As crucial government funds remain stuck, legislator Rohit Pawar steps up, becoming the main voice against the current leadership. His strong statements highlight growing public anger over vital projects not moving forward across the state. This development positions Pawar as a key figure challenging the system, especially as delays hold back essential money meant for public welfare. His outspoken role now defines the public debate on the government’s ability to deliver, making him the informal leader of those who disagree.
A New Voice Steps Up
In Maharashtra’s political landscape, a new, unofficial voice of opposition has emerged in recent times. Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Rohit Pawar has taken on this role, actively highlighting government lapses and public concerns. This development comes as the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker has not officially recognized a Leader of Opposition, citing a lack of sufficient numbers within the opposition ranks.
Mr. Pawar has gained attention for his proactive approach in bringing various issues to the media’s notice. For example, he uploaded a video of Minister Manikrao Kokate playing rummy during a legislative session. This action led to Mr. Kokate losing his position in the Agriculture Ministry.
Beyond this, Mr. Pawar has consistently spoken about issues he sees as failures of the government. His actions have positioned him as a significant figure for the opposition, even without an official title.
Money Problems for Development
A major concern in Maharashtra currently is the delay in releasing funds for development projects. MLAs from both the ruling parties and the opposition have found it hard to get money for work in their areas for the past eight months. The state government has stated that there is a shortage of money. Maharashtra has a lot of debt and owes approximately ₹90,000 crore to contractors for work that has already been done. This financial problem has led to severe consequences, including one government sub-contractor ending his life because the Public Works Department did not pay his bills on time.
Further reports indicate that over ₹80,000 crore in payments for completed public works and development projects have not been paid for more than nine months. Despite money being set aside in the budget, no government department has received new funds from the State Treasury for the first three months of the current financial year, as of June 20, 2025. There are also claims of an unspoken rule that stops fund requests from being approved by the Finance Department.
“MLAs in Maharashtra have been unable to secure development funds for their constituencies for the past eight months. Both ruling and Opposition MLAs, including many newcomers from the two sides, have repeatedly requested funds but faced delays. The state government cited a shortage of money, as Maharashtra continues to carry mounting debt and owes ₹90,000 crore to contractors for previous works.”
Impact on Public Services
The delays in funds are affecting crucial public services and welfare schemes across the state:
- Hospital Projects: Rohit Pawar has alleged that 26 ongoing construction projects for government hospitals in Maharashtra are incomplete because funds have been stopped. He specifically mentioned that hospital construction in his own area, Karjat-Jamkhed, is stuck due to a lack of money. He claimed these funds were stopped on the orders of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, which he believes is an attempt to control another Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar.
- Water Supply Schemes: For the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), which aims to provide tap water connections, Maharashtra has not received funds from the central government since October 2024. The state government is now using its own money to keep these projects going, having released ₹2483. 58 crore and planning to give another ₹3913 crore for 2025-26. But, 26,009 JJM schemes are still pending due to issues like land availability, problems with contractors. lack of funds.
- Welfare Programs: Financial strain has led to the government holding back funds for schemes like the ‘Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana,’ which pays for senior citizens to visit holy places. There have also been discussions about stopping other welfare programs, such as the ‘Shiv Bhojan Thali’ (subsidized meals) and ‘Anandacha Shidha’ (grocery kits), which have cost the state ₹1,300 crore in the current financial year.
- District Development: In districts like Nashik and Raigad, development has stopped because guardian ministers have not been appointed. This means that essential meetings for planning development and allocating funds have not taken place.
Views from Key People
The issue of fund delays has drawn various reactions from political figures:
- Rohit Pawar’s Perspective: Mr. Pawar believes he is being targeted politically because he is vocal about government issues. He has been named in a chargesheet by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) scam. He claims that while 97 names were in the original police report related to the scam, many of whom are now associated with the ruling parties, he is being singled out by the ED. His company, Baramati Agro Ltd. , acquired a sugar mill in an auction linked to this case. he states his company followed proper procedures. He has said he is ready to fight the case in court and will not be silenced.
“Out of those 97 people named in the FIR, some are associated with BJP or Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. I am being singled out by the ED. This is nothing but vendetta politics.”
- Government’s Stance: The state government has pointed to its mounting debt and financial shortage as the reason for the delays. Some officials have also indicated that some schemes were decided upon before elections. these are now being reviewed to cut expenses.
- Ruling Alliance Concerns: Even within the ruling alliance, there have been concerns. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reportedly met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss delays in the finance department, which is led by Ajit Pawar. Mr. Shinde claimed that files for ministries held by his party’s MLAs were getting stuck, holding up essential development projects. He stressed the need for fair and equal distribution of funds and file clearances among all partners in the ruling alliance.
- Other Opposition Voices: Other opposition parties have also criticized the government over fund delays and related issues. They boycotted a government tea event, citing concerns about corruption, misuse of funds. the overall economic situation. They have also pointed to rising public debt, which they claim is over ₹10 lakh crore, affecting the state’s ability to create jobs.
Looking Forward
The ongoing delays in fund releases continue to create challenges for development projects and public services across Maharashtra. The state’s financial situation, marked by significant debt, remains a central issue impacting various sectors. As the government navigates these financial pressures, the unofficial opposition, led by figures like Rohit Pawar, continues to highlight these issues and demand accountability. The future progress of many state-level projects and the economic well-being of the region will largely depend on how these financial bottlenecks are addressed and funds are made available in a timely manner.
