Soon after being sworn in as Maharashtra’s 21st chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday announced that he would stand by the Mahayutti’s pledge to provide financial assistance to women from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,100 every month under the Ladki Bahin Yojana.
“The government will continue the Ladki Wahin Yojana and as promised in the manifesto, the monthly allowance will be increased from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,100 per eligible woman… However, the government may check whether the financial benefits under the scheme reach the eligible people,” said the first journalist who became the chief minister for the third time. Addressing the conference, Fadnavis said.
Amid reports of a tussle among grand coalitions over portfolio allocation, Fadnavis said portfolio discussions are almost complete and will be announced before the winter session of the state assembly, which begins on December 16.
“Portfolio distribution is almost finalized and all issues have been sorted out. In a coalition government, there is a process of consultation… some issues have to be fine-tuned. We have decided the number of ministers for each party and the departments they will get,’ he said.
Fadnavis also said that the Mahayuti government will not go for political vendettas and that he “respects” the opposition despite its numbers.
Stating that his government will not be a 20-20 match but a test match and all the promises made in the manifesto will be fulfilled, Fadnavis said that the government will ensure state leadership in infrastructure, agriculture and industrial development.
He further said that when he requested Ekant Shinde to accept the deputy chief minister’s post, the Shiv Sena chief accepted immediately and “wasn’t disappointed at all.”
The Chief Minister said that the Jalyukta Shivar Yojana will be strengthened by prioritizing projects such as river linking projects and solar power targets of 16,000 megawatts.
Fadnavis assured that the government will take all the sectors along with it and said that the government will work for transparency and the interest of the state.
Our government will change, the government will not take revenge. We will honor the opposition not on the basis of their numbers but on the issues they raise,” Fadnavis said.
He announced that the Speaker’s election will be held on December 9 and the Cabinet has informed the Raj Bhavan for the schedule for swearing in the newly elected MLAs.
He claimed that the cabinet will be expanded before the winter session in Nagpur and there is no delay in government formation.
On the issue of inviting opposition leaders, Fadnavis said that he had invited all opposition leaders, including Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar and Sushil Kumar Shinde, for the swearing-in ceremony. “They congratulated me but could not attend due to some reasons,” Fadnavis said.
As the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Fadnavis said the decision on this would be taken by the Speaker and “will be acceptable to us”.
Soon after taking oath, Fadnavis along with Deputy Chief Ministers Shinde and Ajit Pawar reached the State Secretariat on Thursday.
After assuming office as the Chief Minister, he held his first Cabinet meeting in which approval was given for Rs 5 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for a bone marrow transplant for a blood cancer patient in Pune.