When in opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders had their own vision of budgeting Maharashtra’s needs in the state legislature, which the ruling Congress-NCP had happily dismissed. The BJP did implement one such idea while presenting its first budget last summer. It laid emphasis on creating assets rather than splurging money on things that would have no long-lasting effect in terms of capital gains. The party will present its second budget on March 18.

We learn that this budget too will take the BJP’s philosophy forward. But the question is, where will the government find the money to invest in capital works when its financial picture is far from rosy? Capital works did not get sufficient grants in 2015-16 because of increased expenditure in view of drought relief, toll waiver and the abolition of local body tax. Growth hasn’t been on expected lines and has impacted revenue badly.