UP Budget 2025-26 focuses on 'priority to the deprived': Yogi Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday outlined the thematic approach of his government's budgets over the years, asserting that each budget has been designed to address key developmental priorities. The 2025-26 Budget is inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision and follows the theme "vanchit ko vareeyeta" (priority to the deprived), he added.

Adityanath was speaking in the state legislative Assembly about the 2025-26 Budget, which he described as his government's ninth and the biggest so far.

"Every budget follows a specific theme. In 2017 and 2018, we focused on farmers, launching a major loan waiver programme to support them. Today, we take pride in saying that farmer suicides have stopped in Uttar Pradesh," he said.

 

The UP chief minister said the 2018-19 Budget prioritised infrastructure and industrial growth, leading to the state's first Investors' Summit. In 2019-20, the focus was on women's empowerment under Mission Shakti, while the 2020-21 Budget was dedicated to the youth, he said.

Adityanath said the 2021-22 Budget emphasised self-reliance and the 2022-23 Budget aimed to transition from upliftment to self-sufficiency. The 2023-24 Budget laid the foundation for an inclusive and self-reliant UP, he said.

"The 2024-25 budget was dedicated to public welfare, keeping the ideals of 'Ram Rajya' alive as we celebrated the consecration of Lord Ram in Ayodhya," he added.

The latest 2025-26 Budget, he said, is inspired by Prime Minister Modi's vision and follows the theme "vanchit ko vareeyeta" (priority to the deprived).

"It covers everything from agriculture to welfare, faith to livelihood and education to self-reliance, ensuring a stronger foundation for a developed Uttar Pradesh," he asserted.

However, Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Mata Prasad Pandey accused the government of failing to utilise the entire allocated Budget for the financial year 2024-25.

During the discussion for the 2025-26 Budget in the Assembly, Pandey questioned the rationale behind formulating a budget based on what he called "incorrect assessments."  "The government has not been able to fully utilise the Budget allocated for the previous financial year. It is expected that the Budget passed in this House should be implemented accordingly, but why is it that you are unable to spend the full amount?" he asked.

Pandey further stated, "Either your estimates are incorrect or you do not receive the required funds in the Consolidated Fund. If that is the case, then what is the point of preparing such a budget?"  Highlighting the state's fiscal deficit, he said, "The fiscal deficit for the financial year 2023-24 was Rs 80,722.62 crore. In 2024-25, it increased to Rs 86,530.51 crore and now it has further risen to Rs 94,804.56 crore.

For 2025-26, the estimated fiscal deficit stands at Rs 91,399.8 crore. The government has not provided any concrete plan on how it intends to bridge this widening deficit," he said.

Citing lower-than-expected expenditure in various departments, he noted, "In 2024-25, Rs 2,03,782.38 crore was allocated under capital accounts but only Rs 1,86,988.40 crore was spent. Departments that underspent include the Administrative Services Department (17.9 per cent less), Pension and General Services (17.16 per cent less), Education, Sports, Arts and Culture (15.65 per cent less), Health and Family Welfare (15.66 per cent less), Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Tribes and Backward Classes (4.9 per cent less), Social Welfare and Nutrition (3.23 per cent less), and Agriculture and Allied Activities (4.40 per cent less)."  Responding to Pandey's criticism, Adityanath clarified that the 2024-25 Budget was Rs 7.36 lakh crore, later increased by two supplementary budgets.

"This year, the base Budget itself stands at Rs 8.08 lakh crore," he said, taking a jibe at Pandey.

"When you speak from your wisdom, you make sense. But when you read from a script, you go off track," the chief minister added.

Pandey also criticised the state's revenue estimates for 2025-26, arguing that the government had overestimated its revenue collection.

"Last time, your estimates fell short. Now, you expect to receive even more funds. Clearly, new taxes will be imposed and when that happens, inflation will naturally rise," he warned.

Adityanath countered this by comparing his government's spending to that of the previous Samajwadi Party (SP)-led government (2015-17), stating that expenditure and budget size have significantly increased under the BJP government. He also highlighted the rise in various tax collections made by his government, which he said has risen manifold from the previous SP-led regime.

Referring to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, Pandey compared crime statistics from 2016 (under the SP government) to 2022 (under the BJP government) and claimed that crime rates had increased under the current administration.

To this, Adityanath pointed out NCRB figures over the years as he compared the law and order situation under the SP regime and the BJP government to claim drastic improvement now.