Maharashtra Ministers Embark On Lavish Foreign Tours While ‘Ladki Bahin’ Scheme Struggles For Funds
Maharashtra Ministers Embark On Lavish Foreign Tours While 'Ladki Bahin' Scheme Struggles For Funds
On one hand, the state government is facing financial trouble due to the ‘Ladki Bahin’ scheme. On the other hand, crores of rupees are being spent on ministers’ foreign tours, as recently revealed. A list of international trips made or planned by ministers in 2025 has come to light, leading social activist Vijay Kumbhar to level serious allegations against the state government.
Over the past few months, thousands of women have been unable to receive timely benefits due to a lack of funds for schemes like ‘Ladki Bahin’. Owing to the insufficient allocation for this scheme, funds from other departments are being diverted.
However, when it comes to foreign tours of ministers, crores of rupees are sanctioned with ease. While Jaykumar Rawal’s recent trip to France, the Netherlands, and Switzerland has drawn attention, more names on the VIP tour list have now surfaced.
In this context, Vijay Kumbhar has strongly criticized the state government. He tweeted, “European tours, five-star hotels, luxury flights, and sightseeing are all being done using public money. There’s no money for public welfare, but there are no hurdles when it comes to ministers’ leisure trips. This is a mockery of democracy.”
He pointed out that lakhs of rupees have been spent on these tours, all sourced from taxpayers’ money. Ministers are enjoying high-end hotels, luxurious flights, and VIP-style sightseeing experiences.
Although the government claims these foreign tours are “official visits,” Kumbhar questioned their actual purpose, benefits, and whether any tangible impact of these trips is reaching the public.
Ministers’ Foreign Tours in 2025:
Jaykumar Rawal – Europe
Indranil Naik – Germany
Ashish Shelar – Spain
Nitesh Rane – Netherlands
Uday Samant – UAE
Devendra Fadnavis and Uday Samant – Davos, Switzerland
