MUMBAI: Social welfare minister Sanjay Shirsat Saturday lashed out at Maharashtra govt’s decision to divert an allocation of Rs 746 crore meant for scheme expenditure of SC and ST depts to its flagship Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana. He said finance dept cannot divert funds from other depts and that the state should close down the social welfare dept altogether if it is not needed.
“Earlier too, Rs 7,000 crore had been diverted from the dept. If it is not needed, they should close it down,” said Shirsat, who belongs to Shiv Sena led by deputy CM Eknath Shinde. The episode also highlighted the rift between Shinde and deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who heads finance dept.

Without naming Pawar, Shirsat targeted the finance dept’s “Shakuni”. “This is the high-handedness of Shakuni in finance dept. Funds meant for this dept cannot be diverted and used for Dalit sisters. Ladki Bahin scheme does not recognise caste. Money should be raised from other sources.”
Health minister Prakash Abitkar of Shiv Sena said other depts were feeling the strain after Ladki Bahin was introduced. “It’s true other depts have had to struggle after Ladki Bahin scheme was introduced. Not enough allocation was made in budget.”
Meanwhile, the opposition targeted govt over fund diversion. “Sena left MVA govt after complaining that Ajit Pawar was not giving funds to their party. Now they are in back in govt. He is doing same thing so now they can’t afford to complain,” said Jayant Patil of NCP (SP) .