Mumbai, Mar 10 (UNI) Deputy Chief and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar presented the state Budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 on Monday in the Maharashtra Assembly, announcing major projects in the state.
Pawar, who presented the 11th state Budget as Finance minister, said that the second phase of the Nanaji Deshmukh Krishi Sanjeevani Project is being implemented in 7,211 villages in 21 districts and an outlay of Rs 351.42 crore has been proposed for this project in the year 2025-26.
He said a project to divert 54.70 TMC of water from the Ulhas and Vaitarna river basins in Konkan to the Godavari basin will be undertaken. This will provide water for irrigation of about 2.40 lakh hectares of area in Marathwada. Survey and exploration work for this project is underway.
Also, the government has decided to undertake ambitious Tapi Mahapunarbharan irrigation project worth Rs 19,300 crore. This project will radically change the lives of farmers in the salt pans of North Maharashtra and Western Vidarbha and boost their income, he said.
Pawar said that the Damanganga-Ekdare-Godavari river linking project will provide 3.55 TMC of water, which will restore 9,766 hectares of land in the catchment areas of ​​Jayakwadi Dam. This will also provide irrigation to 2,987 hectares of land in Nashik district. The estimated cost of this project is Rs 2,300 crore.
The Nar-Par-Girna river linking project will provide irrigation to 49,516 hectares of land in Nashik and Jalgaon districts. The estimated cost of this project is Rs 7,500 crore, said Finance Minister in his speech.
He also mentioned that the government has given an in-principle approval for Wainganga, Nalganga river linking project. The estimated cost of this project is Rs 88,574 crore. The project's benefit area is 37,127 hectares. This project will be beneficial for six districts of Nagpur, Wardha, Amravati, Yavatmal, Akola and Buldhana.
He announced that artificial intelligence and cutting-edge technology will be implemented in agriculture sector. Artificial intelligence technology will be used to provide useful systems to farmers to increase farmers' productivity and ensure that their goods reach the right market.
In the first phase, one lakh acres of land belonging to 50,000 farmers will benefit from it. A fund of Rs 500 crore will be made available for this in next two years, he said.
The process of converting 6,000 diesel buses of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Board to CNG and LNG is underway.
Financial assistance will also be provided for the purchase of new buses, he informed.
UNI Team SS