Mumbai: Maharashtra’s popular subsidised food kit scheme, Anandacha Shidha, will not be offered to ration card holders for Ganeshotsav this year, state food and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal confirmed on Tuesday. The decision, he said, was taken due to the financial burden imposed by the state’s flagship Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana.
The Anandacha Shidha initiative, which has been implemented over the last two years, provides essential festival-time food kits at highly subsidised rates to eligible ration card holders. The kits typically include sugar, edible oil, rava, chana dal, and poha, priced at just Rs 100. The annual cost to the state for this scheme is estimated at around Rs 350–400 crore.
“This year, the Anandacha Shidha will not be distributed for Ganeshotsav,” Bhujbal said, noting that the planning and tendering process for the scheme should have begun at least three months in advance. “With only a month to go for the festival, it is too late to implement it now,” he added as quoted by TOI.
Impact Due To Ladki Bahin Scheme
Bhujbal attributed the cutback directly to the fiscal impact of the Ladki Bahin scheme. “When there is a scheme which costs Rs 45,000 crore in a year and that amount is deducted from the treasury, then it is bound to impact other schemes,” he said as reported by the Times of India, highlighting the enormous strain the women-centric scheme has placed on the state’s finances.
The Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana is a major welfare initiative aimed at providing direct financial aid to eligible women across the state. While the scheme has drawn praise for its focus on women’s empowerment, critics have raised concerns about its budgetary impact on other welfare programmes.
'Decision Not Permanent,' Says Chhagan Bhujbal
Despite the setback, Bhujbal maintained that the decision was not permanent and indicated efforts were being made to stabilise the state’s finances. “The state is trying to increase its revenue and slowly it will return to its earlier state. There will be no injustice towards anyone,” he assured.
The absence of the Anandacha Shidha kits this year is expected to affect lakhs of families who have come to depend on the festival-time assistance. Ganeshotsav, one of Maharashtra’s most celebrated festivals, typically sees a surge in household spending, making the kits a key source of relief for low-income families.
