Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar tabled a Rs 7.20-lakh crore Maharashtra Budget for fiscal year 2025-26 in the state assembly on Monday, allocating Rs 36,000 crore to implement the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, which was mentioned in its election poll manifesto.
The deputy chief minister announced that the financial benefits under the scheme have been provided to approximately 2.53 crore women since July 2024, with Rs 33,232 crore already spent while presenting the state budget.
However, the government did not mention an increase in the monthly allowance from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,100, a promise made by the ruling Mahayuti coalition before the 2024 assembly elections. Later, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified that the hike would be implemented once the fiscal balance improves, but not immediately from April onwards.
Presenting the budget, Pawar said, “I express my gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his support to Maharashtra. This government came to power largely due to the Ladki Bahin (Beloved Sisters) scheme”.
He stated that Maharashtra would introduce new labour laws alongside a revamped industrial policy to boost economic growth and investment. “The state will prioritise the development of logistics infrastructure, covering over 10,000 hectares. Mumbai is set to be transformed into a major growth hub, with new trade centres planned to enhance commercial activities. Vadhvan Port, a proposed deep seaport in the Palghar district, near Mumbai will see the state contributing 26% of the total project cost,” he added.
Ajit Pawar also announced plans for a new airport as part of the development of Vadhvan Port which will start operations by 2030. “The state aims to generate 50 lakh new employment opportunities over the next five years. In the coming year, a 1,500 km road network will be developed, while 7,000 km of existing roads will be upgraded to cement roads. Additionally, 99% of the Samruddhi Highway Project has been completed. A Rs 19,300-crore irrigation project will be implemented in the Tapi River Valley, while water from Konkan will be diverted to drought-prone regions of Marathwada,” he said.
Pawar said that a total of 143.57 km of metro railway routes are currently operational in Mumbai, Nagpur, and Pune metropolitan areas, benefitting approximately 10 lakh daily commuters. “In the coming year, 41.2 km of metro routes will be launched in Mumbai and 23.2 km in Pune, totaling 64.4 km. Over the next five years, a total of 237.5 km of metro rail routes will be made operational. Under Phase 2 of the Nagpur Metro, construction work for 43.80 km is progressing at a cost of Rs 6,708 crore,” he added.
He said memorials for Maratha warriors would be constructed in Panipat, Haryana. “Dr B R Ambedkar’s memorial is under construction at Indu Mill land in Mumbai. A memorial for former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be established in Mumbai and Rs 220 crore has been allocated for the Bal Thackeray memorial in Mumbai. A memorial for Savitribai Phule will be built in Satara district,” said Pawar.
The state finance minister said as per the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, the government has successfully maintained the fiscal deficit below 3% of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). Additionally, the revenue deficit has consistently remained below 1% of GSDP. For the financial year 2025-26, the fiscal deficit stands at Rs 1,36,235 crore.
“We have prioritised the agriculture sector, with a strong focus on increasing incomes of farmers. To enhance agricultural productivity, we will promote the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). All irrigation projects are progressing as planned, and necessary funds have been allocated for irrigation schemes. Additionally, we are emphasising the development of solar energy to drive sustainable growth,” Pawar said.
CM Devendra Fadnavis said while the state debt has risen, the borrowing limit has also expanded accordingly. “The Ladki Bahin Scheme has been allocated funds without exceeding the debt limit. Though there are financial challenges, the budget maintains a balanced approach to growth and fiscal responsibility. Maharashtra is collecting GST above the national average,” he added.
Regarding the Ladki Bahin Scheme, Fadnavis said small credit societies would be established to encourage careful financial management among women beneficiaries, enabling them to maximise benefits. The government is already providing Rs 1,500 per month under the scheme. “Additionally, Maharashtra will implement the Lakhpati Didi Scheme, a Central Government initiative, aimed at empowering women financially. The state has already created 23 lakh Lakhpati Didis, with a target of reaching 1 crore women under the scheme,” the CM said.
Fadnavis further said that the government was committed to the Rs 2,100 instalment for Ladki Bahin Scheme, but Rs 1,500 will be given for the time being. He said that the government is actively working on implementing the Rs 2,100 monthly instalment under the Ladki Bahin Scheme. He assured that the election promise will be fulfilled, but for now, women enrolled in the scheme will continue receiving Rs 1,500 per month.
However, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray criticised the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance government’s budget, accusing it of making false promises to secure a massive majority. He stated that none of the key promises from their election manifesto, including a loan waiver for farmers and an increase in the grant for women under the Ladki Bahin Scheme, have been reflected in the budget.
He said contractors have dominated the budget, and all the announced schemes and projects are designed to benefit them. He accused the Devendra Fadnavis-led government of deceiving the people by failing to provide any concrete assurances on key issues.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena leader criticised the government, stating that farmers were expecting a loan waiver and had been waiting for an announcement in the budget. He said that many farmers did not repay their loans anticipating such a waiver, but the government has betrayed them by not fulfilling its promises.