Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar to present state budget on March 10

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 9 (ANI): Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar will present the State Budget for 2025-26 on Monday, March 10, 2025. Notably, this will be the first budget for the newly-formed Mahayuti government and Pawar's 11th Budget as Finance Minister, a press release from Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said.
Pawar is a strict administrator in terms of financial discipline. He maintains a fine balance between people-friendly decisions and development decisions in the budget. His consistent success in ensuring funds for development projects and boosting infrastructure development has always been commendable, the release further added.
During the COVID-19 crisis, when several states faced financial difficulties, Pawar's fiscal prudence and discipline were appreciated.
Farmers, laborers, women, Dalits, tribals, students, and youth have always been at the center of Ajit Pawar's budget. In 2021, he presented the budget on International Women's Day, dedicating it to the women of Maharashtra, the press release said.
In 2022, he presented the budget on March 11, the death anniversary of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, dedicating it to his bravery, sacrifice, and commitment to Swarajya. He has also presented budgets focusing on agriculture, industry, transportation, healthcare, and human resource development, the release said.
Last year's pre-election budget was inclusive and revolutionary. The public-friendly and popular decisions announced in that budget played a major role in bringing the Mahayuti Government back to power, it added.
People across the state have high expectations from the upcoming budget, and there is a strong belief that Ajit Pawar will meet those expectations.
Ajit Pawar will present his 11th state Budget on Monday. This will make him the second Finance Minister to present the highest number of budgets (11) after Sheshrao Wankhede, who presented the budget 13 times. Sheshrao Wankhede (13 times) and Ajit Pawar will hold the second-highest record with 11 times, followed by Jayant Patil (10 times) and Sushilkumar Shinde (9 times), the press release further mentioned. (ANI)