Mumbai: Just three months into the financial year, the cash-strapped Mahayuti govt which faces local body polls across the state, tabled supplementary budgetary demands worth a steep Rs 57,509 crore in the state legislative assembly on Monday. This will add to the financial strain of the state which not only faces its highest-ever debt projection at Rs 9.3 lakh crore but also its steepest revenue deficit at Rs 45,890 crore for 2025-26.Supplementary demands are additional funds sought by govt beyond allocations made in the budget tabled in March. The current demands account for 8.2% of the total expenditure projected in the state budget.In the coming year, the state faces rural and urban local body polls including to high profile municipal corporations like the BMC, which will see a prestige war between the govt and the Opposition.The demands raised are mainly aimed at urban and rural infrastructure projects like Metro, support for municipal bodies, road and irrigation schemes and the Simhastha Kumbh Mela.Also, allocations have been suggested for welfare schemes including the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Health Scheme, Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana, schemes for the elderly, payment for female anganwadi workers and scholarships for backward students.The urban development department which controls the state’s 29 municipal corporations has been allocated the highest share in the demands at Rs 15,465 crore. The PWD department which has faced agitations from contractors over unpaid dues has been allocated Rs 9,068 crore. Other departments with large allocations include public health (Rs 6,952 crore), rural devt (Rs 4,733 crore) and social justice (Rs 3,799 crore). Last year, the state faced financial strain on account of pre-poll sops like the Ladki Bahin Yojana announced with an eye on the assembly polls. The sops were worth Rs 96,000 crore. In addition, the state introduced supplementary demands worth Rs 1.3 lakh crore after the budget.The Opposition has sharply criticised the supplementary demands. “The state budget had projected a revenue deficit of Rs 45,890 crore for this year. With the additional supplementary demands of Rs 57,509.7 crore, the total revenue deficit will rise above Rs 1 lakh crore. By the end of the year, it could rise beyond Rs 2 lakh crore. It shows the extent of financial mismanagement,” said NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil.However, the finance department led by deputy CM Ajit Pawar said net burden of supplementary demands would be lower. Although gross supplementary demands are Rs 57,509 crore, net burden is Rs 40,644 crore, an official statement said.
