UP Budget 2024-25: Ram Temple, Infra, Welfare Focus

Lucknow, Feb 5 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday presented the Rs 7.36-lakh-crore budget for 2024-25 invoking Lord Ram and prioritising infrastructure development as well as the welfare of women, youth and farmers.

Lord Ram was on the centre stage during the budget presentation in the assembly with Finance Minister Suresh Khanna starting his speech with a verse of epic Ramcaritrmanas, saying that the state government is inspired by the concept of ‘Ram Rajya'.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath dedicated the state budget to Lord Ram, saying it will ensure ‘Lok Mangal' (public welfare).

The budget, that came days after the consecration of Lord Ram temple in Ayodhya and before the 2024 general polls, has set the target of 5.1 per cent growth rate for the agriculture sector in the state, allocated Rs 1,750 crore for the development of 'Dharmarth Marg' (roads to religious places) and Rs 2600 crore for Mahakumbh-2025.

Focusing on inclusive growth, new schemes to spur employment generation, infrastructure development, women empowerment and promoting research and innovation in emerging technologies like AI have been announced.

The budget proposed Rs 4,000 crore for the distribution of tablets and smartphones under Swami Vivekananda Yuva Sashaktikaran Yojana. In the current year, more than 25 lakh tablets/smartphones have already been distributed, and the process is ongoing, Khanna said.

Khanna allocated Rs 2,600 crore for culture and urban development departments for organising Mahakumbh-2025 and providing funds for an international Ramayan and Vedic research centre in Ayodhya. Another Rs 100 crore has been earmarked for development of Ayodhya.

To achieve a 5.1 per cent growth in agriculture, Rs 460 crore has been allocated for three new agriculture-related schemes.

Khanna proposed an outlay of Rs 2,400 crore for providing electricity at concessional rates to private tube wells of farmers. The amount is 25 per cent more than the budget for the same provided in the current financial year.

A provision of Rs 1,150 crore is proposed for the establishment of an international airport and the purchase of land in Jewar of Gautam Buddha Nagar district.

Khanna said Rs 449.45 crore has been proposed for the implementation of PM Kusum Yojana, which is more than double than the allocation for the ongoing fiscal.

Under the central government's rural job guarantee programme MGNREGA, the state generated 28.68 crore man-days and provided employment to 75,24,000 workers during the current financial year. The target is to create 33 crore man-days in 2024-2025.

The amount payable to the beneficiaries under the Destitute Women Pension Scheme has been increased from Rs 500 per month to Rs 1,000 per month while under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission Yojana, a provision of Rs 952 crore is proposed for the establishment of health and wellness centres, integrated public health labs in rural and urban areas.

Rs 300 crore is proposed in the financial year 2024-25 for Ayushman Bharat Mukhyamantri Jan Arogya Abhiyan.

Arrangements for cashless treatment have been made in private hospitals affiliated to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Rajya Karmchari Cashless Chikitsa Yojana. An estimated expenditure of Rs 150 crore is anticipated for this, which is being borne by the state government, the minister said in the budget speech.

The budget also proposed Rs 400 crore for the establishment of a medical college in Varanasi district, Rs 125 crore to provide free medical facilities for incurable diseases, Rs 300 crore for upgrading trauma centres in government medical colleges.

To address the issue of traffic congestion in cities and towns, a provision of Rs 1,000 crore is proposed for the construction of flyovers and similar infrastructure in urban areas, Khanna said.

The budget also proposed increased allocation of Rs 2,000 crore to ensure continuous power supply during summers, up 33 per cent from the current fiscal. Besides, Rs 10 crore has been proposed for the International Ramayana and Vedic Research Institute in Ayodhya, Khanna said.

After the budget presentation, Yogi Adityanath told reporters that the 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 Ram is there in every word of the budget. In his thoughts and resolution, Shri Ram is there because Sri Ram is synonymous with"Lok Mangal", he said.

Leader of opposition Akhliesh Yadav asked the state government what is there in it for 90 per cent of the people, who are the PDA - the SP coinage for the backward sections of the society, Dalits and minorities while BSP chief Mayawati termed it a budget for "electoral interest of the BJP".

BSP chief Mayawati said, "The budget for the year 2024-25 presented in the House today by the Uttar Pradesh government seems to be more for the party's electoral interest and less for the broader public interest and welfare."

Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi said, "this budget is encouraging tokenism and misleading youths."

According to the budget document, the state's total expenditure has been pegged at Rs 7,36,437 crore for 2024-25 against the revised estimate of Rs 6,32,362 crore for the current fiscal year.

Total receipts have been pegged at Rs 7.21 lakh crore, including revenue receipts of Rs 6.07 lakh crore and capital receipts of Rs 1.14 lakh crore.