Financial stress forces Maharashtra to cancel ‘Anandacha Shidha’ and cut Shiv Bhojan scheme. Internal rifts grow over fund allocation for the Ladki Bahin Yojana amid mounting pressure on the state treasury.
Mumbai | August 5, 2025: Maharashtra’s financial condition is under intense scrutiny, and the impact is now being felt directly by the poor, especially with the festive season approaching. Amid increasing pressure on the state treasury, multiple welfare schemes initiated during the Maha Vikas Aghadi and later continued under Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s tenure are either being cut down or entirely halted.
The popular ‘Anandacha Shidha’ scheme, which provided essential goods to poor families during Diwali and Dussehra over the past two years, has been cancelled this year. Adding to the blow, the much-appreciated ‘Shiv Bhojan Thali’ initiative is also facing financial hurdles.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, speaking on Monday, admitted that the government is unable to fully support the Shiv Bhojan scheme. “A minimum of ₹60 crore is required to continue the scheme as it is, but only ₹20 crore has been sanctioned. This means several Shiv Bhojan centres will be shut down, and the number of thalis served will be reduced,” he said.
Bhujbal also pointed out irregularities in the scheme’s implementation. He cited a case where Shiv Bhojan was being served from a facility stacked with cement bags, calling it unacceptable. “Such centres will be shut down, and new centres cannot be approved given the present financial constraints,” he added.
Meanwhile, the ‘Ladki Bahin Yojana’, a flagship women-centric scheme, remains a priority, according to Bhujbal. However, this has led to internal friction within the Mahayuti alliance. Ministers from the Shinde faction have raised concerns that funds for their departments are being diverted to support the Ladki Bahin scheme. The opposition, too, has used the issue to corner the government, questioning the sustainability of prioritizing one welfare scheme while others collapse.
As debates grow louder and fiscal tightening continues, the government now finds itself in a tight spot — balancing electoral commitments with harsh budget realities.
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