Maha budget does justice to all sections of society: Cong-NCP

The budget presented by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar does justice to all sections of society and will help restore Maharashtra's glory in terms of development, the Congress and NCP, partners in the Shiv Sena- led Maha Vikas Aghadi government, said on Friday. While Congress leader and state revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat praised the Rs 22,000-crore provision for the farm loan waiver scheme as well as the plan to set up one lakh solar pumps, his colleague Ashok Chavan said the budget would ensure regional balance.

"The budget does justice to farmers, labourers, women, youth, students, Dalits, tribals, minorities, and will help restore Maharashtra's glory in terms of development," Thorat, also state Congress chief, told reporters. He praised the provision of Rs 22,000 crore made in the budget for writing off farm loans and the announcement of giving one lakh solar pumps a year.

Chavan, the state's PWD minister, said the budget will direct Maharashtra towards development and ensure regional balance, and hailed the announcement of enacting a law to employ 80 per cent locals as well as provisions made for boosting the real estate sector. He also hailed the budget for encouraging the industry sector by slashing power tariffs, making provisions to buy 1600 state transport (ST) buses, and announcing setting up of a women's police station in each district.

Lavishing praise on Pawar, NCP Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule, who is also the former's cousin, said the decision of setting up a women police station and office of the women's commission in each district were great initiatives. "Amount of 5 Thousand Crore Rs. has allocated for Public Health. This will improve the health care facilities in our states," Sule tweeted.

She said the decision to increase allocation for state transport buses will be beneficial for people from rural Maharashtra. NCP spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said the budget has done justice to the urban and rural populations.

"Agriculture, health, urban development, social justice, employment, tourism, irrigation, education have been given good allocation of funds. Increasing the MLA local area fund will greatly enhance developmental work," Tapase said. He also termed Opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis' criticism of the budget as "baseless and illogical"..