Mumbai, June 28 (Reporter) Hours ahead of the presentation of interim budget in the Maharashtra Assembly on Friday, Nationalist Congress Party of the Sharad Pawar group (NCP-SP) state president Jayant Patil on Friday lashed out at the grand alliance (Mahayuti) government for bring down Maharashtra status. Commenting on state economic survey report presented by Finance Minister Ajit Pawar in state assembly on Thursday, Patil who is also a former state finance minister, said on social media X: "...this report is of great concern". "Our state of Maharashtra, which was earlier ranked number 1 in per capita income, has moved to number 6. Karnataka, Haryana, Tamil Nadu and the neighbouring state of Gujarat are ahead of us. "In the financial year 2022-2023, Maharashtra was on the 5th position, now our state has fallen to 6th. This proves that Maharashtra had to suffer the consequences of the projects which were sent to other states, especially Gujarat." He raised the point that there are 11 districts of Maharashtra whose per capita income is lower than the national per capita income. The growth rate of gross income of the state has decreased by almost 8 percent while that of agriculture and allied sector has decreased by more than 2.5 percent. The growth rate in the services sector has declined by 4.2 percent, he pointed out. "During the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state, an investment of Rs 2,77,335 crore was made, in the last two years (2022, 2023), not even one lakh crore was invested," Patil said. "On the contrary, ever since the grand coalition government came to Maharashtra, investment in Gujarat has increased," Patil took a dig at the Mahayuti governement. Unemployment among rural youth with a bachelor's degree or higher has increased by one and a half percent, he added. Nearly two and a half lakh posts ('A' to 'D') in the state government are lying vacant while unemployment is rampant in the state, he said. Crimes against women have increased by almost 20 percent in the state compared to when the Maha Vikas Agadhi was in power. Also, crimes against children have increased by 26 percent, Patil said. More than 20 percent of the funds were not spent in the Scheduled Caste component schemes. "Overall, the economic survey report presented made it clear that the Mahayuti government is working to bring our Maharashtra into decline," added Patil. Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar will present the state interim budget during the day...////...