It's raining poll goodies in Maharashtra: CM Shinde promises to loosen purse strings further

KOLHAPUR: Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde promised expansions to welfare programmes, including an increase in women-centric Ladki Bahin Yojana 's monthly allowance from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,100 per beneficiary if the Mahayuti alliance is re-elected in the Nov 20 assembly elections.

In a series of campaign rallies, Shinde outlined a 10-point programme to be implemented if the alliance wins, which includes waiving farmers' loans, raising annual financial aid to Rs 15,000 for farmers, and a 30% reduction in electricity bills for all categories of consumers.

Speaking at Kolhapur's Merry Weather Ground, Shinde promised the recruitment of 25,000 women into the police force, stabilisation of essential goods prices, a 20% subsidy on MSP of agricultural produce, and increased grants for Anganwadi workers to Rs 15,000 a month. He announced plans to generate 25 lakh jobs and provide a Rs 10,000 stipend for one lakh youths. At an rally in Satara's Koregaon, he criticised opposition alliance MVA, claiming it would halt 11 public welfare schemes if elected.

Shinde said the opposition had labelled the Ladki Bahin scheme as a "chunavi jumla" (election trick) and suggested it would cancel the scheme if in office. "But no one can stop the schemes," he asserted, adding that Nov instalment of the Ladki Bahin allowance would be deposited into beneficiaries' accounts in Dec.

Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis criticised NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar recent comments that Gujarat has outpaced Maharashtra in GDP growth.