Uttar Pradesh: Trying to keep poll promises, Yogi Adityanath govt tables budget of Rs 6.15 lakh crore

Lucknow: Making allocations for free gas cylinders, smartphones for youth, provisions for metro projects, Yogi government on Thursday tabled its annual budget for the financial year 2022-23.

The estimated size of the budget is Rs 6,15,518.97 crore that is 12 per-cent more than the previous year’s Rs 55,0271 crores. Soon after tabling budget, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that his government has tried to fulfill the promises made in the manifesto released during the recently held assembly polls. He said that of 130 promises made in the manifest 97 have been addressed in the budget and financial provision of Rs 54883 crore has been made for it.

Earlier on Thursday while presenting the annual budget in assembly, finance minister Suresh Khanna said that fiscal deficit is estimated at Rs 81177 crore which would be 3.96 per cent of the gross state domestic product (GSDP). He informed that total receipts of Rs 590951 crores are expected of which Rs 4.99 lakh crores would be revenue and 91739 crores capital receipts. The state is expecting revenue collection of 1.24 lakh crores from GST & VAT while Rs 49152 crore from excise, Rs 29692 crores from stamp duty and Rs 10887 crore from vehicle registration.

The Yogi government has allocated Rs 6571.13 crores for two free gas cylinders under Ujjwala scheme, free ration along with edible oil and salt. It has also made provision of Rs 600 crore for scholarships to minority students, Rs 479 crores for the modernization of Madrasas and Rs 508 crore development of infrastructure in the minority dominated areas. For the payment of cane arrears to farmers, Rs 1000 crores have been allocated.

Keeping its focus on metro and expressways projects, the Yogi government has made significant allocations. While Rs 747 crore have been given for Kanpur Metro, Rs 597 crore to Agra Metro an additional Rs 100 crores each has been allocated for metro projects in Varanasi, Gorakhpur and other cities. To develop industrial corridors along the expressways the Yogi government has sanctioned Rs 500 crores. For the proposed Ganga Expressway from Meerut to Prayagraj, Rs 695.34 crores have been allocated.

For the Kumbh mela scheduled in Prayagraj in 2025, the Yogi government has sanction Rs 100 crore in advance, which would be used for laying various facilities. For the development of tourism infrastructure Rs 100 crores each has been sanctioned for Varanasi and Ayodhya. In the budget, Rs 300 crore has been provided for construction of approach road to Ram temple in Ayodhya and Rs 77 crore for expansion of road from Ganga banks to Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi.

Published on: Thursday, May 26, 2022, 05:53 PM IST