Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who also has the finance portfolio, tabled the Maharashtra Budget 2025 in the Assembly on Monday. The highlights of the big announcements included a third airport for Mumbai in and around Vadhvan Port to increase the city’s aviation capacity and the night landing facility at Shirdi Airport, which will become operational shortly.
Key Takeaways from Maharashtra Budget 2025
- Navi Mumbai International Airport: Domestic flights would start next month, with 85% work done and test runs successfully run, finance minister Ajit Pawar declared.
- Third Airport of Mumbai: Another airport in close proximity to the Vadhvan Port is to be built with plans to get operational by the year 2030. A bullet train station connecting Mumbai-Ahmedabad will also come up nearby.
- Shirdi Airport Upgrading: Maharashtra’s popular pilgrims’ destination Shirdi shall get a facility for night landings soon, enhancing connectivity.
- Road Infrastructure: The government intends to build 1,500 km of new roads and improve 7,000 km of existing roads to cemented roads, which will improve connectivity throughout the state.
- Employment Growth: The government is seeking to generate 50 lakh new jobs in the next five years. This drive is supported by MoUs totaling ₹15.72 lakh crore inked with 56 firms at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
- Mumbai’s Economic Growth: Mumbai’s economy is projected to grow from $140 billion to $300 billion, strengthening its status as India’s financial hub.
- Metro Expansion: The Mumbai Metro will link Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport with Navi Mumbai International Airport, improving connectivity and easing travel.
- Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) Development: The government envisions MMR as a major growth hub, targeting a USD 1.5 trillion economy by 2047.
Ajit Pawar’s Maharashtra Budget 2025 places considerable emphasis on infrastructure, economic growth, and creation of employment opportunities and hence represents a visionary agenda for the development of Maharashtra.
