The Maharashtra government has allocated Rs 798 crore for the expansion and improvement of Mumbai’s suburban railway network in its 2024-25 budget. The budget, presented by Finance Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday, also earmarked Rs 25,000 crore for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, which is expected to be completed by 2027.
The budget, which has a total outlay of Rs 15,554 crore, focuses on boosting the state’s development and infrastructure, especially in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The government has announced several schemes and initiatives to revive the economy, generate employment, and provide relief to the affected sectors.
Some of the key highlights of the budget are:
– Rs 2,000 crore for the development of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), including Rs 500 crore for the coastal road project and Rs 300 crore for the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL).
– Rs 1,500 crore for the development of the Nagpur Metropolitan Region (NMR), including Rs 200 crore for the Nagpur Metro Rail project and Rs 100 crore for the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Corridor.
– Rs 1,000 crore for the development of the Pune Metropolitan Region (PMR), including Rs 200 crore for the Pune Metro Rail project and Rs 100 crore for the Pune Ring Road project.
– Rs 1,000 crore for the development of the Aurangabad Industrial City (AURIC), which is part of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC).
– Rs 500 crore for the development of the Nashik Metropolitan Region (NMR), including Rs 100 crore for the Nashik Metro Neo project and Rs 50 crore for the Nashik Airport expansion.
– Rs 7,000 crore for the road safety and amenities department, which will undertake various works such as widening, strengthening, and maintenance of roads, bridges, and flyovers, installation of CCTV cameras and intelligent traffic management systems, and provision of amenities such as toilets, drinking water, and parking facilities along the highways.
– Rs 5,000 crore for the water resources department, which will implement various irrigation and flood control projects, such as the Krishna Marathwada Lift Irrigation Scheme, the Godavari Marathwada Irrigation Development Corporation, and the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation.
– Rs 4,000 crore for the energy department, which will provide subsidies and incentives to the consumers and industries for using renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and biogas.
– Rs 3,000 crore for the health and family welfare department, which will strengthen the public health system, increase the bed capacity and oxygen supply in hospitals, and procure more vaccines and testing kits for Covid-19.
– Rs 2,000 crore for the education and sports department, which will improve the quality of education, provide digital devices and internet connectivity to the students and teachers, and promote sports and physical activities among the youth.
– Rs 1,000 crore for the social justice and special assistance department, which will provide scholarships, hostels, and skill development programs to the students belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes.
– Rs 500 crore for the women and child development department, which will implement various schemes and programs for the welfare and empowerment of women and children, such as the Bal Sangopan Yojana, the Savitribai Phule Scholarship Scheme, and the Mahila Bachat Gat Yojana.
The budget also announced a reduction in the stamp duty on property transactions from 5% to 3% for a period of two years, a waiver of the road tax on electric vehicles for a period of five years, and a relief package of Rs 1,500 crore for the tourism and hospitality sector, which has been severely hit by the pandemic.
The finance minister said that the budget aims to make Maharashtra a “progressive, prosperous, and self-reliant” state, and expressed confidence that the state will overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic and emerge stronger and more resilient.
Mumbai’s railways get a boost in Maharashtra budget.
