Maharashtra budget: Honorarium for farmers, financial aid for girls, women
What's the story
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis presented the state budget on Thursday and dedicated it to Farmers, women, youth, employment, and the environment in accordance with the "Panchamrut" principle. Notable highlights of this budget include Rs. 12,000 annual honoraria to the state's 1.15 crore farmers and Rs. 75,000 to girls from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families when they reach the age of 18.
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Details
Metro projects worth Rs. 39,000 crore for Thane, Nashik, Pimpri-Chinchwad
Fadnavis read out the budget in the Lower House from an iPad instead of the traditional paper document. He proposed metro projects worth Rs. 39,000 crore for Thane, Nashik, and Pimpri-Chinchwad. He also announced the Modi Awas Gharkul Yojana, under which 10 lakh affordable houses will be built at a cost of Rs. 12,000 crore over the next three years.
Farmers
Farmers to get cash instead of grains in suicide-affected districts
Farmers will get Rs. 6,000 annually from the state fund under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Samman Nidhi Yojana, while the Centre will contribute the remaining Rs. 6,000. This will cost the state Rs. 6,900 crore annually. Apart from this, farmers in 14 districts afflicted by high farmer suicide rates will get Rs. 1,800 in cash instead of grains under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
Women
50% discount for women in state transport
A 50% discount has been offered for women in state public transport, and as many as 50 hostels will be opened for working women across the state. The remuneration for Anganwadi workers has been raised from Rs. 8,300 to Rs. 10,000 per month, while for Anganwadi helpers, it has been hiked from Rs. 4,425 to Rs. 5,500 per month.
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Health insurance coverage now Rs. 5 lakh
The coverage under the state's health insurance scheme Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana has been increased from Rs. 1.5 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh. Meanwhile, fisherfolk will get a special insurance cover of Rs. 5 lakh.
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Welfare boards for unorganized sector workers, cabbies
Fadnavis also announced a welfare board for providing social security and other welfare schemes to more than 3 crore workers from unorganized sectors in the state. He also said that a welfare board will be constituted for autorickshaw and taxi drivers in the state.