Mumbai, March 13 (NationPress) The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) sharply criticized the Devendra Fadnavis administration on Friday, claiming that the Chief Minister is fostering misleading perceptions by proclaiming Maharashtra's economy as strong, and insisting that the state will become the first 'trillion-dollar' economy in the nation within three years.

“Yet, the public is aware that these assertions are merely empty promises. When the time comes, the citizens will burst these illusions,” the party expressed in its publication, 'Saamana'.

The editorial from the Thackeray faction highlighted that the latest economic statistics indicate that this optimistic perspective conceals a profound fiscal crisis marked by unprecedented debt levels and a drop in per capita income rankings.

According to the editorial, while the government forecasts that Maharashtra will outpace the economies of Singapore and the UAE if the current growth rates continue, numerous essential indicators present a contrasting narrative. The growth rate for the state's crucial agricultural sector is projected to decline from 9.1 percent to 3.4 percent this year. Although the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) has increased, Maharashtra has slipped to fifth place in national per capita income, trailing behind smaller states like Telangana. The current economic situation is a product of six decades of development and infrastructure established by past governments, not solely the last ten years, as the editorial pointed out.

“Whether concerning the state's overall income or growth rate, the groundwork was laid over the last sixty years. Fadnavis and the BJP might overlook this fact, but the people remember,” the editorial stated.

The editorial expressed serious concern regarding the state’s soaring debt. Maharashtra has now become the most indebted state in India. “While the Chief Minister praised himself for the state’s gross income reaching Rs 51 lakh crore in the past decade, what about the enormous debt? Under his leadership, the state's debt is projected to hit an astonishing Rs 11.02 lakh crore within a year. The Fadnavis government may celebrate development, but it conveniently overlooks the growing debt burden on each citizen. Current statistics reveal that every individual in Maharashtra is 'debt-laden' by around Rs 85,000 without even taking out a loan. Over the past year alone, the state's debt has surged by approximately Rs 1.75 lakh crore,” the editorial elaborated.

Additionally, it mentioned that the government must allocate about Rs 65,000 crore just for interest payments, a fact the Chief Minister fails to acknowledge.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena reiterated that the government is merely “inflating bubbles” with its trillion-dollar promises while neglecting to recognize that the debt to GSDP ratio is anticipated to rise to 21 percent by year-end. The party cautioned that the public is aware of these fiscal inconsistencies and will hold the government accountable for these deceptive claims in the future.