Netas spar over Vidarbha & state finances post budget

Nagpur: The Maharashtra Budget for 2026-27, presented by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, intensified political divisions. Ruling alliance leaders projected the Budget as a long-term development blueprint for regions like Vidarbha, while opposition leaders accused the govt of relying on "big numbers and hollow promises".Revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule defended the Budget, saying it charted a long-term strategy for growth. "This Budget is not merely a document of figures but a progressive roadmap to build a developed Maharashtra by 2047," he said, highlighting the farm loan waiver and continuation of welfare schemes as major relief measures.
Opposition leaders, however, criticised the Budget and questioned whether it would translate into tangible benefits for the region.Congress legislature party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said the Budget appeared skewed towards a few urban regions. "This feels more like an MMRDA Budget for contractors and industrialists than a Budget for the entire Maharashtra," he said. "Most projects seem concentrated in Mumbai, Pune and Thane, while rest of the state is left behind."Senior Congress leader Nitin Raut also criticised the Budget, saying it lacked a development strategy for Vidarbha. "This is a shower of words & numbers, but there is no clear roadmap for development," he said, adding expectations around MIHAN remained unfulfilled.