Maha govt transfers funds of various departments for Ladki Bahin Scheme

Mumbai, May 3 (IANS) Amid a financial crunch, the Maharashtra government is struggling to make an allocation of funds needed to provide a monthly aid of Rs 1,500 to the eligible women beneficiaries of the Ladki Bahin Yojana.

The government has transferred Rs 410.30 crore from the Social Justice Department and Rs 335.70 crore from the Tribal Development Department to pay the monthly instalment to the eligible women beneficiaries.

The government issued the notification on Friday. This move was strongly criticised by the Social Justice Minister and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat, saying that if the Social Justice Department is not required, then better close it down.

“I have no idea or knowledge about the transfer of Rs 410.30 crore from the Social Justice Department for Ladki Bahin Yojana. I have come to know from the media. If there is no need for the Social Justice Department, it will be fine to close it down,” he said.

He further added that the Finance Department is exercising its arbitrariness, adding that the legal funds approved for the Social Justice Department cannot be transferred or cut.

“You cannot transfer the funds from my department to other departments, this is not the rule. It is the law. It is wrong to take funds by circumventing the law. There are some people sitting in the Finance Department, and if they think they are smart, they should show me the rules whereby the funds can be transferred, then I will apologise. A beloved sister is always a beloved one,” he said.

Terming he people sitting in the Finance Department as “Shakuni” (cunning and manipulative villain), the minister said that this is the work (transfer of funds) they have done.

Meanwhile, the Leader of Opposition in the state council and Shiv Sena UBT leader Ambadas Danve blamed the MahaYuti government for “diverting” the funds for Ladki Bahin Yojana, breaching the stipulated norms.

“The government treasury is running dry! Out of the Rs 3,960 crore approved for the Social Justice and Special Assistance Department, Rs 410.30 crore has been taken out. While out of the Rs 3,420 crore grant-in-aid given to the Tribal Development Department, a whopping Rs 335.70 crore was withdrawn for the Ladki Bahin Yojana! In this way, the government siphoned off a total of Rs 746 crore from the share of Social Justice and Tribal Development Departments,” he said.

He added that, as per the rules of the Planning Commission, the funds allocated to the two departments, Tribal Affairs and Social Justice, are determined in proportion to the population of that community.

“These funds are mandatory to be spent on that cadre only and cannot be diverted to other departments,” he said.

The Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar also accused the MahaYuti government of “diverting” the funds earmarked for the women from Scheduled Caste and Neo-Buddhist categories have been diverted for the Ladki Bahin Yojana.

“This means that other needy people in the state will be deprived of their benefits. After the funds were diverted, the Social Justice Minister is now expressing anger. Minister Shirsath does not even know what is going on in his department. Were the funds diverted without the consent of the minister concerned in the department? Does the anger of the Social Justice Minister after the funds were diverted make any sense? The governance of this government is questionable. It's all a sham, they would take a decision, others would criticise and mislead the public,” he commented.

Meanwhile, the government has started depositing the financial aid of Rs 1,500 for the month April in the bank accounts of the Ladki Bahin Yojana beneficiaries. However, it has not yet hinted when the monthly aid for May will be provided.

--IANS

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