Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday described the Maharashtra budget as a “torrent of assurances” and a “false narrative” pretending to offer something to every section of society.
Talking to reporters at the legislative complex, the former chief minister said the ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin’ scheme under which a monthly allowance of ₹ 1,500 would be given to the eligible women was a “pitiable attempt” to woo women voters ahead of the assembly elections.
Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar earlier in the day presented a ₹ 20,051 crore revenue deficit budget, announcing sops for women, youth and farmers among other sections, entailing an outlay of more than ₹ 80,000 crore.
Mr Thackeray asked why a similar allowance was not announced for men as unemployment was on the rise, and said nothing was being done to create jobs.
“The budget is a torrent of assurances. It is a fake attempt to take all sections of society along. It is what (deputy Chief Minister) Devendra Fadnavis calls ‘false narrative’,” he said.
A committee of experts should be formed to find out how many of the schemes announced by the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP ‘Mahayuti’ government in the last two years were implemented, said Mr Thackeray.
There was no mention of how the funds would be raised, he said.
On the waiver of electricity bills of farmers, Mr Thackeray said although his demand in this regard was accepted by the government, his main demand that farmers be made debt-free remains unfulfilled.
The schemes announced in the budget would not help the ruling coalition as the people were waiting for assembly polls to defeat it, he said.
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“Maharashtra is being looted, and those who are looting it will not be voted to power,” Mr Thackeray said.
