‘Home’ likely a target

Mumbai: Even as the ruling alliance as well as the opposition is gearing up for the Budget session of the state assembly starting Monday, March 3, instead of finance department, the Home department is likely to be on the target of the opposition.

Several questions have already been raised on the law-and-order situation in the state after the custodial death of a Dalit youth in Nanded and murder of a Sarpanch in Beed district of Marathwada about two months back. While NCP minister Dhananjay Munde is on target, BJP MLA Suresh Dhas seems to be leading the attack against him, making it a politically awkward situation for the ruling alliance. As if that was not sufficient, rape of a young paramedic in Pune last week and eve teasing that the daughters of union minister of state Raksha Khadse had to bear have forced the government to hits its face.

To add to this, agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate was sentenced to two year’s imprisonment by a lower court in Nashik a few days back. Though he got a bail and he moved an appeal to upper court, the opposition is unlikely to spare him.

The government is confident due to the massive mandate it has. However, the finances don’t look that sound to keep it in that mood ever. The government is under pressure over gathering of resources to be able to run the mega DBT schemes like the MMLBY. The state government has promised to raise the amount disbursed under the scheme to Rs 2100 from current Rs 1500. It has also promised a farm loan waiver, an apprenticeship programme for youth, free electricity for agricultural pumps, scholarships for EWS girls, and three free gas cylinders for 52 lakh households. However, the government doesn’t seem to be in a position to explain from where it will get the revenue to be able to run all these schemes worth Rs 96,000 crore.

Loans is the easy way to do so and successive finance ministers have been telling the people that the financial health of the state is sound enough to be able to raise more loans. But, the opposition won’t buy any such argument citing the fiscal deficit that has already exceeded the limit of three per cent last year. The other way around is to cut expenses. Reports say that the state government has already implemented a 30 per cent cut on expenses like new constructions, rewards, foreign travels, publicity and promotion, subsidies, computers and vehicle purchase etc. The government can also shut down a few schemes.