UP Budget 2024-25 Dedicated to Lord Ram: Yogi Adityanath

Lucknow, Feb 5 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said the state's annual budget for the financial year 2024-25 has been dedicated to Lord Ram and will ensure "Lok Mangal" (public welfare).

"Today's budget has been dedicated to Lord Ram and is for Lok Mangal (public welfare). In the beginning of the budget, in the middle and at the end, Lord Shri Ram is there in every word of the budget. In his thoughts and resolutions, Shri Ram is there because Shri Ram is synonymous with Lok Mangal.

"This budget is also an economic document of Uttar Pradesh for the overall and balanced development of the state, dedicated to the welfare of the people," Adityanath told reporters after the presentation of the budget in the state assembly.

Earlier in the day, Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna presented the budget in the state assembly with an outlay of Rs 7.36 lakh crore, higher from current fiscal's budget of Rs 6.90 lakh crore.

The chief minister said this is the eighth budget of his government.

"Our first budget of 2017-18 was dedicated to the Annadata farmers of the state. The budget of 2018-19 was dedicated to the infrastructure and industrial development of the state. The budget of 2019-20 was dedicated to women empowerment, the budget of 2020-21 was dedicated to the youth energy of the state, the budget of 2021-22 was dedicated to the campaign of empowerment through self-reliance," he said.

The budget of 2022-23 was the budget of self-reliance through Antyodaya and 2023-24 budget was for rapid and all-inclusive development.

"We all know that today's budget of Rs 7.36 crore is for faith, Antyodaya and economy and is the biggest budget of Uttar Pradesh till date. The budget has been increased by 6.7 per cent compared to the previous financial year. The increase in the size of the budget represents the double engine government's commitment to expand the state's economy," he said.

For the first time, the chief minister said, over Rs 2,03,782.38 crore have been provisioned for capital expenditure and when money is spent on infrastructure, it not only creates employment but also strengthens the economy.

The chief minister said that if one look at the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the state in comparison to the year 2016-17, it was approximately Rs 12.5 lakh crore.

"Now when we talk about GDP in 2024-25, it will be Rs 25 lakh crore, which is more than double," he said.