Nashik: MP Bhaskarrao Bhagre Accuses Govt Of Diverting Tribal Development Funds

Nashik: Dindori Lok Sabha MP Bhaskarrao Bhagre has accused the Maharashtra government of diverting funds earmarked for the development of the tribal community to other schemes, including the ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin’ scheme. He demanded that the money be immediately restored to tribal development programmes, stressing that funds under the Scheduled Tribe Sub-Plan are meant for education, healthcare, roads, drinking water, employment and other basic facilities for tribal communities. According to the figures cited by Bhagre, ₹335.70 crore from the Tribal Development Department was transferred to the Women and Child Development Department for the Ladki Bahin scheme during 2025-26. He also demanded a white paper detailing the total amount diverted, the budget heads involved, the period of diversion and the beneficiaries.

Bhagre also raised concerns over financial irregularities highlighted by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in the Tribal Development Department’s English-medium residential school scheme. According to the CAG observations cited by him, ₹1,398.62 crore was spent on the scheme between 2018-19 and 2023-24, including ₹24.99 crore paid to nine ineligible day-boarding schools and other payments made without the required approvals. He said such irregularities must be investigated and accountability fixed. He further alleged that diversion of tribal development funds was adversely affecting roads, schools, healthcare, drinking water and employment projects in remote tribal areas of Nashik and other districts. Pending payments to contractors, he said, were also causing development works to remain stalled.

Bhagre said the government must immediately restore the ₹335.70 crore allegedly diverted to the Ladki Bahin scheme and clarify the allegations regarding the diversion of ₹3,416 crore. He maintained that there was no opposition to providing loan waivers to farmers, but the financial burden of such schemes should not be met by diverting funds meant for tribal, Dalit or other deprived communities.

“The tribal community may be simple, but it is not foolish. People in tribal hamlets are now aware of where their rightful money is going,” Bhagre said. He warned that unless the government withdraws the diversion of tribal development funds and provides a transparent account, a broad democratic agitation would be launched from Parliament and Nashik district to the state secretariat.