Mumbai, Nov 20 (NIE): The state government on Monday tabled supplementary demands of Rs 20,323 crore, on the first day of the Winter Session which commenced in Mumbai.
From drought mitigation plans to implementing the Maratha reservation, the government made additional budgetary provisions through the supplementary demands. The maximum funds, worth Rs 2,200 crore, have been incurred for drought relief to farmers for kharif crop loss. While Rs 3,000 crore have been incurred on land acquisition for various irrigation projects undertaken to enhance the irrigation potential.
An amount of Rs 700 crore expenditure was towards extending scholarships to economically backward class students after matriculation; Rs 2,000 crore was towards power subsidies in agriculture and powerloom sectors.
In the last four years, the total budget through supplementary demands works to Rs 1.40 lakh crore. The state government said the supplementary demands were necessitated following additional expenditure because of severe drought, which required funds to compensate the crop loss of farmers.
An amount of Rs 500 crore was made to complete the process of implementation of Maratha reservation. Under Swachh Bharat Mission Rs 211 crore was allocated, road construction under hybrid annuity Rs 1,500 crore, Rs 1,000 crore for various state welfare schemes to promote small and medium scale industries, Rs 2,000 crore for power subsidies. The Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Kalyan Yojna was provided Rs 425 crore, second phase of Mumbai Metro Rs 320 crore, scheme to tackle drinking water scarcity Rs 300 crore.
To ensure dairy farmers get better remuneration, Rs 300 crore additional funds have been allocated. Amongst the other expenditures showed in the supplementary demands include Rs 26 crore for General Administration Department (GAD). The funds are for awareness programmes undertaken for voters on EVM and VVPAT machines and checking of EVMs by the Electronics Corporation of India and Bharat Electronics Ltd. In addition, Rs 60 lakh was made for administrative cost for the two-member committee which would make recommendations on how to curtail resources through simultaneous polls for Parliament, Assembly and local bodies. The administrative expenditure for the Commission of Inquiry on the Bhima Koregaon violence incurred led to an additional budget of Rs 42 lakh. The maintenance and repair of 206 martyrs memorial — Hutama Smaraks — incurred Rs 12 crore additional expenditure.
The other miscellaneous expenses included Rs 19 crore for government aircraft engine repairs and rentals for VVIPs.
The state government’s decision to consider people who were imprisoned during the Emergency as freedom fighters between 1975 and 1977 cost Rs 42 crore. The government has decided to make a full fledged film on Mahatma Jyotiba Phule which requires Rs 4.5 crore.
Under secret services scheme of the police Rs 1.5 crore have been provided. Opposition leaders Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and Dhananjay Munde criticised the government for poor planning. Vikhe-Patil said, “The increasing supplementary demands show government’s failure in financial sector.”