Maharashtra cuts Ladki Bahin Yojna funds by Rs 10,000 cr as debt increases

Mahayuti government's pre-poll policies last July put the state in a massive debt. The government tabled its first budget after the landslide win the assembly election.

The session revealed that Maharashtra faces its highest debt projection in history at Rs 9.3 lakh crore and the steepest revenue deficit of an estimated Rs estimated Rs 45,891 crores for 25-26.

With not much in the bank, the budget did not annonce any new big-ticket scheme. Promises from the poll manifesto like a hike in stipend of its flagship Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,100 per month and a farm loan waiver, have not been given the green signal.



The budget focuses on continuing with the existing schemes and tries to maintain its debt and fiscal deficit within prescribed limits.

Moreover, the estimated outlay for the Ladki Bahin scheme, whose beneficiaries are being scrutinised and trimmed, is Rs 10,000 crore lower than last year. The estimated allocation is Rs 36,000 crore for Rs 2025-26.

Local body polls are looming around the corner and the budget has hiked the district annual plan by 11 per cent from Rs 18,165 crore to an estimated Rs 20,165 crore.


Further, the government has proposed to hike the scheduled caste component of the annual plan by 42 per cent and the tribal component by an estimated 40 per cent.

The budget also proposes new taxes, mainly related to motor vehicles, which are expected to generate revenue of Rs 1,125 crore. It has also hiked stamp duty on certain transactions.

The financial trouble is apparent. The debt projection is Rs 2 lakh crore, higher than it was in 2024-25 when the figure was Rs 7.1 lakh crore. It is almost thrice as high as it was a decade ago. Its revenue deficit, the gap between the state’s income and expenditure, is more than twice the estimate last year, which was Rs 20,051 crore.

However, deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who also controls the finance portfolio, emphasised that the debt and fiscal deficit were within fiscal limits.

The state’s fiscal deficit is estimated at 2.76 per cent of its GSDP. Also, the estimated debt is 18.7% of GSDP while the prescribed limit is 25 per cent.

The infrastructure projects are mainly ongoing projects for which no fresh outlay has been mentioned.