Maharashtra

• 12 Mar 2025

Maharashtra Budget 2025

Why in News? 

The Maharashtra Finance Minister presented the Rs 7-lakh-crore budget for 2025-26 in the Assembly, emphasizing industrial growth, infrastructure development, and job creation. 

 Key Points 

• Budget Outlay and GSDP Share: 
  • The total budget outlay constitutes 14.17% of the estimated Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Rs 49.4 lakh crore. 
  • This is lower than the 14.8% of GSDP allocated in the 2024-25 Revised Estimates, making this budget smaller than the previous one. 
• Fiscal Deficit Reduction: 
  • The government has lowered the fiscal deficit to 2.7% of GSDP, down from 2.9% in the 2024-25 Revised Estimates, by budgeting lower spending. 
• Industrial Policy and Job Creation: 
  • The Finance Minister announced plans to introduce an industrial policy for 2025. 
  • The policy aims to attract Rs 40 lakh crore in investments and generate 50 lakh jobs over the next five years. 
• Decline in Capital Expenditure: 
  • Capital expenditure is projected to fall by 14.5% in 2025-26, from Rs 1,09,031.5 crore in the current fiscal to Rs 93,165.5 crore. 
  • Its share in the total budget outlay has been reduced to 13.3%. 
• Ladki Bahin Yojana Allocation: 
  • The scheme has been allocated Rs 36,000 crore, which is 21% lower than the current fiscal’s allocation. 
• Government's Five-Point Agenda: 
  • The State Chief Minister stated that the budget is based on five key focus areas: 
    • Agriculture 
    • Industry 
    • Infrastructure 
    • Employment 
    • Social Welfare 

 Ladki Bahin Yojana 

• The scheme aims to rehabilitate, economically develop, and empower women aged 21 to 65 years by disbursing Rs 1,500 per month.  
• Up to December 2024, the total disbursement under the scheme amounted to Rs 17,505.90 crore. 

New Frog Species in Maharashtra

Why in News? 

Researchers from Maharashtra have discovered a new endemic frog species,‘Minervarya ghatiborealis’ at Mahabaleshwar. 

• They included it in the genus Minervarya, commonly known as the ‘Cricket frog’. The international journal Zootaxa has published their study on this species. 

 

 Key Points 

• Etymology and Meaning: 
  • The species' name combines the Sanskrit word ‘Ghati’ (Western) and the Latin word ‘Borealis’ (Northern). 
  • It translates to ‘from the north-western Ghats’, reflecting its habitat. 
• Distinctive Features: 
  • Frogs of the Minervarya genus have parallel lines on their abdomens, making them easy to identify. 
  • They nest near standing water or small springs. 
  • Their calls resemble nightingale sounds, a unique trait among frogs. 
    • Male frogs of this species produce distinct breeding calls, which set them apart from other Minervarya species. 
• Conservation Importance: 
  • The need for continuous conservation efforts in the Western Ghats was emphasized. 
  • The Mahabaleshwar Plateau is now recognized as a key area for endemic species, requiring enhanced conservation measures. 

The Western Ghats 

 

• About: 
  • These are the mountain ranges running parallel along the western coast of India starting from Gujarat and ending in Tamil Nadu. 
  • Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala are the six Indian states covered by Western Ghats. 
  • The mountain range is also a “Hottest Hotspot” of biodiversity. 
  • The Ghats are often called the Great Escarpment of India and are also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 
  • High Biodiversity and Endemism are special features of Western Ghats along with the presence of Evergreen Forests. 
• Significance: 
  • The Ghats influence the Indian monsoon weather patterns that mediate the warm tropical climate of the region. 
  • They act as a barrier to rain-laden monsoon winds that sweep in from the south-west. 
  • Western Ghats are home to tropical evergreen forests, as well as to 325 globally threatened species. 
  • Plateaus are the dominant landscapes in the Western Ghats, significant because of the predominance of endemic species.