Mumbai

Leaders from both the ruling and opposition benches on Monday questioned the Maharashtra government in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly over alleged discrepancies in the funds allocated to the Maharashtra State Commission for Women.

Sudhir Mungantiwar of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Jayant Patil of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) pressed Minister of State for Women and Child Development Meghana Bordikar for clarification during Question Hour.

Mungantiwar asked the government to provide details of the outlay allocated by the Women and Child Development Department to the commission and questioned why its expenditure files were required to be routed through Mantralaya for approval.

“It is a separate commission and it should enjoy autonomous status and be allowed to spend as per its requirements. Why do officials insist that every expenditure file be sent to Mantralaya for approval? I demand details of the expenditure,” he said.

Responding to the query, Bordikar said the government had not withheld funds and that financial assistance was provided to the commission according to its requirements.

“We have never held back any funds. We have always helped the commission with financial assistance as per its requirements,” she said.

The minister said the commission had sought ₹24 crore in 2023-24 and the amount was released. She added that a provision of ₹18.35 crore had been made for 2026-27 based on the commission’s demand.

However, Patil disputed the minister’s claim and alleged that the figures presented in the House did not reflect the actual amount released.

“The minister has given a false answer to the House. In 2023-24, the outlay was ₹15.08 crore, but only ₹4.63 crore were actually paid. In 2024-25, the outlay was ₹15.28 crore, but the state released ₹5.83 crore. Next year, the outlay was ₹18.09 crore, but only ₹6.71 crore were released,” Patil said.

Mungantiwar also argued that inadequate fund releases were affecting the commission’s functioning, particularly its outreach programmes 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 said.

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Bordikar, however, reiterated that funds were released according to requirements and maintained that no pending financial demands from the commission were awaiting approval from the ministry.