Mahayuti Rift Surfaces in Assembly Over Delay to Student Science Scheme

Overview

• During Question Hour on December 11, BJP legislators pressed Minister Dada Bhuse to explain why the Mukhyamantri Vidyarthi Vigyan Vari scheme has not begun.
• Bhuse said the department overseen by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar raised objections to increasing prize money from Rs 5,000 to Rs 51,000 and withheld clearance.
• He recounted that officials argued higher prizes could lead parents to outsource student projects, a rationale he criticised in the House.
• Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had endorsed the proposal in June and told members he would take steps to move the programme forward.
• The plan would take top projects to division science centres, send district winners to ISRO Bengaluru, and fly 51 state finalists to NASA each year, with officials estimating about Rs 3 crore annually and some costs covered through DPDC allocations; opposition leaders alleged Pawar’s wing is holding files from Shiv Sena-led departments.