Finance Minister Ajit Pawar to present Maharashtra Budget 2025 today

This will be the first budget for the newly-formed Mahayuti government. Pic/X

Finance Minister Ajit Pawar will present the Maharashtra Budget 2025 in the state assembly today.

With this, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief will become the finance minister to present the most number of budgets (11) after Sheshrao Wankhede, who holds the record for presenting the budget 13 times, a press release from NCP mentioned. NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Jayant Patil has presented the budget 10 times, followed by former CM Sushilkumar Shinde (9 times), according to the release.

Notably, this will be the first budget for the newly-formed Mahayuti government.

Speaking on Maharashtra Budget 2025, Pawar's cabinet colleague Eknath Shinde said, "The budget is for the people, this government is for the people. We worked for the people in these two and a half years... We worked for the progress of the people, for the change in their lives. Similar work will be done in the next five years."

In 2022, Pawar had presented the budget on March 11, on the death anniversary of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, dedicating it to the Maratha King's bravery, sacrifice, and commitment to 'Swarajya'. He has also presented budgets focusing on agriculture, industry, transportation, healthcare, and human resource development, the NCP press release further stated.

During the Covid-19 crisis, when several states faced financial difficulties, Pawar's fiscal prudence and discipline were appreciated.

He has previously presented budgets with a focus on farmers, labourers, women, Dalits, tribals, students, and the youth. In 2021, he presented the budget on International Women's Day, dedicating it to the women of Maharashtra, the press release said.

The budget session of the Maharashtra Legislature commenced on March 3, with the Governor addressing the joint session of both houses at Vidhan Bhavan. The session is scheduled to conclude on March 26.

Everyone favours removal of Aurangzeb's tomb; Cong govt put it under ASI: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said everyone feels Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb's tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar should be removed, but it has to be done under the purview of law as the previous Congress regime put the site under Archaeological Survey of India's (ASI) protection.

Fadnavis was speaking at an event in Mumbai on Saturday night, news agency PTI reported.

Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) lawmaker from Satara, Udayanraje Bhosale, who is a descendant of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, had sought the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.

Asked about Bhosale's demand, the CM said, "We all also want the same thing, but you need to do it within the framework of the law, because it is a protected site. The site was put under ASI's protection during the Congress regime some years back."

Last week, Samajwadi Party Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Abu Asim Azmi had made remarks eulogising Aurangzeb, triggering a massive row.

He was suspended from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for the entire Budget Session over his remarks.

(With ANI and PTI inputs)