Mumbai, Aug 10 (IANS): NCP National President and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday asked the opposition why they failed to introduce the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana when they were in government.

“Why did you not introduce the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana during your tenure,” Pawar said during the third day of his Jansanman Yatra.

He also rejected the opposition’s claim about the continuity of its implementation for want of funds, saying that he as a Finance Minister has made a provision of Rs 35,000 crore in the budget.

“You are criticising the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana but what did you do when you were in government? I have presented the state budget 10 times and it is not an easy task. Don't lie, get information and then speak,” he told the opposition at the rally held in Sinnar in Nashik district.

Pawar said the response from women to the Ladki Bahin scheme is overwhelming.

“Since the commencement of the Jansanman Yatra, women have tied rakhis to me. Their faith will not be broken. The first two instalments of Rs 3,000 for the months of July and August (Rs 1,500 each) will be deposited to the banks of eligible women beneficiaries on August 17, two days before the auspicious Rakshabandhan,” he added.

He also announced that the MahaYuti government will give approval for the Damanganga-Pinjal link project before the commencement of the Model Code of Conduct for the upcoming state Assembly election.

The project envisages the transfer of balance, available water, at the proposed Bhugad reservoir across Damangangariver and at the proposed Khargihill reservoir across Vagh River, a tributary of Damanganga River, in the Damanganga basin for augmentation of water supply to Greater Mumbai to meet its domestic and industrial water requirements in the near future.

Responding to the opposition’s charges, Pawar said the purpose of Jansanman Yatra is to reach out to the people and explain to them what the MahaYuti government has done especially after NCP joined it for the state.

“The government has launched a slew of decisions for the welfare of people and to expedite the state’s development. The investment flow in the state has sharply increased during the MahaYuti government,” he said.

He said that several projects are being developed in the state including Toyota Kirloskar in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and two projects worth Rs 40,000 crore each by Jindal group.

“The government has introduced a training programme for youth so that they can get jobs in the industry,” he added.