this. But it’s true that Mahayuti parties mentioned it in their manifesto.”
“We are thinking about this. When we become financially strong, when we are in a better financial position – we will do it. It will happen when we feel our position is right and secure. There is no timeline; the work is ongoing. When we feel the time is right, we will bring the proposal to the cabinet and proceed,” he added, as per news agency ANI.
His statement came as the Maharashtra government allocated ₹36,000 crore for the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme in the state budget for 2025-26 but did not announce an increase in the financial assistance amount, contrary to the ruling alliance’s pre-election promise.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray criticised the state budget, calling it a ‘jumla’ (empty promise). “The budget presented by the government today is a budget of 'jumla'. The budget is exactly like this government. It has nothing special for farmers, it doesn’t provide the ₹2,100 promised by the government under Ladki Behin Yojana. All promises of this government were just to win elections,” Thackeray said, as per ANI.
Ajit Pawar Presents ₹7,00,020 Crore Budget In Maharashtra Assembly
Pawar, presenting a ₹7,00,020 crore budget, announced a new industrial policy focusing on ₹40 lakh crore investment and the creation of 50 lakh jobs. He said the Mumbai Metropolitan Region is being developed as a growth hub, aiming for a USD 1.5 trillion economy by 2047, news agency PTI reported. A third airport for Mumbai has been proposed near the Vadhvan port in Palghar, which is expected to be operational by 2030.
On taxation, the government proposed a 1 per cent increase in Motor Vehicle Tax on non-transport CNG and LPG four-wheelers, expected to generate ₹150 crore. A 6 per cent tax on electric vehicles priced above ₹30 lakh has been proposed. The revision in Motor Vehicle Tax across categories is projected to boost state revenue by ₹1,125 crore.
Other key budget proposals include the government proposing increasing the stamp duty from ₹100 to ₹500 on supplementary documents, a new provision for issuing digital stamp duty certificates, and a ₹15,000 crore outlay for the construction of 20 lakh homes.
The Navi Mumbai International Airport is set to begin domestic flight operations next month, with a metro link planned between Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and the new facility. A night landing facility is also being developed at Shirdi airport.
Pawar stated that the Maharashtra government has managed to keep the fiscal deficit below 3 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), with a revenue deficit of less than 1 per cent of the state’s income.
Additionally, he announced a cultural heritage project to build a memorial at Agra, commemorating Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s escape from Mughal custody, and said the state will observe Marathi Bhasha Sanman Din on October 3.
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