UP Assembly passes supplementary grants of Rs 14,856.14 cr

Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha today passed supplementary grants of Rs 14,856.14 crore for the financial year 2014-15.
The grants, which were presented by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, were passed by the House with voice vote after discussion.
During the debate, Akhilesh said that the government was committed to speed up rural development and infrastructure facilities and with this objective supplementary grants were tabled to meet promises made by Samajwadi Party in its manifesto during 2012 assembly elections.
Akhilesh said that Samajwadi Pension Scheme was not a copy of any scheme, but was a unique initiative which would benefit 40 lakh families.

Expressing confidence to complete Lucknow-Agra Expressway by 2017 he said that farmers have been compensated for the land acquired for the project.
Referring to initiatives taken by the government in health and medical sectors, the CM said that new medical colleges were being set up and expansion of existing ones was underway.

Terming medical, IT and tourism as important emerging sectors of future he said that the government was working on developing required infrastructure facilities.
On being pointed out about death of two lions at Etawah lion safari by some opposition members, Akhilesh said that all efforts were made to save them, but it could not be done.

In a lighter vein he said, "Lions brought from Gujarat were healthy and their population is set to increase".
In a similar note he told the BSP members that an Elephant conservation center was also being set up alongside the Lion Safari.
Earlier, during discussion some members said that salary and perks of MLAs were less as compared to other states and demanded that it should be hiked.
On this Akhilesh said that it was not a general budget, but the demand would be considered in the next fiscal.
Leader of the Opposition Swami Prasad Maurya alleged that while the government was not able to utilise provisions made in the general budget, it has unnecessarily brought supplementary grants.

He alleged that Poorvanchal Vikas Nidhi has not been devolved yet and similarly only half of the budget of several departments has been released.