Maharashtra Chief Minister (CM) and Shiv Sena President, Eknath Shinde has announced that the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections are likely to be held in the second week of November 2024, and polling is likely to be in two phases.

Notably, this would be the second time, if Maharashtra elections would be held in two phases. The last time, Maharashtra had a two-phase assembly election was in 1999.

CM Eknath Shinde added that within 8-10 days, the Mahayuti Alliance, which includes, the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and Nationalist Congress Party led by Ajit Pawar, will finalize the seat-sharing arrangement.

The Mahayuti Alliance is reportedly a part of the countrywide National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. The Maha Vikas Aghadi, an opposition led by the Indian National Congress, the NCP led by Sharadchandra Pawar, and the Shiv Sena led by former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray would face the current government.

While outlining the progress of seat-sharing talks within the Mahayuti Alliance, CM Shinde stated that the Party’s strike rate and seat occupancy are the two primary factors determining the winnability of the alliance.

Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana

Additionally, On Sunday, CM Shinde highlighted the state government’s Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojna, under which the benefits include financial Assistance of IN ₹1,500 per month.

The scheme is expected to have a substantial impact on the upcoming polls. The scheme is likely to benefit about 2.4 crore women, which is quite a bit of the state’s voting system.

The ruling Mahayuti alliance sees this as a strategic move to gain an electoral edge amidst the current political climate. The leaders including Eknath Shinde from BJP, and Ajit Pawar from NCP are leveraging this as a key strategy for the upcoming assembly polls. They are actively campaigning and promoting the scheme to ensure its success and maximize its impact on the electorate.

Eligibility Qualifications

1. The candidate ought to be a woman.
2. The candidate must be a state resident of Maharashtra.
3. The age range for the applicant should be 21 to 65.
4. The applicant must have an Aadhaar link on their bank account.
5. The applicant’s family’s annual income should not be more than ₹2,50,000. 
6. Eligible workers include contract workers, voluntary workers, and outsourced staff earning up to ₹2,50,000.
7. Any of the following should apply to the applicant:
   • Woman in Marriage 
   • Unmarried 
   • Woman in Divorce
   • Deficient and Forsaken Women 
   • The household has one single woman.

Exclusions

1. The annual family income as a whole is over ₹2,50,000.
2. The family member pays taxes on their income.
3. The family members are either receiving pensions upon retirement from their jobs as regular or permanent workers of the Indian government or a local body of the state government. 
4. The ladies who were beneficiaries of the financial scheme were given ₹1,500 monthly by various government departments.
5. The relative is an MP or former MP or MLA.
6. The family member is a member of the board, corporation, undertaking, vice-chairmanship, chairman, or member of the state or federal government of India.
7. A person has a four-wheeler registered in the names of their family members, with the exception of tractors.

Documents Required

1. Photograph of the Beneficiary Woman
2. Aadhaar Card
3. Domicile Certificate (If the Domicile Certificate is not available, any one of the following can be submitted: Ration Card issued before 15 years, Voter ID card issued before 15 years, Birth Certificate, or School Leaving Certificate).
4. For Women Born Abroad (Submit the Husband’s Ration Card issued before 15 years, Voter ID card issued before 15 years, Birth Certificate, School Leaving Certificate, or Domicile Certificate).
5. Income Certificate (Not required if the woman has a Yellow or Orange Ration Card. Required if the woman has a White Ration Card or no Ration Card).
6. Marriage Certificate (If your name is not listed on the Ration Card and you are newly married, your husband’s Ration Card can be used as proof of income)
7. Bank Account Details (account should be Aadhaar-linked)
8. Affirmation Letter

CM Eknath Shinde shared that so far, over 1.6 women have applied for the scheme.

Further, he also revealed that around 1.4 lakh applicants have so far been accepted for the Mukhyamanti Yuva Prashishan Yojana. It is an internship scheme for unemployed youth and the state government is aiming to expand it to 10 lakh applicants.

Financial Burden of Government’s Pre-election schemes

When asked about the financial burden of the government’s financial burden schemes on the exchequer, CM Shinde added, “We are well within the fiscal limits when it comes to govt borrowings. Also, we are spending on new projects, and schemes and on enhancing the infrastructure. He said that this spending on new projects would result in generating more income for the state, especially in terms of GST, in the long run. Shinde further also denied that the state government would struggle to pay salaries to its employees, citing these are just rumors.

Plans to create affordable housing and a slum-free city.

While discussing about state’s plan to create affordable housing and make the city slum-free. CM Shinde stated that the agencies including the Slum Rehabilitation Authority, Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, and Industrial Development Cooperation will get involved to resolve stuck projects and bring in development.

“It is a matter of demand and supply. Once we create more supply, prices will go down”, he added.