Bigger The Better

Fadnavis’s last budget focuses on irrigation, the lower middle class and national pride

- Kiran D. Tare

When Maharashtra finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar rose to present his fifth budget on June 18, the government was upbeat. The political situation in the state seems favourable for the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance. If the Lok Sabha election outcome is any indication, the alliance is leading in 232 (BJP 128, Shiv Sena 104) of the 288 assembly segments (145 seats would give it a simple majority).

In its final budget for 2019-20, the government is not taking any risks though. Even with a revenue deficit of Rs 20,292 crore, it’s a please all budget with farmers, widows, traders, the unemployed youth, the physically handicapped community and, of course, the BJP’s core nationalist voters, all taken care of.