Mumbai, Mar 9 (PTI) Ruling BJP member Sudhir Mungantiwar and Opposition NCP (SP) MLA Jayant Patil on Monday pressed minister Meghana Bordikar for answers in the Maharashtra assembly over alleged discrepancies between the sanctioned outlay and actual expenditure of the state women’s commission.
Raising the issue during the Question Hour, former minister Mungantiwar demanded details of the outlay allocated by the Women and Child Development Department to the Maharashtra State Commission for Women and questioned why its expenditure files were being routed through the Mantralaya (secretariat) for approval.
“It is a separate commission and it should enjoy its autonomous status and be allowed to spend as per its requirements. Why do state officials demand that every expenditure file be sent to Mantralaya for approval? This is unfair. I demand details of the expenditure,” said Mungantiwar, who was not inducted into the state cabinet after the November 2024 assembly polls.
Responding to the query, Bordikar, the Minister of State for Women and Child Development, said the government had not withheld funds and extended financial assistance to the commission as per its requirements.
“We have never held back any funds. We have always helped the commission with financial assistance as per its requirements,” she said.
Following further questioning from Mungantiwar, the minister said the commission had sought Rs 24 crore in 2023-24, which was released, and a provision of Rs 18.35 crore had been made for 2026-27 as per its demand.
However, Opposition NCP (SP) member Patil contested the minister’s statement, alleging that the figures presented in the House did not reflect the actual release of funds.
“The minister has given a false answer to the House. In 2023-24, the outlay was Rs 15.08 crore, but only Rs 4.63 crore were actually paid. In 2024-25, the outlay was Rs 15.28 crore, but the state released Rs 5.83 crore. Next year, the outlay was Rs 18.09 crore, but only Rs 6.71 crore were released. These are the facts,” Patil said.
Mungantiwar further argued that inadequate fund releases were affecting the commission’s functioning, particularly its outreach and research activities.
“The women’s commission wants to undertake sensitisation drives, but funds are not released. There is no money for research projects, data analysis, guidance and assistance for women,” he claimed.
Bordikar, however, maintained that funds were released based on requirements and insisted there were no pending demands from the commission before the ministry. PTI ND GK
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