Ajit Pawar defends decision to divert SC/ST funds to Ladki Bahin scheme

MUMBAI: After Shiv Sena leader and social justice minister Sanjay Shirsat lambasted the finance department for diverting ₹746 crore from the social justice and tribal welfare departments to Ladki Bahin beneficiaries, finance minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday riposted that this was a cabinet decision taken with the assent of all the three Mahayuti parties. He also indicated that the dispute would now be solved by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Meanwhile, BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule supported Ajit’s contention, saying that all departments needed to follow a cabinet decision.

On May 2, the state government issued a government resolution (GR) to divert ₹410.30 crore from the social justice department—which looks after schemes meant for scheduled castes (SCs)—and ₹335.70 crore from the tribal development department, which oversees scheduled tribe (ST) schemes. The funds, the GR stated, were to go to SC and ST beneficiaries of the Ladki Bahin scheme. This sparked a row between the Shiv Sena and the NCP. Social justice minister Sanjay Shirsat (Shiv Sena) slammed finance minister Ajit Pawar and angrily said, “Diversion is against the law. Why not disband the social welfare department altogether if the government wants to treat it so dismissively?”

Ajit, who was in Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar on Sunday, told the media that the dispute would be resolved in Fadnavis’s court. “The chief minister will speak on the issue,” he said in Sambhaji Nagar. Earlier, in Pune, Ajit said that the dispute was an internal matter of the Mahayuti and there was no need to bring it out into the open.

“The decision to use funds for the Ladki Bahin scheme from the social justice and tribal welfare departments is not unusual,” he said. “We have all approved the state budget and it is signed by everyone, including chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy CM Eknath Shinde and myself. It was a decision of the state cabinet.” Ajit added that the issue would be resolved after discussion.

Meanwhile, BJP leader and revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule came out in support of Ajit Pawar. “Once the cabinet takes a decision, it is mandatory for all departments and needs to be followed,” he said. “Ladki Bahin is a state government scheme, and there should be no barriers of department in implementing it.” Bawankule added that he would also discuss the issue with Sanjay Shirsat.