Uttar Pradesh finance minister Suresh Khanna presented the annual budget for the state, the second full budget during the current term of the Yogi Adityanath-led government. The budget laid significant focus on infrastructure development, highways in particular, in an election year.
Speaking to the media today morning, FM Khanna said that the “focus is on the infrastructure sector” and the “goal is to achieve a $1 trillion economy.”
“Organised crime has been eradicated from UP in the last few years. The state has only moved towards development. Today, our second Budget will be presented. Our focus is on the infrastructure sector and our goal is to achieve a $1 trillion economy,” said UP Finance Minister, reported news agency ANI.
In the state’s history, the budget of Rs 6,90,242.43 crore (for FY24) is the biggest.
While praising the budget, the UP CM Yogi Adityanath said it was for “Atmanirbhar Uttar Pradesh”.
“This budget was for Atmanirbhar Uttar Pradesh. It will prove to be a milestone for making the state’s economy USD 1 trillion,” UP CM said and added that in the last six years, the state government worked for the betterment of each and every individual.
Yogi said that Uttar Pradesh government’s first budget (in 2017) was dedicated to farmers. “In 2018, budget was dedicated for infrastructure and industrial development. In 2019, aim was to empower women. In 2020, youth, employment and infrastructure development were in focus. 2021 was for self-reliance and empowerment. 2022 ‘from antyoday’ to ‘atmanirbhar’,” he added.
On May 26, 2022, the state government presented an annual budget of 6.15 lakh crore rupees. On December 5, 2022, a supplementary budget of around Rs 33,770 crore was presented, taking the total size of the UP budget (2022-2023) to Rs 6.50 lakh crore.
It is pertinent to mention here that Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to take place in 2024. Uttar Pradesh sends the largest number of MPs (80) to Lok Sabha. So the party which rules in UP controls the politics of the country. Keeping this in mind, the Yogi government wants to put its best foot forward.