Mumbai, March 7 -- Amid mounting financial pressure, the Maharashtra government has decided to scale back its expenditure on social welfare and nutrition schemes in the 2026-27 financial year by Rs.5,013 crore. According to the budget documents, the government has allocated Rs.53,000 crore as budget estimate for the social welfare and nutrition head, which covers various welfare and nutrition schemes implemented by multiple departments. The allocation as per last year's budget estimate was Rs.58,013 crore, though the actual spending was significantly higher, at Rs.80,735 crore as per revised estimates for 2025-26. The chief minister denied making any cut in budgetary provisions for the social sector, saying "No cut has been imposed on any of the schemes. There is a lot of stress but we decided not to scrap any scheme." Rupesh Keer from the nonprofit Samarthan, which studies state budgets, criticised the state government over the reduction in social sector spending. "This government has inhumanely reduced provision for the crucial 'Social Welfare and Nutrition' scheme from Rs.80,735 crore to Rs.53,000 crore. By slashing a massive Rs.27,000 crore, the government has directly snatched food from the plates of the poor and malnourished children," Keer said in a statement. Fadnavis, while presenting the budget, declared that the Educity coming up at Navi Mumbai would be the first in the country and educational programmes would be started there from the ongoing academic year. Maharashtra has plans to build 8-10 educational cities, Fadnavis said....