Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar introduced a ₹7.20-lakh crore state budget for 2025-26 in the assembly on Monday, with major provision of ₹36,000 crore for Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, one of the major electoral promises of the ruling Mahayuti alliance.
Pawar pointed out that from July 2024, about 2.53 crore women have been covered under the scheme, and ₹33,232 crore has already been released. The government, however, did not make the expected hike in monthly assistance from ₹1,500 to ₹2,100, a promise made before the 2024 assembly polls.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis subsequently clarified that the increase would be introduced when fiscal situations improve but not from April.
Pivotal Infrastructure & Economic Plans
The budget presented far-reaching economic development plans, such as new labor legislation and a new industrial policy for bringing in investments. The state will also work on building logistics infrastructure on 10,000 hectares, with Mumbai emerging as a global commercial hub.
A deep-sea port at Vadhvan (Palghar district), in which Maharashtra will bear 26% of the cost of the entire project, is a major highlight. The project will also have a new airport, which will be functional by 2030.
The government has a goal of creating 50 lakh new jobs within the next five years. Road development is also being given high priority, with the plan of building 1,500 km of new highways and improving 7,000 km of roads to cement roads. Moreover, 99% of the Samruddhi Highway project has been accomplished.
A ₹19,300 crore irrigation project shall be initiated in Tapi River Valley, and water from the Konkan coast shall be diverted to drought-hit parts of Marathwada.
Metro Expansion Plans
The state is fast developing urban transport, with 143.57 km of metro tracks already functional in Mumbai, Nagpur, and Pune and catering to approximately 10 lakh commuters per day. In the next year, 64.4 km of new metro lines will be introduced, out of which 41.2 km will be in Mumbai and 23.2 km will be in Pune. In the next five years, the entire metro network will increase to 237.5 km. Nagpur Metro Phase 2, covering 43.80 km at a price of ₹6,708 crore, is also in progress.
Cultural & Memorial Projects
Pawar has announced schemes for various historical memorials, such as:
- A tribute to Maratha warriors in Panipat, Haryana.
- The Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Memorial at Indu Mill land in Mumbai.
- A memorial for former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Mumbai.
- A ₹220 crore budget for the Bal Thackeray Memorial in Mumbai.
- A Savitribai Phule Memorial in Satara district.
- Fiscal Health & Agriculture Initiatives
- Pawar ensured that the state's revenue deficit is less than 1% and the fiscal deficit is less than 3% of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). For 2025-26, the fiscal deficit is ₹1,36,235 crore.
Agriculture continues to be a priority area with emphasis on raising farmers' incomes by improving productivity using AI. Irrigation works are on track and investments in solar energy will propel sustainable development.
Chief Minister Fadnavis' Statement regarding Fiscal Issues
CM Devendra Fadnavis accepted growing state debt but reported that borrowing is still within allowed limits. He stressed that the Ladki Bahin Scheme has been financed without going beyond the borrowing limit. He also noted that Maharashtra's GST collections exceed the national average.
To instill financial prudence among beneficiaries of the Ladki Bahin Scheme, the government will set up small credit societies. The Lakhpati Didi Scheme, a Central Government scheme for women's economic empowerment, will also be implemented in Maharashtra. As of now, 23 lakh women have been covered, and the goal is to cover 1 crore.
Fadnavis reminded that the ₹2,100 monthly benefit in the Ladki Bahin Scheme would be implemented, but as of now, the current ₹1,500 installment will persist.
Opposition Criticism
Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray attacked the budget, holding the Mahayuti government accountable for misinforming voters by not fulfilling electoral promises. He highlighted that most poll commitments like farm loan waiving and hikes in Ladki Bahin incentives were not met in the budget.
He said contractors would gain the most out of proposed projects, while farmers, who had withheld repayment of loans in the hope of waivers, were left disappointed.
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