UP Budget 2015-16: Rs 10k cr earmarked for environment conservation

This spans sectors such as energy, rural, irrigation, health, environment, education, urban development

The Uttar Pradesh government has provisioned Rs 10,381 crore for development projects and schemes pertaining to the environment conservation during 2015-16.

This spans sectors such as energy, rural, irrigation, health, environment, education and urban development.

Compared to the consolidated Uttar Pradesh Budget proposals of Rs 302,687 crore, the provision towards environment conservation projects constitute a little over 3.42 per cent of the Budget.

The Budget proposes construction worth Rs 7,000 crore on the banks of river Ganga across 26 cities by 2020 in a phased manner. An arrangement of Rs 359 crore has been made under the National Ganga River Basin Authority.

The Budget provides Rs 126 crore to distribute 6,000 solar photovoltaic pumps on subsidy to small and marginal farmers to save diesel/electricity for irrigation.

Other schemes include Rs 75 crore for river pollution control programme, Rs 50 crore for lake conservation scheme, Rs 200 crore for the scheme which aims at making 21 cities slum-free under the Rajiv Awas Yojana, Rs 38 crore for setting up of solar street lights at public places in rural areas, Rs 66 crore for 20 megawatt (Mw) grid connected solar power project in Bundelkhand, Rs 34 crore for providing solar power pack for light, fan and other domestic equipment for poor in rural areas, among others.

The Budget makes provision of Rs 1,533 crore under the Swachh Bharat Mission, as the cost of toilet construction in rural areas has been increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000.

A total of Rs 300 crore has been given for providing battery operated rickshaws in rural areas.

Meanwhile, Rs 400 crore would be spent on cleaning river Gomti and conservation of nearby spots. Besides, Rs 100 crore would go towards solid waster management schemes on public-private partnership mode.

The Budget makes provision of Rs 50 crore for the ‘clean school, green school’ scheme in government inter colleges.