Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday took a dig at the opposition, especially his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray, and said those born with a golden spoon will not realise the value of Rs 1,500, the amount the state government is giving to underprivileged women per month under a new welfare scheme.
Addressing an event in Mumbai's Chandivali area, Mr Shinde said the opposition has described the Mukhya Mantri Ladki Bahin Yojana as "deceptive and a false assurance", but the scheme has received an overwhelming response from women.
Nearly 2 crore women filled the form for availing benefit under the scheme and 1.5 crore eligible among them have received the stipend of Rs 1,500 promised by the Mahayuti government, informed the CM.
"The opposition makes fun of the scheme that they (the government) are giving bribes (through this scheme). Those born with a golden spoon will not understand the value of Rs 1,500. The value of Rs 1,500 will be known to my 'ladkya bahini' (dear sisters)," he said, in an apparent reference to Shiv Sena (UBT) president Mr Thackeray, whose party has been critical of the scheme.
Mr Shinde insisted the moment the first tranche was credited to the bank account of beneficiaries, the opposition was proved wrong.
"After the amount was credited, the opposition spread rumours that money will be taken back. But this government is the one that gives and not takes," Mr Shinde maintained.
The opposition has dubbed the scheme, which will cost the state exchequer Rs 46,000 crore a year and is targeted at financially disadvantaged women aged 21 to 65 years, as financially unviable. It has also termed the monthly stipend as "paltry".
He urged women beneficiaries to "strengthen the hands of the government" which will help it to increase the monthly amount going forward.
If the government's strength is increased, the stipend amount will be doubled, declared Mr Shinde in comments aimed at wooing women voters ahead of the assembly polls which are likely to be held in November.
Shinde pointed out that some people in the opposition event went to the court to stall the scheme, but their attempts to stop it roll-out in August proved futile.
The Shiv Sena leader said ahead of polls, the opposition spreads rumours that Mumbai will be separated from Maharashtra, but this will never happen.
"No one can break Mumbai from Maharashtra," Shinde declared.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)