Maharashtra govt allocates Rs 454 cr to tribal development department

The Maharashtra government has allocated Rs 454 crore to the tribal development department in the state after Congress president Sonia Gandhi wrote to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray about fulfilling the promises made to socially backward classes. Much of the funds from the allotment would be spent as the state’s share in building hostels for tribal students under a central government scheme - the Centre and states share the costs under this scheme.

Salaries of those working in Ashram schools for tribal students would also be paid from these funds. The allocation has come after Gandhi wrote to Thackeray, reminding him of the need to adhere to the common minimum programme of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress ruling coalition. In the letter, she wrote that the budget allocated for the SC and ST communities should be used for the same purpose.

The letter came after several Congress ministers complained to the party leadership that even though the state budget had allocated funds for their ministries, the government was not releasing the money citing a fund crunch due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Congress publicising the letter and its ministers coming personally to deliver it to the chief minister were seen as a not-so subtle signal to the Shiv Sena and NCP that the Congress would no longer be taken for a ride in running the government.