Maharashtra: House session from today, interim budget tomorrow

The state government will then table the additional or full-fledged budget in its next session in July. With the Lok Sabha elections slated for April-May, and the state assembly elections slated for October, populist pre-poll sops are expected to be announced in the budget.

According to officials, on February 26, supplementary demands for the year 2023-24 will be tabled on the first day of the session and condolence resolutions will be passed for those members of the house who passed away this year including BJP MLA Rajendra Patni and former chief minister Manohar Joshi.

While supplementary demands will be discussed and approved in the morning on February 27, Finance Minister Ajit Pawar will present the budget in both the houses in the afternoon. The official said that provisions of expenditure will be made in the interim budget for four months from April 1, 2024 to July 31, 2024, which will include salary and allowances of government employees, loan instalments, interests and expenditure incurred on Lok Sabha elections.

A discussion on the budget would also take place on February 28 and March 1, the third and fourth day of the session, and it will be approved.

On the last day, the Appropriation Bill will be approved along with the other government bills. The proposals of the ruling and opposition parties will also be discussed in the session. Since it is an election year, the government is likely to table significant supplementary demands.

The opposition parties are likely to corner the government during the session on the issue of law order, alleged corruption in government agencies, seizure of drugs in large quantities, issue of Maratha reservation and agitation announced by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil.

Eight bills are pending before the joint committee of the legislature including the Maharashtra Mathadi, Hamal and other manual workers (Regulation of Employment and Welfare) Awan, Maharashtra Private Security Guards (Job Regulation and Welfare) (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Maharashtra adulterated, uncertified or misbranded seeds, fertilizers or pesticides (for sale and trade losses) to farmers Compensation Bill, 2023 and Maharashtra slum lords, squatters, drug offenders, dangerous individuals performing audio-visual works without restriction (video pirates), smugglers and superstitions and prevention of harmful activities of those who advertise Bill, 2023 among others. The government is expected to try and get some of these pending bills passed.

In 2023, the Eknath Shinde-BJP government presented its first budget of Rs 5,47,450 crore for the financial year 2023-24, based on the principle of “Panchamrut”.