Mumbai – Maharashtra’s budget for the year 2025-2026, worth a huge amount of Rs 7 lakh 20 crores compared to the previous budget and other States, but with a fiscal deficit of Rs 1 lakh 36 thousand 235 crores, was presented in the Legislative Assembly by Finance Minister Ajit Pawar on March 10th here. Minister of State for Finance Ashish Jaiswal presented the budget to the Legislative Council.
Revenue collection was Rs 5,60,963 crores, while revenue expenditure was Rs 6,60,855 crore. Since revenue expenditure was higher than revenue collection, a revenue deficit of Rs 45,892 crore was presented in the budget. Although the budget is in deficit, the State’s debt limit is less than 25% of the State’s gross income. Therefore, the Government claimed that the budget was stable despite being in deficit.
At 2 p.m., Finance Minister Ajit Pawar presented the budget in the Legislative Assembly. Before presenting the budget, Ajit Pawar paid homage to national heroes and great personalities like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, Punyashlok Ahilyabai Holkar, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and others and started presenting the budget. The Finance Minister mentioned Marathi poems during the budget. Ajit Pawar read out both parts of the budget consecutively. The budget was passed in both houses without any uproar from the opposition parties. While mentioning the funds for the memorial of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj at Sangameshwar, Finance Minister Ajit Pawar raised ‘Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj ki Jai’slogan in the house.
Maharashtra Budget 2025-26: ₹1.36 Lakh Crore Deficit!
Deputy CM & Finance Minister Ajit Pawar presented a ₹7.20 lakh crore budget in the Assembly, with a fiscal deficit rising by ₹3,361 crore from last year!
– Highest allocation for Women & Child Development.
– Negligible… pic.twitter.com/ian6NtMNCg
— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) March 11, 2025
Fiscal deficit of Rs 3,361 crore compared to the previous year
In the year 2024-25, the State’s budget deficit was Rs 1,32,873 crores; however, the budget for the year 2025-2026 has a deficit of Rs 1,36,234 crores. This means that compared to the previous year, the fiscal deficit in the budget this year has increased by Rs 3,361 crores.
Women and Child Development Department gets the most funds
The State’s Women and Child Development Department has been allocated the highest amount of Rs 31,907 crores in the budget. Following that, Rs 21,534 crore has been allocated to the Power Department, Rs 19,799 crore to the Public Works Department, Rs 15,932 crore to the Water Resources Department, Rs 11,480 crore to the Rural Development Department, Rs 10,629 crore to the Urban Development Department, and Rs 9,710 crores to the Agriculture Department.
Meagre funds for the Ministry of Dairy Development
The dairy department has been allocated only Rs 5 crores in the budget. This indicates that the Government is likely to completely privatize the dairy industry in the near future.