Four Districts Corner Nearly 88 Of Maharashtras Credit Plan Exposing Persistent Regional Divide

Despite decades of political promises to bridge Maharashtra’s regional development gap, four districts Mumbai, Mumbai Suburban, Thane, and Pune, account for nearly 88 per cent of the state’s annual credit plan for 2025-26, laying bare the concentration of economic activity in a handful of urban centres.

Data from the State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC) shows that these four districts together account for Rs 39.35 lakh crore of the state’s total annual credit plan of Rs 44.76 lakh crore.

Mumbai alone accounts for Rs 27.82 lakh crore, followed by Mumbai Suburban at Rs 6.46 lakh crore, Pune at Rs 3.62 lakh crore and Thane at Rs 1.45 lakh crore.

The figures raise fresh questions about the effectiveness of successive governments’ efforts to reduce the development backlog in Vidarbha and Marathwada, an issue that has dominated Maharashtra’s political discourse for more than six decades.

The imbalance persists even though Maharashtra has set itself the ambitious target of becoming a $1 trillion economy by 2029-30 and a $5 trillion economy by 2047.

The skew is visible even in the agriculture and allied sector. While farming remains concentrated in regions such as Vidarbha and Marathwada, districts like Mumbai, Mumbai Suburban and Pune continue to account for a significant share of agricultural and allied credit.

The latest figures also echo concerns flagged by the Reserve Bank of India earlier this month. In its quarterly report, the RBI noted that Mumbai, Mumbai Suburban and New Delhi alone account for nearly 30 per cent of all bank lending in the country. It also found that just 11 districts account for more than half of India’s total bank credit, while the bottom 381 districts account for only 4.9 per cent.

The issue of regional imbalance had prompted the creation of statutory development boards for Vidarbha, Marathwada and the rest of Maharashtra under Article 371(2) of the Constitution. The boards were reconstituted by the Mahayuti government after remaining defunct for a period during the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi regime.

Yet the latest credit data suggests that economic activity remains concentrated largely within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and Pune.

Senior BJP leader and former finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said regional imbalance remains a matter of concern.

“Regional imbalance is a concern which we have been pursuing for decades. Our government has taken initiatives towards balanced growth and development. I will have to study the RBI observations in detail before commenting on the district-wise disparity,” he said.

A senior government official said credit naturally flows towards districts that attract investment and generate economic activity.

“Developed districts account for a larger share because demand for credit is higher there. This is not unique to Maharashtra. Efforts are being made to create infrastructure and investment opportunities in backward districts, but such changes take time,” the official said.

The contrast is stark. Vidarbha’s 11 districts account for just 17.4 per cent of the agriculture and allied credit plan, while Marathwada’s eight districts account for around 15 per cent.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has repeatedly pushed for industrial expansion beyond the state’s traditional growth centres and has pitched Gadchiroli as a future steel and industrial hub. During his recent visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos, he also urged investors to explore opportunities in Vidarbha and Marathwada rather than limiting investments to Mumbai, Pune, Nashik and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.