'No Anandacha Shidha This Year': Maharashtra Govt Cites Financial Constraints Amid Political Row

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Monday confirmed that the Anandacha Shidha scheme, under which subsidised festival ration kits were distributed to low-income families, will not be implemented this year. Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal announced that the decision was taken due to severe financial constraints faced by the state.

Speaking to the media, Bhujbal said, “We had proposed to the finance department that we begin distribution of kits during Ganeshotsav and Diwali. However, the department informed us that given the financial limitations, it is not possible to implement the scheme this year.”

The minister cited two major reasons behind the decision: the massive expenditure on flood compensation and the Ladki Bahin women’s welfare scheme. “We are spending Rs 35,000 to Rs 40,000 crore annually on Ladki Bahin alone. Naturally, this impacts the budget available for other welfare programmes,” Bhujbal explained. He added that financial stress was visible across departments, noting that the Public Works Department has a backlog of Rs 94,000 crore, which has delayed payments to contractors and stalled new projects.

Rohit Pawar Alleges Corruption In Scheme

The decision sparked a political backlash. The opposition, led by NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, accused the government of using financial constraints as an excuse to cover up corruption within the scheme. “Thousands of crores have been embezzled in Anandacha Shidha over the past two years. Each kit was bought for Rs 350, while its actual cost was Rs 250,” alleged Pawar, claiming that a company linked to a BJP MLC had been given undue benefit. He, however, did not name the legislator.

Bhujbal dismissed the allegations as baseless. “All tenders were issued transparently, and procurement rates are available in the public domain. The cost also includes packaging and transportation,” he clarified, as reported by Hindustan Times.

Meanwhile, NCP-SP state president Shashikant Shinde claimed that the scheme’s discontinuation was politically motivated, alleging it was scrapped merely because it was introduced by Eknath Shinde when he was chief minister.

About Anandacha Shidha Scheme

The Anandacha Shidha scheme was first launched on October 4, 2022, by then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. It aimed to provide affordable festival kits to 16.1 million families across Maharashtra. Each kit, priced at Rs 100, included one kilogram each of sooji, chana dal and sugar, along with one litre of edible oil. While affordable for citizens, the scheme cost the state exchequer between Rs 350 crore and Rs 450 crore per festival. It was implemented successfully on eight occasions until July 2023.

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