Describing the Budget presented by Maharashtra government as a “ritual” by a “demoralised” dispensation, the BJP said it would publish a white paper on state’s finances if voted to power after the assembly polls later this year.
Addressing a press conference after the presentation of the Budget by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, the last by the incumbent government, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Eknath Khadse said the Sena-BJP alliance will come out with a white paper to enable the people to know the condition of the state’s finances.
“People have the right to know what the Congress-NCP government has done with the state exchequer in the last 15 years. The government’s debt has mounted to over Rs three lakh crore and is utilised in non-plan expenditure. The state is heading towards bankruptcy,” he said.
Khadse claimed the government took loans every month even to pay salaries to its employees. “OBC scholarships have not been given for five years. 50 per cent posts are vacant and arrears of Sixth Pay commission have not been given,” he said, adding the government is in a “defeated mindset” and has nothing to offer to the people.
Khadse also said the Sena-BJP alliance will not allow surcharge to be levied on VAT as alternative to scrapping the Local Bodies Tax.
“It would be like holding 11 crore population of the state to ransom to provide relief to traders from LBT. There can be different alternatives. Local bodies are autonomous and can levy different taxes for revenue generation if LBT is scrapped,” he said.
Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Vinod Tawde rubbished the claim that per capita income of the state has crossed Rs one lakh. “It is only in urban areas whereas in rural places it is not more than Rs 58,000,” he added.
Shiv Sena leader Neelam Gorhe lashed out at the government for its lack of vision for the state. It is silent on farmers’ suicides, atrocities against Dalits, women and children and rising spate of road accidents.
“The new government after the assembly polls will have the enormous task of restructuring the state,” she said.
