Oppn slams Maharashtra Budget for 'ignoring' farmers, middle class; calls it contractor-centric

Mumbai, Mar 6 (PTI) The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi on Friday slammed the Devendra Fadnavis government's Maharashtra Budget for 2026-27 claiming it was a "contractor-centric" exercise that ignored farmers, the middle class and rural economy.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray alleged the government had misled farmers and citizens with election promises and failed to announce concrete measures in the budget.

"During elections, farmers were promised that their 'satbara' (7/12 land records) would be cleared through a loan waiver. However, the budget contains no clear announcement on this. Instead, several conditions have been imposed on the loan waiver," Thackeray said, adding that the previous MVA government had waived farm loans of up to Rs 2 lakh in a time-bound manner without imposing conditions.

Even during the COVID-19 period, farmers who repaid loans regularly were given an incentive of Rs 50,000, he said.

Questioning the Ladki Bahin scheme, Thackeray said the government had promised Rs 2,100 to women beneficiaries but the budget did not clarify how the amount would be provided.

He also criticised large allocations for highway projects, saying the budget appeared to favour contractors rather than ordinary citizens.

"There are clear plans for contractors, but nothing concrete for farmers, workers and common people. This budget only shows a mirage of development," the MLA from Mumbai's Worli area said.

Taking a swipe at the government's financial strategy, Thackeray said the budget resembled celebrating Diwali by taking loans.

"Everyone knows the state's financial condition, yet this budget has been presented by borrowing heavily," he claimed.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the government's announcement to plant 300 crore trees, asking where the land for such plantation would come from.

He further criticised the bullet train project, saying the government must explain how ordinary Mumbaikars would benefit from travelling to Ahmedabad.

"The Budget today seemed more like a budget for contractors than for Maharashtra. Every minute of the long speech was spent on policies and announcements for contractors. Even with this kind of expenditure, the quality of work is horrible, just look at recent road constructions," he said in a post on X.

Calling it an "Alice in Wonderland budget", he said the government appeared disconnected from ground realities.

"For everything you must wait till 2047. The farm loan waiver is an eye wash with no clarity on eligibility, process or timeline," he said.

Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal said the budget was filled with big numbers and hollow announcements. "Behind these announcements, the state's economy is moving towards bankruptcy," he alleged.

Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said the budget was "an attack of words and figures meant to mislead the public".

"This budget is like getting married today and expecting a child in 2047," Wadettiwar said, criticising the government for projecting long-term goals without addressing immediate concerns.

He said the budget appeared to focus mainly on projects in Mumbai, Pune and Thane while ignoring the rest of Maharashtra.

"There are no clear provisions for irrigation, education or health in rural areas and districts such as Nandurbar," Wadettiwar said.

Congress leader and Legislative Council member Satej Patil also attacked the budget, saying it benefited contractors while ignoring common citizens.

"Today's budget means contractors pass and common people fail. It is merely a game of numbers where only contractors have been considered," he said.

Nationalist Congress Party (SP) leader Shashikant Shinde also criticised the budget as misleading. "In a one-year budget, why show dreams of the next 20 years? This budget neglects the rural economy and favours industrialists and contractors," he said. PTI ND BNM