On 9 March 2023, Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis presented the first budget of the newly formed BJP-Shiv Sena government. The budget for 2023-24 is drawn based on five goals or Panchamrut – Prosperous farmers (Rs 29,163 crore); Inclusive development (Rs 43,063 crore); Infrastructure (Rs. 53,058 crore); Employment (Rs 11,658 crore) and Environment friendly development (Rs 13,437 crores).
For the benefit of farmers, the budget proposes to pay the farmer’s share of the premium for the Pradhan Mantri Crop Insurance scheme, for which the budget provides Rs 3312 crore.
The budget allocated Rs 162.2 crore for the construction of an oval marina (jetty) with a capacity to handle two lakh passengers and related facilities for water transport between Radio Club and the Gateway of India. This is part of a larger project worth Rs 424 crore being undertaken to connect Thane and Vasai creeks for water transport around Mumbai.
The Deputy CM also announced that the Nhava-Sewri Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) project will be completed by December 2023. Till date around 90 percent of the work on this project has been completed. He further announced that of the 337 km Metro network is being developed across the state. Of this, 46 km has been opened for traffic already.
The 32.5 km Metro 3 (Colaba-Bandra-Seepz) underground corridor is being executed by Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) and the balance by MMRDA. MMRC plans to open the Aarey-BKC phase in December 2023 and BKC-Cuffe Parade phase in July 2024. MMRDA has plans to partially open Line 9 on a 5 km stretch between Dahisar and Mira Road in a year. The Metro 2B’s entire corridor is 23 km long between D N Nagar to Mandale.
Among the planned metros, the Thane City Circular Metro Rail Project, Nashik Metro Neo Project, Pimpri-Chinchwad to Nigdi Corridor of Pune Metro and Swargate to Katraj Metro Projects have been sent for approval of the Central government.
The minister mentioned that while the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Mahamarg will be extended from Sindkhedraja node to Shegaon in Vidarbha, the Maharashtra Shaktipeeth Highway (Pawanar to Patradevi) between Nagpur and Goa Expressway via Nanded, Tuljapur and Pandharpur worth Rs 86,300 crore will be taken up for execution soon.
Fadnavis said land acquisition for Pune Ring Road, construction of the missing link between Khopoli and Khandala on Mumbai-Pune Expressway, preparatory works for Virar-Alibag multi-modal corridor and Revas to Reddy Coastal Highway will start soon.
Among the other notable proposals, the budget has allocated Rs 950 crores for various programmes to honour the Maratha king Shivaji in the 350th year of his coronation. This includes an outlay of Rs 350 crore for a festival to celebrate his coronation in June.
