Maharashtra Budget: Devendra Fadnavis announces Rs 12,000 honorarium for farmers

Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis to present the Maharashtra state budget today. This will be the first budget of the Shinde-Fadnavis government. Pic/Sameer Abedi

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday presented the chief minister Eknath Shinde led government's Budget.

Presenting the budget the deputy chief minister announced rupees 36,000 crore allocation for various mega infra projects.

Fadnavis said that the Maharashtra state government will provide premium for farmers under Prime Minister Krishi Bima Yojna. Apart from rupees 6,000 to individual farmers from central scheme, Fadnavis allocated additional rupees 6,000. He said this will benefit 1.15 crore farmer families.

The deputy chief minister who also holds the finance ministry portfolio said the government will allocate Rs 300 cr for conservation of Chhatrapati Shivaji era forts. He said a museum will be also developed in Raigad.

To promote organic farming, Fadnavis said 25 lakh hectares of land will be brought under organic farming. He said the paddy growing farmers will get Rs 15,000 incentive per hectare.

The deputy chief minister announced rupees 1000 cr fund for the welfare of Dhangar community. He also allocated rupees 20,000 crore for Har Ghar Jal - drinking water connections to all in the state.

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'Laadki Lek' scheme for empowerment of girls

The finance minister said that the scheme will benefits girl child from yellow and orange ration card holder families. He announced rupees 5000 per girl child after the birth and rupees 75,000 when the girl child attains the age of 18 years.

Hike in salary of Asha volunteers, Anganwadi workers

The finance minister also announced a hike in the salary of Asha volunteers from rupees 3500 to rupees 5000. The anganwadi workers will draw a renumeration of rupees 10,000 as against the earlier rupees 8325. He said 20,000 posts of Anganwadi workers will be filled.

'Modi Awas Gharkul Yojana' for 10 lakh houses in 3 years

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana: 4 lakh houses. (2.5 lakh houses for scheduled caste-tribe, 1.5 lakh other category)

Ramai Awas: 1.5 lakh houses/Rs 1800 crores. (At least 25 thousand houses for Matang community)

New Gharkul Yojana for Other Backward Classes: Modi Awas Gharkul Yojana : 10 lakh houses in 3 years / Rs.12,000 crore

(In this scheme, 3 lakh houses will be built this year/3600 crore rupees)

Fadnavis said that the state government will expand Apla Dawakhana. The initiative "we started got a huge response". Now, 700 Apla Dawakhana dispensaries will be started in the entire state in the name of late Balasaheb Thackeray, through which free treatment will be provided, he said.