"For first time, more than 2 lakh crore kept for capital expenditure": CM Yogi on Uttar Pradesh budget

Lucknow: After announcing the Uttar Pradesh budget for 2024-25, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said that there has been an increase of 6.7 per cent as compared to previous state budgets and for the first time, more than two lakh crore has been kept for capital expenditure in the budget.
Addressing a press conference here today, CM Yogi said that this is a budget of Rs 7,36,437 crore. There has been an increase of 6.7 per cent compared to the earlier budgets. It also presents the achievements of the Double Engine Government dedicated to PM Modi's vision of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Vikas and Sabka prayas.'
"For the first time, Rs 2,30,782 crore has been kept for capital expenditure in the budget, which shows that if money is spent on infrastructure, employment will also be generated and the economy will also be strong. If we compare the GDP of Uttar Pradesh in 2016-17, which was almost 12 lakh crores, and now if we talk about the GDP of UP in 2024-25, it will be successful in reaching 25 lakh crores," he said.
CM Yogi further said that during this period his government succeeded in doubling the average person's income. Today UP has become the number two economy of the country. We are successful in achieving this feat because we have stopped theft.
"The result is that the state has today become a revenue-plus state. The biggest feature of the budget is that the limit of fiscal deficit set by the Government of India and RBI is 3.5, our budget works within that limit. That is, we have developed, provided security, achieved the goals of governance but along with this we have also worked with full honesty to maintain fiscal balance in our budget," he added.
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister asserted that in 2016-17, the unemployment rate was above 19.2 per cent, today it has come down to around 2.4 per cent.
"We have given employment opportunities and MSMe units have been revived. For youths, 'Mukhyemantri Uddhyami Vikas Yojana' will be going to start. This is an initiative to ensure employment to the youth of UP in cities and villages in which interest-free loan facility will be provided by the government. This would be worth up to Rs 5 lakh," the CM said.
"Farming has been our focus because most of the population of UP depends on it. In this budget, we have proposed the 'Mukhyemantri Khet Suraksha Yojana' scheme for the farmers. We have made provisions in the budget to establish automatic water stations, and automatic rain gauges in every gram panchayat so that agriculture in the state is less affected by global warming. Adequate funds have also been provisioned in this budget for the work of establishing Organic Culture Lab, Tissue Lab and Agri-Tourism Centre," he added.
CM Yogi also mentioned that the Bundelkhand Industrial Development Authority is being established in the state.
"After 46 years, an authority will be established which we have proposed between Kanpur and Jhansi. The place is given in the budget for the establishment of the Medical Research Technology Institute at IIT Kanpur. There is a place in the budget for Ayodhya, Kashi, Mathura, Vrindavan, and Vindhyachal. Arrangements have already been made in the budget for Prayagraj Kumbh," he said.