Maharashtra Govt Turns To ₹12,000 Crore Teak Assets To Tackle Fiscal Strain Facing Welfare Schemes

Mumbai: The state government may be grappling with financial strain due to welfare schemes such as the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, but its forest reserves could offer relief. Forest Minister Ganesh Naik on Friday told the State Council that teak plantations worth Rs 12,000 crore could be leveraged to raise Rs 6,000 crore to meet Forest Department’s needs.

During Question Hour, members cutting across party lines raised concerns over forest protection, infrastructure upgrades and routine needs of forest staff, particularly in the buffer zone of the Navegaon– Nagzira Tiger Reserve. Naik said forest assets could be monetised to bridge funding gaps. Teakwood cultivated and available for harvesting under Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) is valued at Rs 12,000 crore.

“I have instructed officials to raise a loan of Rs 6,000 crore against assets worth Rs 12,000 crore from a bank. The interest can be serviced through revenue generated from logs obtained during thinning operations,” he said. He added that once mobilised, the funds would be used for infrastructure development, payment of salaries and dearness allowance, and strengthening field operations. The money would also help improve facilities for Range Forest Officers, Divisional Forest Officers, departmental offices, rest houses, forest roads and tourism infrastructure. The proposal will be placed before the Cabinet for approval, he said.

When BJP MLC Pravin Darekar and Congress MLC Satej Patil raised concerns over rehabilitation and road connectivity in forest-fringe villages, Naik referred to the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, which provides Rs 1,500 per month to eligible women. He acknowledged that the flagship welfare scheme had put pressure on government finances and affected departmental allocations, but asserted that it would continue.

To tackle rising human-wildlife conflict, Naik said the government would construct a 500-foot-wide bamboo barrier around the Tadoba–Andhari Tiger Reserve to prevent animals from straying into human settlements. He added that captured monkeys would be relocated to forest areas with arrangements for food. Naik also reiterated that families in buffer zones opting for voluntary relocation would be provided land, housing and rehabilitation support.

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