Doling out a string of populist measures ahead of 2017 Assembly polls, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav announced new schemes totaling Rs 13,842 crore in the budget presented on Friday.
Primary focus was on agriculture, health and education. With farmers accounting for a major chunk of the electorate, the Rs 3,46,935-crore budget for 2016-17 has made special provisions for the farm sector.
Yadav also announced,
Rs 2,000-crore allocation for the welfare of minorities, especially to promote education.
He also promised Rs 100 crore for supply of free laptops for merit students and power supply for 16 hours everyday in rural areas by October.
Agriculture: Rs 5,289 crore
- Payment of cane arrears to farmers: Rs 1,336 crore.
- Samajwadi Kisan evam Sarvahit Insurance Scheme: Rs 897 crore.
- Farmer accident insurance scheme: Rs 240 crore.
- Aam Aadmi Insurance Scheme: Rs 50 crore.
- Relief works under the state disaster fund (proposed): Rs 709 crore.
- To offset losses in 50 drought-hit districts: Rs 2,057 crore
Minorities > Rs 2,000 crore
Eyeing its core minority vote bank, the SP government allocated over Rs 2,000 crore for their welfare, especially to promote education. Minority communities account for 16 to 18 percent of the state’s electorate.
Among other things, the budget has earmarked,
- Scholarships for pre-10th standard students: Rs 537 crore.
- Scholarships for post-10th standard students: Rs 153 crore.
- Fees disbursement: Rs 150 crore.
- Modern education in recognised madarsas and maqtabs: Rs 394 crore.
- Laptops for merit students: Rs 100 crore.
Describing the budget as “balanced and development oriented”, Yadav said the state government has succeeded in fulfilling promises through welfare schemes.
He also said while infrastructure has improved, the challenge is to provide relief to farmers and employment to youth. Yadav said he would present his sixth budget too, implying a comeback in the elections due early next year.
The budget estimates total expenditure at Rs 3,46,934.8 crore and receipts at Rs 3,40,120.6 crore. The fiscal deficit has been estimated at Rs 49,960.9 crore, 4.04 percent of the state’s GDP. This includes bonds of Rs 13,303 crore issued under the financial reorganisation scheme of ‘Uday’ for power companies.
Excluding this, the fiscal deficit is pegged at Rs 36,657.9 crore, which is 2.97 percent of the state GDP.
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