During Question Hour, MLAs from the treasury benches sought clarity on the scheme, which Bhuse said was designed to foster scientific curiosity among students and make science fairs more engaging. He noted that the Finance and Planning Department had objected to the government's proposal to raise the prize amount from Rs5,000 to Rs51,000.

Mumbai: Treasury bench members in the Maharashtra Assembly on Thursday questioned the government over the implementation of the Mukhyamantri Vidyarthi Vigyan Vari scheme, prompting a sharp response from School Education Minister Dada Bhuse, who expressed displeasure at the ‘strictures’ imposed by the Finance and Planning Department.

MLAs seek clarity on prize hike proposal

During Question Hour, MLAs from the treasury benches sought clarity on the scheme, which Bhuse said was designed to foster scientific curiosity among students and make science fairs more engaging. He noted that the Finance and Planning Department had objected to the government's proposal to raise the prize amount from Rs5,000 to Rs51,000.

“The department issued such strictures that we had no words to describe. They even stated that if the prize money is increased to Rs51,000, parents would get their children's projects made from outside instead of allowing students to work on them,” Bhuse told the House, adding that the department felt this would defeat the spirit of science competitions.

When BJP MLA Devayani Farande posed another question, an irked Bhuse said, “The issue is raised in such a way that it appears the funds are held back by my department. It is not the fact and one should not say this.”

The scheme, approved in principle by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in June 2025, proposes educational visits for winners of science project competitions.

NASA trips to be funded through annual allocation

Officials said the scheme requires an annual budget of about Rs3 crore to send statelevel finalists to NASA, while tehsil and district-level study visits will be funded through District Planning and Development Council (DPDC) allocations.

Aim is to deepen student interest in scientific research

An education department official said the broader aim was to encourage students to engage more deeply with scientific research. “The intention is to ensure students don’t stop at one project but continue exploring the world of science,” the official said.

(With PTI input)

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