Maharashtra Budget 2023 Highlights: Focus on farmers in Shinde-BJP govt's first fiscal roadmap; 10 things to know

Maharashtra Deputy CM Fadnavis present's first Eknath Shinde-govt state Budget for 2023-24

The focus was on the welfare of farmers and development of the agriculture sector in the first state budget rolled out by the Maharashtra government led by the Eknath Shinde-headed Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on March 9.

Presented by state deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, the budget listed a spree of measures aimed at mitigating the hardship faced by the state's cultivators, who have been adversely affected due to the unseasonal rainfall over the past couple of days.

The government also raised the cap under a state-run health insurance scheme, and announced interest-free loans for persons from the Dhangar community.

Here are 10 things to know about the Maharashtra Budget 2023:

- The state has proposed to provide an additional Rs 6,000 per year to farmers under a new scheme Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi, on top of the Rs 6,000 provided under the central Pradhan Mantri Kisan Nidhi Samman scheme.

- Another agriculture-focused scheme, Mahakrishivikas Yojana, was announced, under which all aspects of farming - from production to value addition process - will be financed by preparing an integrated crop-based plan for taluka and district-wise groups of farmers, Fadnavis said.

- This will substantially increase the income of farmers and a provision of Rs 3,000 crore is being made for this scheme (Mahakrishivikas Yojana) for the next 5 years, he added.

- A sum of Rs 6,900 crore has been proposed in the 2023-24 budget for the state-level financial scheme for farmers. Fadnavis said farmers can register themselves for the scheme by paying a fee of just Re 1 on the portal of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

- The crop insurance premium will paid by the government and not farmers, and an annual outlay of Rs 3,312 crore has been proposed in the budget for implementation of the scheme, Fadnavis said, while presenting the budget.

- The government also announced that Rs 39,000 crore has been proposed for metro projects in Thane, Nashik and Pimpri-Chinchwad.

- The budget has also proposed to raise the health insurance coverage under Mahatma Phule Jan Arogya, the state government scheme to Rs 5 lakh from Rs 1.5 lakh.

- A new scheme, 'Lek Ladki', was announced as per which the government will provide grants to girls in classes 1st, 6th and 9th, and a cash amount of Rs 75,000 after attaining the age of 18.

- The government also proposed to provide a rebate of 50 percent for women travelling using the state transport corporation and set up 50 women hostels.

- The budget also includes an allocation for raising the emolument for ASHA works by Rs 2,500.

- The budget further proposed Rs 10,000 crore of interest-free loans for persons from the Dhangar community.

While the state government described the fiscal roadmap as inclusive, the Opposition described it as a "carrot dangling in front of people" and a precursor to mid-term elections.

"Most likely, they will hold assembly and general elections together. I have been in public life for the last many years, so I can see in which direction the wind is blowing," Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar, a former finance minister, told reporters.

With PTI inputs