UP Budget 2021: Five big announcements by Yogi government

The Yogi Adityanath government presented the Uttar Pradesh budget on Monday. While Rs 140 crore were proposed for the development of Ayodhya, Rs 597 crore will be given for Kanpur Metro Rail this year. At the same time, the government has proposed Rs 50 crore for the construction of Rashtriya Prerna Sthal in Lucknow.

This was the first paperless budget presented in the state assembly.

UP Finance Minister Suresh Khanna, in his Budget speech, said that the state government was committed to the promise of doubling farmers` income and had earmarked a sum of Rs 700 crore for free irrigation.

The government has announced Rs 600 crore for the farmers' accident welfare scheme. A sum of Rs 400 crore has been set aside for providing crop loans to farmers. The government has earmarked Rs 3,100 crore for farmers` pension. The state government, in 2021-22, also proposes to set up 15,000 solar pumps.

For empowering women, the Yogi government plans to distribute tablets to girl students and a sum of Rs 1,200 crore has been marked for this.

A sum of Rs 100 crore has been set aside for ensuring proper nutrition to girls and Rs 32 crore for setting up Mahila Shakti Kendras.

In its fifth Budget, the state government has made a provision of Rs 20 crore for the Abhyudhay scheme that gives free coaching to youth for competitive examinations.

The size of the Budget is Rs 5.50 lakh crore.

Here are the major takeaways from the UP Budget presentation:

All-round development of Ram temple city Ayodhya for Rs 140 crore

A total of Rs 140 crore will be provided for the all-round development of the city of Ayodhya including the development of Suryakund in Ayodhya. The name of the airport under construction in the district Ayodhya will be Maryada Purushottam Shriram Airport Ayodhya and a provision of Rs 101 crore is proposed for it. An amount of Rs 300 crore has been proposed for Ram Mandir to Ayodhya Dham Road and Rs 100 crores have been proposed for tourism in Ayodhya.

Rs 597 crores to speed up the work of Kanpur Metro

The approved cost of the Kanpur Metro Rail project is Rs 11,076 crore. A provision of Rs 597 crore is proposed for the project in the budget of the financial year 2021-2022.

Rs 1,326 crore for Delhi-Meerut RRTS

State Finance Minister Suresh Khanna announced that Rs 1,326 crore has been given for Delhi-Meerut RRTS, while Rs 100 crore each have been proposed for Gorakhpur-Varanasi Metro.

Rs 10,029 crore for housing

Rs 10,029 crore have been proposed for housing, Rs 2,200cr for Amrit Yojna, Rs 2,000 cr for Smart City project, Rs 1,000cr for Mukhya Mantri Samagra Sampada Vikas Yojna, Rs 7,000cr for PM Awas Gramin, Rs 5,000cr for PM Sadak Yojna

More allocation for development of expressway

To speed up the work of the state's expressways, the Yogi government has increased the budget. Rs 1,107 crore has been proposed for Purvanchal Expressway, Rs 1,492 crore for Bundelkhand Expressway, Rs 860 crore has been passed for Gorakhpur Link Expressway project and Rs 7200 crore for Ganga Expressway.

Some other highlights of the Budget are:

- Folk artists facing financial crisis will get monthly assistance of Rs 2,000.

- A university in every division, Rs 200 crore for model colleges in 26 districts.

- Rs 100 crore for Metro rail projects in Varanasi and Gorakhpur.

- Rs 50 crore for Rashtriya Prerna Sthal in Lucknow.

- Rs 140 crore for overall development of Ayodhya.

- Rs 101 crore for airport in Ayodhya, Rs 2,000 crore for airports Jewar, Chitrakoot and Sonbhadra.

- Rs 750 crore for Gorakhpur Expressway, Rs 1,107 crore - Purvanchal Expressway, Rs 1,492cr - Bundelkhand Expressway.

- Rs 50 crore allocated for Covid vaccination.