Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has stalled the Mukhyamantri Yojanadoot scheme, a flagship employment initiative launched by the previous Mahayuti government under Eknath Shinde. The ₹300 crore scheme, which aimed to provide temporary employment to 50,000 youth, has been shelved due to financial constraints.

The ambitious initiative, announced in August 2024, sought to recruit unemployed youth as ‘doots’ (messengers) to promote government schemes in villages and urban wards. Each participant was to receive a stipend of ₹10,000 per month for six months. However, the scheme faced hurdles from the start, with repeated deadline extensions for applications and eventual suspension due to the Election Commission’s intervention before the 2024 elections.

Despite the new government reviewing its feasibility, news reports indicate that the scheme is unlikely to be revived. The Fadnavis administration has also rolled back other Shinde-era schemes, including the Anandacha Shidha scheme, which provided food grains to the poor, and an MSRTC bus acquisition plan.

Officials cite Maharashtra’s worsening financial health as a key reason for scrapping such initiatives. With a staggering state debt of ₹7.82 lakh crore and a projected fiscal deficit of over ₹2 lakh crore for 2024-25, the government is prioritizing essential expenditures over politically driven welfare programs.

The decision has sparked political controversy, with the Opposition accusing the Fadnavis government of disregarding employment and welfare measures introduced for public benefit. Meanwhile, reports suggest bureaucratic resistance played a role in delaying Yojanadoot’s rollout, as many ruling party leaders allegedly pushed for their own loyalists to be prioritized in job allocations.