The Maharashtra Budget for 2022-23, which was introduced in the state Legislature on Friday, proposes spending Rs 350 crore to boost water transport in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, reducing the pressure on the suburban rail network and roadways.
When the budget was tabled in the Assembly, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar stated that the state government aims to connect Vasai, Bhayander, Dombivali, Kalyan, Vashi, Airoli, Thane, and Belapur in the MMR via water transport.
He stated that the water transport service from Mumbai to Navi Mumbai was recently inaugurated.
Pawar, who oversees the finance portfolio, stated that a high-quality water tourism project worth Rs 50 crore has been proposed for Shiv Sagar reservoir in Jawali taluka of Satara district, near the Koyna dam, and that similar plans are in the works for Gosikhurd water body in Bhandara and Jayakwadi in Aurangabad.
He stated that a historical walk will be launched in Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur to help young people learn more about the state’s liberation warriors, revolutionaries, and social reformers.
As per the minister, Jawahar, a gorgeous site in the Palghar district, has been designated as a ‘B Class’ tourism destination, and the required money would be made available to develop it.
He further informed the House that the corpus of the Acharya Bal Shastri Jambekar pension programme has been enhanced from Rs 35 crore to Rs 50 crore.