State Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar is presenting the first budget of a BJP-led Maharashtra.
Faced with bulging deficit and a need to increase investments, the Maharashtra government has sought suggestions from finance experts, industry bodies, bureaucrats and other stakeholders for preparing the State budget for the next fiscal.
Here are the updates:
04.28 pm: 70 neonatal ambulances are to be made available for immediate treatment to infants with a view to reduce the infant mortality: Mr. Mungantiwar
04.26 pm: Rs. 1996 crores are to be provided for National Health Mission in the state.
04.25 pm: 1000 additional beds to be provided to Sir J. J. Hospital, Mumbai.
04.09 pm: National Pharmaceutical Science Education and Training Institute to be established at Nagpur.
03.58 pm: Rs. 50 crores have been allocated for the construction of Taluka and District-level sports stadium.
03.56 pm: Rs.1 crore is to be set aside for the formation of the State Zoo Authority to coordinate with the various zoos in Maharashtra.
03.54 pm: The Maharashtra government will also set up high-tech nurseries is each district.
03.53 pm: The Social Forestry Department is to develop Late Uttamrao Patil Forest Park in each district: Mr. Mungantiwar
03.50 pm: Rs.191 crores have been allocated for the development of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Project, Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Gorewada Zoo on the lines of international forest tourism destinations like Masai Mara.
03.41 pm:
The eligible textile projects from Vidarbha, Marathwada & North Maharashtra to get 10% capital incentive. Rs 28Cr earmarked for this purpose
— Sudhir Mungantiwar (@SMungantiwar) >March 18, 201503.41 pm: Textile projects are to get an interest rebate of 5-7 per cent on long term loans.
03.40 pm: The Industrial Cluster Development Scheme is to be launched to boost industrial development in industrially backward areas.
03.34 pm: State Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar says that 'Make In Maharashtra' is to be launched to promote industrial development in the state.
03.29 pm:
Kolhapur, Akola, Shirdi, Karad, Amaravati, Sholapur to get 91 Crore for development & maintenance of Airport & Airstrips. >#MahaBudget2015
— Sudhir Mungantiwar (@SMungantiwar) >March 18, 201503.26 pm: A provision of Rs. 80 crores have been made for the Maharashtra Water Supply and Sanitation Scheme for urban areas: Sudhir Mungantiwar
03.25 pm: Rs.600 crores have been allocated for the Maharashtra Golden Jubilee Urban Upliftment Mega mission.
03.21 pm:
Rs. 320 crore earmarked for implementation of the ambitious Swaccha Bharat Abhiyan of the Central Govt. >#MahaBudget2015
— Sudhir Mungantiwar (@SMungantiwar) >March 18, 201503.17 pm: A School of Planning and Architecture is also to be set up in Aurangabad.
03.16 pm: Rs.10 crores have been allocated for art schools across the State including the J.J.School of Arts.
03.14 pm: Rs.1690 crores have also been set aside for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
03.13 pm: Rs.112 croreshave been allocated for hostels for girls
03.11 pm: Rs.50 crores to be spent on public gymnasiums across Maharashtra.
03.10 pm: In order to "harness the power of the youth," Mr Mungantiwar has annouced the Pramod Mahajan Skill Development Scheme with an allocation of Rs.161 crores.
03.08 pm: Skill development to be undertaken for 5 lakh youth.
03.08 pm: Maharashtra wants to harness the power of youth, says Mr. Mungantiwar while delivering the Maharashtra Budget 2015 speech.
03.08 pm: The Maharashtra State to create a new department for skill development and entrepreneurship, says Mr Mungantiwar. There will be a skill development centre in every district.
03.05 pm: Rs. 2378 crores have been allocated for the Kumbh Mela in Nashik.
03.03 pm: Rs.191 crores allocated for forest tourism in Maharashtra.
03.03 pm: Rs.42 crores allocated for the development of sea #tourism in Maharashtra.
03.02 pm:
1000 Villages to be covered in next 5 years under Amdar Aadarsh Gaav Yojana scheme. >#MahaBudget2015
— Sudhir Mungantiwar (@SMungantiwar) >March 18, 201503.01 pm:
State to launch Amdar Aadarsh Gaav Yojana(MLA Model Village Scheme) on lines of Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana of Central Govt >#MahaBudget2015
— Sudhir Mungantiwar (@SMungantiwar) >March 18, 201503.01 pm: Free Wi-Fi: There will be a special allocation of funds for development of free Wi-Fi hotspots across Mumbai, says Mr Mungantiwar. All tourist destination in Mumbai to have free Wi-Fi hotspots too.
