Maharashtra seeks Rs 75,286 crore extra spend for farmer relief and welfare schemes

The Maharashtra government on Monday tabled supplementary demands of Rs 75,286.38 crore in the legislative assembly, with a major share directed towards farmer relief, subsidies and social welfare schemes. The state’s public debt currently stands at Rs 9.32 lakh crore.

Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar placed the supplementary demands before the House on the first day of the week-long winter session. With this proposal, the total supplementary demands presented by the current government have risen to Rs 1,73,019 crore.

Of the fresh allocations, Rs 15,648 crore has been earmarked for compensation and financial assistance to rain and flood-affected farmers, while Rs 9,250 crore is set aside for electricity tariff subsidies for agriculture pumps, power loom and handloom units.

The government has proposed Rs 15,721.08 crore for the revenue and forest departments. It has allocated Rs 6,103 crore for the Ladki Bahin Yojana, which provides monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,500 to eligible women beneficiaries, and Rs 5,024.48 crore to the Women and Child Development Department for other welfare schemes, according to documents tabled in the House.

Further allocations include Rs 4,439.74 crore as the state’s share in the Centre’s long-term interest-free loan, Rs 3,500 crore for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Rs 3,281.79 crore for the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and Ayushman Bharat schemes, Rs 2,200 crore as a special grant to municipal bodies, and Rs 2,500 crore towards stamp duty cess refunds.

The government has proposed Rs 9,205 crore for the industries, energy, labour and mining departments, and Rs 9,115.76 crore for the urban development department ahead of elections to 29 civic bodies, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. The Public Works Department will receive Rs 6,347.41 crore to clear dues and complete pending projects.

An allocation of Rs 4,853.99 crore has been made to the planning department after the release of the vision document for ‘Viksit Maharashtra 2047’, which aims to make the state a five-trillion-dollar economy. Other provisions include Rs 3,861.12 crore for the home department, Rs 3,602 crore for the public health department, Rs 3,223.39 crore for the water resources department, Rs 2,395.44 crore for the school education and sports department, and Rs 2,314.50 crore for the social justice department.

This is the fourth set of supplementary demands presented by the Mahayuti government. After presenting a Rs 7.06 lakh crore annual budget for 2025-26, the state tabled supplementary demands of Rs 33,738 crore during the winter session in December 2024 to fund the Ladki Bahin scheme, statue construction and road repairs. During the budget session in March, the government sought an additional Rs 6,486 crore, mainly for administrative expenses, followed by Rs 57,509 crore during the monsoon session in July for welfare schemes, 15th Finance Commission-linked grants and preparations for the Kumbh Mela, which will begin in Nashik in October 2026.