UP govt presents Rs 4.28 lakh cr budget; focus on Central schemes

The Uttar Pradesh government today presented its second budget, worth Rs 4,28,384.52 crore, with a thrust on the Centre's flagship schemes ahead of the 2019 general elections.
The budget, which proposed new schemes worth Rs 14,341.89 crore, has earmarked Rs 13,717 crore for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and over Rs 6,000 crore for the Swachh Bharat Mission.
The 2018-19 budget, with an 11.4 per cent higher outlay than the previous edition, has attempted to provide funds for generating employment in both rural and urban sectors with major thrust on infrastructure development.
Proposing no new taxes in the deficit budget , the Minister for Finance Rajesh Agarwal who presented the budget in the legislative assembly, reiterated the government's resolve for all-round development.

He said the state has moved ahead from the time when corruption was considered normal.
Paying respects to Rama and Krishna at the start of his speech, the minister expressed happiness over momentum gained in a short span of time in the area of economic development.

For the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana for the urban poor, Rs 2,217 crore has been earmarked, while for rural areas it is Rs 11,500 crore.
A provision of Rs 1,650 crore has been made for the Smart City Mission scheme, Rs 1,100 crore for Swachh Bharat Mission (urban), Rs 5000 crore for Swachh Bharat Mission (rural) and Rs 2200 crore for the Amrit Scheme.

In the field of employment generation, the government plans to encourage "One district-one product scheme" to promote the speciality of every district, for which the budget proposes Rs. 250 crore and another Rs 100 crore for Mukhyamantri Yuva Swarozgar Yojana for self-employment, besides a Start Up Fund of Rs 250 crore.
The government has earmarked around Rs 1040 crore for Rashtriya Gramin Ajivika Mission.
The budget also proposes Rs 650 crore for the primary work of Bundelkhand expressway project, Rs 550 crore for the initial work of Gorakhpur link expressway project, Rs 1000 crore for Purvanchal expressway and Rs 500 crore for Agra-Lucknow expressway.

The state budget has set a target of 581.60 lakh metric tonnes of food production and 11.28 lakh metric tonnes for oilseeds production, besides giving fillip to dairy, horticulture and fisheries in line with the Central government's plan to double farmers' income.
The government also provided Rs. 600 crore for Industrial Investment Policy, 2012 and Rs 500 crore for new industrial policy.
In keeping with its plans to organise a grand Kumbh Mela in Prayag (Allahabad) next year for which it has already constituted Uttar Pradesh Prayagraj Mela Pradhikaran , Allahabad, the government has earmarked Rs. 1500 crore.
Budgetary provision of Rs 250 crore has been made for Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor Regional Rapid Transit project and Rs 500 crore for the metro projects.

The government, which has laid emphasis on the tourism sector, has earmarked Rs 100 crore for improving the infrastructural facilities under the Brij Tirth Vikas Parishad. It has proposed Rs 10 crore for holding of different functions like the Deepotsav in Ayodhya, Holi in Barsana, Dev Deepawali in Kanshi, among others.
Besides, Rs 70 crore has been earmarked for the successful implementation of the UP Tourism policy.
The budget proposes Rs. 13.50 crore for the internal security of the Vidhan Bhawan and secretariat.
In the cultural arena, Rs. 29.50 crore has been earmarked for a modern auditorium in Gorakhpur and Rs 94.26 crore for the construction of Kailash Mansarovar Bhawan in Ghaziabad.

For the development and welfare of the minorities, the budget has proposed Rs. 2,756 crore and Rs 404 crore for the modernisation of Arabic and Persian madrasas.
Rs 1,705 crore has been earmarked for backward development ,Rs. 11,343 crore for construction of roads and Rs 1,817 crore for construction of bridges.
For schemes of the power sector, a target to provide electricity connection to 1.50 crore households under the Centre's Saubhagya Yojana has been fixed, besides proposing Rs 29,883 crore for various energy sector schemes.
The budget has proposed Rs 98.5 crore for Kanha Gau-shala and Besahara Pashu Ashray Yojana and Rs 100 crore for Rashtriya Pashu Swastha Tatha Rog Niyantran programme.

In the social sector, the government has earmarked Rs 7,858 crore for the development and welfare schemes meant for the general category and scheduled castes and Rs 2,560 crore for old age and farmers pension scheme.
In the basic education sector, Rs 18,167 crore has been earmarked for Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan, Rs 76 crore and Rs 40 crore respectively for providing free books and uniforms to all students of Class 1-8.
For the mid-day meal scheme Rs 2,048 crore and Rs 167 crore for distributing fruits to students have been allocated in the budget. The government has earmarked Rs 500 crores for furniture, potable water and boundary walls of schools run by the basic education department.

In a bid to improve secondary education, Rs 480 crore has been allotted while Rs 26 crore has been earmarked for operating Deen Dayal Upadhyay government model schools.
For agriculture and related services, the government has earmarked Rs 131 crore for water-scarce Bundelkhand's Khet Talab Yojana, while Rs 24 crore has been earmarked for Sprinkler Irrigation scheme.