India, Sept. 25 -- A few months before local body elections across Maharashtra, the Urban Development Department (UDD), headed by deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, has distributed more than Rs.750 crore under two special schemes. These schemes give the urban development minister discretionary powers to allocate funds for basic amenities and special projects in the wards of urban local bodies, including municipal corporations, municipal councils, and nagar panchayats.

The funds, meant for area development, have mostly gone to constituencies represented by MLAs from the ruling Mahayuti alliance, particularly those from the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Shinde has released the funds in the last six weeks ahead of the local body polls, expected ...