MUMBAI: Yet another populist scheme launched by the previous Mahayuti government led by Eknath Shinde ahead of the Assembly poll has been stalled by the Mahayuti 2.0 government under chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The Mukhyamantri Yojanadoot scheme, announced in August 2024, with the provision of ₹300 crore, has been pushed into cold storage by the cash-strapped state government.
The scheme was conceived to generate employment among the youth. It was announced by the state government on August 8, 2024, with a promise to recruit 50,000 youths for six months on a monthly stipend of ₹10,000. The plan was to appoint one doot (messenger) for each gram panchayat in rural parts and one for each ward in urban areas. The messengers would be tasked with propagating various government schemes intended to benefit individuals.
An official from the skill development department, which envisioned the scheme, said alarm bells about it taking off were sounded when the deadline for applications was extended several times from September 17, 2024, at the insistence of leaders of the three ruling parties. “The last revision of the deadline was October 13, following which the model code of conduct came into force on October 15. The scheme also could not be taken ahead when the Opposition lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI), terming it an attempt by the government to lure voters. The government had to halt its implementation after the complaint,” said the officer who did not wish to be named.
When the new government was formed the department approached chief minister Devendra Fadnavis about continuing the scheme, however, last month officials of the department were told “to put the scheme on hold”.
Earlier, the state government had appointed an agency by spending ₹2 crore to set up a portal for the applications and their scrutiny. 2.5 lakh applications were also finalised after scrutiny. The officer also shared with HT that while the scheme was intended to help the youth, leaders of the three parties of the ruling combine only wanted young party workers recruited.
“Around 40,000 applications were submitted to the offices of the chief minister and the two deputy chief ministers to provide accommodation to the workers of their respective parties. The delay in implementation of the scheme also stemmed from the refusal of officers to succumb to pressure from the ruling parties,” said another officer from Mantralaya.
Of the 2.5 lakh applicants, the government had shortlisted 427 for as many villages as there was one applicant per village. In many other villages, where there was more than one applicant for one position, candidates had to undergo the process of interview before a panel comprising officers from the collectorate, assistant skill development commissioner and district information officer.
Officials from Mantralaya told HT that the scheme is unlikely to see the light of the day as it was announced keeping an eye on the elections and to ensure that party workers were accommodated in it. When HT reached out to Brijesh Singh, director general of information and public relations, the nodal department tasked to implement the scheme, for the way forward, he said, “It is under process.”
This has been among at least six schemes or projects green-lit by the previous government that have been stalled by the present Mahayuti government. Recently, the state government has stalled the Anandacha Shidha scheme, under which food grains are given to the poor, and scrapped the plan to acquire over 1310 new buses for the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). It is going back on its promises because of the financial strain on the state exchequer.
The state government is reeling under the debt of ₹7.82 lakh crore and its fiscal deficit in the ongoing financial year 2024-25 is expected to cross ₹2 lakh crore.
