Key Points

"Ladli Bahin Yojana has been very important for us, because of that we have come to power. So this scheme should never be stopped. Funds should be released for that (by the Maharashtra government)," the Social Justice Minister told ANI in Mumbai.

Shirsat, who is a Shiv Sena MLA had claimed that he had officially rejected the order on reallocation of funds from his department when he got a file on it in February of this year, where he wrote that such cuts are not acceptable. He informed ANI that currently the department has an allocation of nearly 3 thousand crores, but if the funds are reduced then the department would have to be shut down.

"I had recieved the file on reallocation of funds in February, I had rejected it and I had written as well that one cannot cut funds, I do not agree to it. I had signed on it and sent back. CM has the right to reallocate funds, but there are some schemes in which it is not correct to divert funds from, because of that there will be injustice. Currently we have an allocation of 3 thousand crores, if we reduce it even more then we would have to shut down the department," Shirsat said.

He said that he had talked with Dy CM Ajit Pawar and CM Devendra Fadnavis and conveyed that he will face problems doing his work as minister of the department.

"The funds of the Social Justice Department should not be cut, and this is the rule, this is not okay, and I had said the same thing to Ajit Pawar and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. After this, if the funds are cut, I will have problems working, this is what I have to say," Shirsat said.

Reaffirming his support for the Mukhya Mantra Ladki Bahin Yojana, he said that there is no bifurcation on the basis of caste in the scheme as the aim of the scheme is for every 'sister to get funds.

"We cannot forget this, there is no category of SC, Open etc, in it is straightforward to give money to the sisters. If we keep doing bifurcation then a wrong message could be sent, we don't do that as we try to give money to every sister," the Minister said.

Earlier on Sunday, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut also hit out at the Maharashtra government over the scheme, claiming that the government betrayed the people on their poll promises.

Raut said earlier, "Ladki Bahin has been closed down. Earlier, you said you would give Rs 1,500, now only Rs 500 is being given. During elections, there was talk of giving Rs 2,100. But Ajit Pawar (Deputy CM) denied making any such promise. He said, 'when did I say? I never said such a thing.' But the government is yours, right? You are the deputy CM. When you become a minister, you talk about 'my money, my money' -- how is it your money? The money is meant for Ladki Bahin."

- ANI