Mumbai, Aug 6 (IANS): A day after the Bombay High Court dismissed the petition challenging the MahaYuti government’s ambitious Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday countered opposition’s claim that the scheme would not sustain, saying that making the impossible, possible is what he takes pride in.
Pawar, who heads the NCP will kick-start the Jansanman Yatra on August 8 expressing resolve to implement a slew of welfare and development schemes. He also clarified that he would make all efforts to strengthen the Ladki Bahin Scheme by increasing funds.
"Opposition parties are saying Ladki Bahin Yojana is not possible to sustain. Making the impossible possible is what I take pride in. They have made it clear they want to stop the scheme because they think it is impossible. I will do my best to strengthen the scheme and increase the amount in the coming years," said the Dy CM.
He further added, "This election (upcoming Assembly election) is between those who are for women’s welfare and those who are against it."
Pawar took to X to take on the opposition, mainly the Maha Vikas Aghadi partners claiming that the Ladki Bahin and several other schemes announced in the Budget 2024-25 were ''election Jumlas" while questioning its implementation citing the continuity in the availability of funds.
Pawar reiterated that he has already made the allocation of Rs 35,000 crore up to March next year adding that funds won’t be an issue for its implementation.
It is not just Dy CM Pawar but Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who have also slammed the opposition for criticising the government over these schemes. The CM had said that the "sisters will teach a lesson to step brothers (those questioning the financial viability of the scheme)". He further added that the Ladki Bahin is not a "jumla".
Dy CM Fadnavis claimed that the state government has kept the funds for the Ladki Bahin Scheme till next March next year.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Minister of Women and Child Welfare Aditi Tatkare said the government hopes to deposit two instalments for July and August (Rs 1,500 each) to over one crore eligible women beneficiaries through DBT under the Ladki Bahin Scheme on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan which falls on August 19. She claimed that there has been an overwhelming response from the women saying that the government expects by the end of August 31 the registration of over 2.50 crore eligible women beneficiaries.