Ajit Pawar announces waiver of electricity bills for 44 lakh farmers

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar presented the state budget for the fiscal year 202425 in Assembly session on FridayThe budget includes several populist schemes aimed at addressing the upcoming assembly elections following the Mahayutis setback in the recent Lok Sabha elections 2024Ajit Pawar announced in the state budget that 44 lakh farmers in Maharashtra to get waiver of electricity bill duesldquoThe government is committed to support the farmers at various levels keeping the motto Selfreliant Farmers Prosperous Farmers Various schemes are being implemented in terms of direct subsidy for seeds irrigation facilities use of modern technology promotion of ancillary industries value addition of agricultural produce storage of agricultural produce availability of market etcrdquo Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar saidldquoThe government has launched various schemes like ldquoNamo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhirdquo ldquoOne Rupee Crop Insurancerdquo ldquoGopinath Munde Shetkari Suraksha Sanugraha Anudanrdquo to provide financial assistance to farmers from the financial year 202324rdquo he addedThe Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister further said that the state government is aware that agriculture in India is mainly dependent on monsoon ldquoThere is a drastic change in the seasonal weather in the last few years due to the global climate change and farmers are facing the consequences I now announce the lsquoMukhya Mantri Baliraja Vij Savlat Yojanarsquo to provide relief to my farmer brothers who are in distress and need assistancerdquo he saidldquoThe government has decided to bear the burden of the electricity bills of the farmers and to provide free electricity to agriculture pumps up to 75 horse power capacity This will help 4406 lakh farmers A provision of Rs14761 crores will be made available in the form of subsidyrdquo he addedFee waiver for girls from OBC EWS families pursuing higher educationAjit Pawar on Friday presented the Maharashtra budget 2024 during the ongoing monsoon session of the state legislatureAjit Pawar said that the state government has announced several initiatives in the budget including free medical checkups and treatment for warkaris as well as the formation of a warkari development corporation to support the communitys growth Additionally Rs 36 crore has been allocated for the Pandharpur dindi with each dindi group of pilgrims receiving Rs 20000Ajit Pawar while reading out the budget revealed the states goal of becoming a US dollars 1 trillion economy The government also introduced the CM ladki bahin yojana a special scheme for women that will provide Rs 1500 per month and Rs 46 crore annually starting from July 2024 Under this scheme 10000 women will be given pink e rickshaws across the state with Rs 80 crore allocated for the erickshaw scheme in 17 cities