03.00 pm: In a boost for conservation of forts, Rs.50 crores have been allocated by the state; 'Raigad Festival' to kick-in too.
02.55 pm: Rs.10 crores allocated for Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar's Memorial at Kamthi.
02.54 pm: Maharashtra's handloom owners to be given an exemption of Rs.1232 crores for their electricity bills.
02.52 pm: Rs.91 crores have been allocated for the development of airports in the state.
02.52 pm: There is also to an e-Taxi scheme for women in urban areas.
02.51 pm: Rs.268 crores to be allocated for the development of Smart Cities.
02.51 pm: Rs.140 crore allocated for the development of Animal Husbandry.
02.50 pm: Tourist destination Jaigarh to be connected by rail.
02.49 pm: Bus stands in Nashik, Pune, Mumbai, Amravati and Nagpur to be renovated this year.
02.49 pm: State also aims to renovate all bus stands in 5 years under the PPP model: Maharashtra Finance MInister
02.48 pm: Rs.175 crores have been allocated for the Pune Metro project and Rs.198 crores for the Nagpur Metro project.
02.48 pm: The Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Housing Scheme announced.
02.48 pm:
Rs 20 Crore for erection of Jetties at Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Raigad, Thane, Palghar and Mumbai for fishing activities. >#MahaBudget2015
— Sudhir Mungantiwar (@SMungantiwar) >March 18, 2015
02.46 pm: Rs.109 crores have been proposed for Metro-III in Mumbai, for which an SPV has already been approved: Sudhir Mungantiwar
02.45 pm: Mr. Mungantiwar also says that the State aims to achieve 100 per cent housing by 2022.
02.42 pm: Irrigation projects will be implemented only after thorough technical study, says the State Finance Minister.
02.41 pm: Rs.900 crore allocated for hydel power projects: Sudhir Mungantiwar
02.40 pm: Each MLA will adopt three villages each under the MLA Ideal Village Scheme.
02.39 pm: Rs.4000 crore relief package has been declared for drought victims in Maharashtra.
02.39 pm: The State Finance Minister has annouced that 5000 kms of roads are to be repaired in the year 2015-16.
02.36 pm: In addition, Mr. Mungantiwar has also announced a new pilot scheme titled Late Motiramji Lahane Krushi Samrudhi Yojana, to be launched in Yavatmal to prevent farmers suicides.
02.35 pm: The State Finance Minister has announced the Chief Minister's Rural Roads Scheme.
02.35 pm: Rs.2493 crores to be allocated for construction of roads in the state.
02.33 pm: Rs.100 crores to allocated for repair and renovation of water reservoirs in Gadchiroli, Bhandara,Gondia and Chandrapur districts: Sudhir Mungantiwar
02.32 pm: The Chain Cement Nala Bandh Program to get Rs.500 crores—this is double the previous year’s provision.
02.31 pm: Rs.20 crores to be allocated for construction of jetties in coastal Maharashtra
02.31 pm: Rs.1000 crores has been allocated for the Jalyukt Shivar Mission to overcome drinking water scarcity and drought due to irregular rainfalls.
02.29 pm: Mr. Mungantiwar says that the government will accelerate implementation of pending irrigation projects and it is to complete at least 50% of such projects in five years.
02.28 pm: Incentives to efficient govt employees and punishment for incompetent ones will be the government policy, he says.
02.27 pm: 7540 solar pumps to be installed in Maharashtra.
02.24 pm: Mahrashtra will aim for agriculture growth target of 4%: Sudhir Mungantiwar
02.21 pm: A pilot project for the mechanisation of agriculture is to be implemented in Yavatmal district, says Mr. Mungantiwar.
02.21 pm:
Separate Control Room to be established at Mantralay for monitoring Govt aided schemes through Evidence Based Photography. >#MahaBudget2015
— Sudhir Mungantiwar (@SMungantiwar) >March 18, 2015
02.19 pm: Rs.1000 crore has been allocated for the decentralized water management system
02.18 pm: The State repaid loans of over 2 lakh farmers in 2014 who had approached moneylenders for loans at high interest rates, says the Maharahstra Finance Minister.
02.15 pm: State to introduce new policy to encourage innovative ideas, bureaucrats: Sudhir Mungantiwar
02.14 pm: The focus of Budget 2015 will be on agriculture, says Mr. Mungantiwar.
02.13pm: Maharashtra govt pays Rs.24,000 crore every year as interest on loans.
