India, May 3 -- The cash-strapped Maharashtra government has diverted a budgetary allocation of Rs.746 crore meant for Schedule Castes (SCs) and Schedule Tribes (STs) to the Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, its flagship welfare scheme for women, according to a government resolution (GR) issued on Friday. The decision, which is yet another indicator of the fiscal strain the Maharashtra government is under, goes against guidelines issued by the union finance commission, officials said.

According to the GR, the state has sanctioned the utilisation of Rs.410.30 crore out of the Rs.3,960 crore allocated for scheme expenditure by the social justice department and Rs.335.70 crore of the Rs.3,240 crore allocated for the tribal development department fo...