Mumbai, Mar 11 (PTI) The Maharashtra Budget for 2022-23 tabled in the state Legislature on Friday aims to strengthen water transport in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region with a proposed expenditure of Rs 350 crore in order to reduce the burden on the suburban rail network and roads.

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Tabling the Budget in the Assembly, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said the state government intends to connect Vasai, Bhayander, Dombivali, Kalyan, Vashi, Airoli, Thane and Belapur in MMR by water transport.

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The Mumbai to Navi Mumbai water transport service was commissioned recently, he said.

Pawar, who handles the finance portfolio, said a high quality water tourism project of Rs 50 crore was proposed in Shiv Sagar reservoir in Jawali taluka of Satara district in the vicinity of Koyna dam, and similar plans are afoot for Gosikhurd water body in Bhandara and Jayakwadi in Aurangabad.

He said a heritage walk will be introduced in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur to get youth to know better the state's freedom fighters, revolutionaries and social reformers.

The minister said Jawahar, a scenic spot in Palghar district, has been accorded 'B Class' tourism destination status and necessary funds will be made available to develop it.

He also told the House the Acharya Bal Shastri Jambekar pension scheme corpus had been increased from Rs 35 crore to Rs 50 crore.

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