Today, Maharashtra cabinet expected to clear Rs 40k crore package for Marathwada | Mumbai News – Times of India

MUMBAI: At its first cabinet meeting in Marathwada to be held on Saturday, after a gap of seven years, the Maharashtra government is set to clear a package of over Rs 40,000 crore for the backward region. This will include an outlay for irrigation, public works, agriculture and medical education. The state faces both Lok Sabha and assembly polls next year.
The cabinet meeting is being held at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Marathwada Mukti Sangram, when the region was liberated from the state of Hyderabad. The meeting is being held at a challenging juncture. The drought-prone region is experiencing a major rain deficit. It has also faced major protests regarding the Maratha quota, with activist Manoj Jarange Patil withdrawing his fast in Jalna only on Thursday.
“I cannot discuss what will be cleared in the cabinet meeting, but we will ensure that critical areas like irrigation, education, health and job creation receive attention,” said cultural affairs minister Sudhir Mungantiwar. The Rs 40,000-crore package is expected to include an outlay of Rs 21,000 crore for the irrigation sector, Rs 12,000 crore for public works, Rs 1,200 crore for rural development, Rs 600 crore for sports, Rs 500 crore for medical education, Rs 300 crore for school education, Rs 200 crore for cultural development and Rs 150 crore for urban development.
The Opposition pointed out that when Devendra Fadnavis was chief minister in 2016, a package of Rs 49,248 crore had been announced for Marathwada, but “little was achieved”. “I have the entire list of decisions taken by the then cabinet. Not a single decision has been implemented. Please stop misleading the people of Marathwada,” said Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Raosaheb Danve.
He pointed out that Fadnavis had promised a Bal Thackeray memorial in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, four museums in Marathwada, Rs 450 crore for development of Mhaismal, Rs 250 crore for the development of Nahur in Nanded, a sports complex in Latur, jobs for 1.25 lakh people by setting up milk processing plants in 1,000 villages, a textile park on 68 hectares land in Parbhani and a water grid for Marathwada. Also, Rs 200 crore for airport expansion, Rs 1,048 crore for irrigation projects and Rs 279 crore for an institute set up in the memory of Gopinath Munde had been promised.
Responding to the charges, Mungantiwar said, “The Opposition is just jealous because they have not done anything for Marathwada. In fact, it was the MVA government which had cancelled the Marathwada water grid project.”