Govt spending Rs 65,000 crore on Ladki Bahin scheme and farmers' power bill waiver: Ajit Pawar

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Apr 26 (PTI) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday said of the Rs 7 lakh crore budget amount, the state government was spending Rs 3.5 lakh crore on employees' salaries, pension and loan, and Rs 65,000 crore on Ladki Bahin Yojana and electricity waiver scheme for farmers.

After Rs 4.15 lakh crore are spent under these heads, the remaining amount was going to development works, he said.

Addressing a meeting of his ruling Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Parbhani, Pawar also said those party workers who wish to become political leaders should not be contractors (for government works) and vice versa.

Talking about the state government's expenditure, Pawar, who handles the finance portfolio, said, "The state is giving Rs 17,000 crore to 20,000 crore to the Maharashtra Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) under the electricity bills waiver scheme for farmers. The state needs Rs 45,000 crore for the 'Ladki Bahin' scheme in a year." "The state's budget outlay is Rs 7 lakh crore, of which Rs 3.5 lakh crore are spent on paying the salaries, pension and loan, while Rs 65,000 crore are spent on the above two (Ladki Bahi and bill waiver) schemes. Out of the remaining amount, we are trying to meet the developmental needs of the state," he said.

Under the Ladki Bahin scheme that came into force from August last year, eligible women are given a financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month.

Pawar also asked the party workers to expand the organisation's base by reaching out to people from all communities, including Other Backward Classes, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, minorities and women, and enrolling them as its members.

"I have told workers in Baramati that those who want to be leaders should not become contractors and those who are contractors should not become leaders," he added.

Referring to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, Pawar said, "We have seen how our enemy country behaves. Those who work against the country are anti-nationals. But we have to maintain communal harmony by taking every community along." PTI AW NP

Source: PTI