MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who also holds the finance portfolio, on Saturday dismissed media reports about the financial crunch shrouding the ‘Ladli Behna’ scheme in uncertainty, saying that there is no shortage of funds and the scheme will be implemented smoothly.Questions on executing the scheme, which promises Rs 1,500 per month to all eligible women, arose after the Maharashtra economic survey termed the financial situation “grim” with mounting loans of Rs 7 lakh crore and dwindling GDP.Meanwhile, former union minister Sharad Pawar said the scheme was launched eying the upcoming state assembly elections. He said there are rumours that the scheme would be withdrawn once the polls are over.Slamming the state government, the Opposition said that despite the rising debt over Maharashtra, the state government has launched the ‘Ladli Behna’ scheme with big fanfare. “It is populist scheme or revadi in the language of PM Narendra Modi who opposed such culture, but his own government is after such short term sops to get votes. But the people are smart and understand why the scheme was launched three months ahead of polls,” said a Sena leader.
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