Maharashtra govt issues 370 orders in 4 days as poll countdown begins

MUMBAI: The Mahayuti govt has issued 484 govt orders (GRs) in the first 9 days of Sept. Of these, as many as 370 were issued in just four days: Sept 4, 5, 6 and 9. Indeed, on Sept 4 and 5, the state issued 118 GRs each.

The number of GRs has been increasing over the past two months. The steep climb comes at a time when the state is gearing up for assembly polls, likely in the next two months.

Data on the number of GRs so far this year shows the numbers rose in the months before the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year, peaking in March when the polls were declared. They dropped sharply afterwards before rising from June again (see box).

Once polls are declared, the model code of conduct kicks in, meaning approvals for schemes and can't be granted but disbursals for ongoing schemes can continue. Hence, govts race to start as many schemes as they can before the dates are announced.

Most GRs issued in Sept related to govt schemes

The Mahayuti govt issued 484 govt orders (GRs) between Sept 1 and 9 as the state readies for assembly polls. After the Model Code of Conduct comes into effect, administrative approvals for schemes cannot be granted but financial disbursals for ongoing schemes can continue, officials said. As a result, govts are in a rush to issue orders for new schemes or clear arise in the cost of ongoing schemes. The Lok Sabha polls were declared on March 16, when the code of conduct came into force. Polls were held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1. The GRs issued by the Maharashtra govt peaked at 3,597 in March, of which as many as 2,630 had been issued by March 16.

During the month of elections and results, the GRs dipped, recording a low of 359 in April and 369 in June (Lok Sabha polls results were declared on June 4). In June, the government orders rose to 734 and continued to rise since then. Most of the GRs issued this month are for administrative approvals and financial disbursals for schemes.

The rural devt department has issued the highest number of GRs in Sept, accounting for 103 of the 484 orders. As many as 84 of these relate to administrative approvals worth Rs 270 crore given for the development of rural pilgrimage sites. The bulk of these are in Kolhapur, Amravati and Nasik.

The planning department has sanctioned a sum of Rs 26 crore for the MLA local area development fund of 13 legislators whose districts have been declared as nodal districts. The public health department has issued 26 GRs in Sept. These include sanction for the upgradation of a 30-bed rural hospital to a 50-bed sub-district hospital in Khed, Alandi. And a 50-bed rural hospital in Junnar to a 100-bed sub-district hospital.

Significantly, both these approvals have been sanctioned as a “special case”. The legislators of both these areas in Pune district are from the NCP (Ajit Pawar group). The higher and technical education dept has sanctioned a budget of Rs 377 crore for the Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj educational scholarship for the EWS quota students. The water resources department has issued GRs relating to administrative approvals for irrigation projects which are set to benefit the electorally significant regions of Pune, Nasik and Jalgaon. This includes Rs 7,465 crore to the Nar-Pir-Girna river linking project and Rs 2,190 crore for the Fursungi tunnel of the Khadakwasla irrigation project.