Maharashtra: 'CM Shinde Doing Unjust Favours To Friends', Alleges LoP Vijay Waddetiwar Over MITRA Row

Mumbai: Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar has accused the Chief Minister of doing unjust favours to friends through the newly formed body of MITRA.

MITRA, which was housed in the state-owned New Administrative Building opposite Mantralaya till now, will now shift to a bigger premises in Nirmal building a few paces away from the current office.

"The state government has approved a whooping ₹2.56 crore towards the rent of the new office for the new organization," leader of opposition in the state legislative assembly has said while terming the expenditure as "completely unjust".

MITRA

MITRA or Maharashtra Institution for Transformation is the state’s think tank for comprehensive data analysis and to make studied decisions on various sectors. The body formed in last November works on the lines of NITI Aayog with CM Eknath Shinde as its Chairman and DCM Devendra Fadnavis as its Co-Chairman.

"For the new office of MITRA the government has approved ₹21 lakh per month or ₹2.56 crore a year. This is an unjust expenditure. CM Shinde has already appointed his friends on the body and now he wants to extend flavors to the friends," Wadettiwar said.
Decision to shift the office of MITRA was taken after an increased workload and manpower which prompted for a bigger office for the institution, said a CMO official.

'New scheme of MahaYuti government'

Wadettiwar, however, brushed off the premise for shifting the office and said, "This is a new scheme of the MahaYuti government to take money out of the state coffers.

"MITRA was formed in order to ensure speedy and inclusive development of the state through private and non government sector. However, here government funds are being spent on friends in private sector," Wadettiwar said in his post on microblogging site X