How welfare schemes Shinde launched when he was CM are dropping momentum below Fadnavis govt
Mumbai: A number of populist schemes introduced by Eknath Shinde when he was chief minister within the Mahayuti 1.0 authorities earlier than the Maharashtra polls are on the verge of a shutdown due to a monetary crunch, with the state authorities diverting funds to its flagship girls’s money switch programme, ‘Ladki Bahin Yojana’.
A few of Shinde’s pet schemes going through the axe are Anandacha Shidha, Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana and the Shiv Sena’s Shiv Bhojan Thali, which had been introduced within the undivided Sena’s manifesto in 2019 and launched throughout the pandemic.
Their potential closure comes amid hypothesis of a chilly struggle between Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy, Shinde.
Meals and Civil Provides Minister Chhagan Bhujbal acknowledged that the federal government’s widespread scheme, ‘Ladki Bahin Yojana’, had affected different initiatives.
“I personally really feel that Ladki Bahin has impacted different schemes of the division. As a result of that scheme requires Rs 35,000-40,000 crore. And if such an quantity must be diverted, it impacts different schemes,” Bhujbal advised the media Monday.
Not all schemes are affected due to a price range squeeze. Some are dropping momentum due to a tepid response.
The Mukhymantri Teerth Darshan Yatra, for example, is shifting slowly, though it isn’t fully scrapped, due to a low response to the scheme, social justice and particular help division officers advised ThePrint.
The scheme, launched on 14 July 2024, forward of the polls, provided free pilgrimage journeys to senior residents above the age of 60 whose household revenue is lower than Rs 2.5 lakh yearly.
Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat, below whose ministry the scheme falls, advised ThePrint that the rationale, although, shouldn’t be an absence of funds however the low response.
The Sena chief additional stated that when the scheme was launched, initially, the ministry took the individuals to Ayodhya for a Ram Mandir ‘darshan’ (go to). Some had been even taken to Bodh Gaya, Pandharpur and different pilgrimage websites.
“We haven’t shut down this scheme, however there’s comparatively low response. We despatched the individuals on the teerth darshan to Ayodhya when the scheme was began, however there have been no takers for the scheme this yr,” Shirsat stated.
“We don’t know why the persons are not taking an curiosity within the scheme. Possibly due to the monsoon or what, I don’t know. That’s the reason it appears prefer it has stopped. However as a division, we haven’t known as it off but.”
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Subsidised meals
One other main scheme that appears set to be scrapped is the Anandacha Shidha programme, launched by Shinde throughout Diwali 2022, which features a ration equipment at a concessional fee of Rs 100 for saffron ration card holders.
The equipment–consisting of 1 kg every of sooji (semolina), chana dal (break up chickpeas) and sugar and one litre of edible oil—has been distributed on eight events, together with festivals like Gudi Padwa, Shiv Jayanti and Diwali in 2023 and 2024.
Within the first yr, Rs 600 crore was spent on the scheme. Nonetheless, in 2024, the spend got here right down to Rs 160 crore. It didn’t discover any point out on this yr’s price range.
Throughout Ganesh Utsav, the kits weren’t offered to households, and now, with Diwali approaching, the minister says there are not any funds for the scheme.
A senior Sena chief advised ThePrint it was mistaken to close down the Anandacha Shidha scheme.
“Although I could give it that there are some wrongdoings within the Shiv Bhojan thali with some fraud operators getting more cash than required, however the Anandacha Shidha mustn’t have been shut down. These had been necessary schemes began by our chief, Shinde, and the get together. Let’s hope subsequent yr it will get extra funds,” the chief stated.
Bhujbal stated funds for Ladki Bahin and flood reduction had affected the ration scheme.
“We had despatched a proposal to the finance division throughout Ganeshotsav and Diwali. However we had been advised it isn’t potential. They stated that, different issues, this yr, it isn’t potential,” he advised the media.
The story is similar for the Shiv Bhojan thali scheme, which gives a subsidised meal to the needy for Rs 10. Introduced by the Maha Vikas Aghadi authorities, it was part of the undivided Shiv Sena’s manifesto. Even after the Sena’s break up in 2022, Shinde continued with this scheme. The state authorities has been spending practically Rs 200 crore yearly on it.
Nonetheless, it discovered no point out within the present price range.
Prior to now six months, practically 2,000 Shiv Bhojan operators throughout Maharashtra haven’t obtained funds to proceed with the scheme.
The scenario is so dire that one of many operators in Nagpur even tried to finish his life as he was unable to pay his grocery distributors and workers. The operators are typically self-help teams or NGOs.
Underneath the scheme began by then CM Uddhav Thackeray throughout the pandemic, the federal government pays the operators Rs 25 every for thalis in rural areas and Rs 40 in city areas.
Bhujbal stated that they want at the least Rs 140 crore yearly to maintain the scheme going for at the least 2 lakh individuals, however thus far, solely Rs 70 crore has been accredited.
“I don’t suppose all the quantity has been obtained, although. These operators are poor individuals, not like massive builders. They stay hand to mouth, and therefore their complaints usually are available in,” Bhujbal stated.
An official from the division advised ThePrint that solely about Rs 20 crore has been launched in April thus far.
Bhujbal added he wasn’t positive whether or not these schemes would stay intact or shut down subsequent yr. “It is determined by what the monetary constraints are subsequent yr. This resolution must be taken within the cupboard. One factor is bound, all departments are feeling the fund crunch.”
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)
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