Maha earmarks outlay of Rs 8,215 cr for irrigation in interim budget

About Rs 2,500 cr earmarked for food security scheme to cover 87.7 mn beneficiaries

Maharashtra finance minister Ajit Pawar has compiled the various government decisions and their allocations during his presentation of an interim budget for 2014-15.

The government, which is under attack for the alleged multi crore irrigation scam, has made an allocation of Rs 8,215 crore for irrigation projects. About Rs 2,500 crore is earmarked for the food security scheme to cover 87.7 million beneficiaries.

Pawar, who is also the state deputy chief minister, informed the state assembly that Rs 2,253 crore are provided for implementation of public distribution system and cover deficit of Rs 761 crore. He said that during interim budget he has focused on food, employment, women and health.

The government has allotted Rs 2,836 crore for road development and an outlay of Rs 395 crore has been made for backward region development fund. Moreover, the government has allocated Rs 250 crore for land acquisition and rehabilitation under Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN). The government has earmarked an outlay of Rs 1,600 crore for Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission and Rs 450 crore for Suvarna Jayanti Nagorathan Abhiyan.

Further, Pawar informed that the government would spend Rs 566 crore for the creation of 61.494 posts of police personnel in five phases.

As far as minority development is concerned, the government has earmarked an outlay of Rs 131 crore for madarsa modernization, pre matric scholarship and development of minority concentrated rural areas. A total of Rs 2,695 crore has been allocated for the payment of scholarships to scheduled caste, scheduled tribe, other backward class and economically backward class during 2013-14. 

According to Pawar, Rs 675 crore has been provided for basic services to urban poor, integrated housing and slum development programme and Rs 333 crore for Ramai Awas Yojana.

On women development, the government has announced one time retirement benefit to Anganwadi workers and helpers and Rs 187 crore earmarked for implementation of Sukanya Yojana.