UP Budget 2021: Free water facility to farmers, open gyms for youth, equal wages to women labourers
The Yogi Adityanath-led government today presented Rs 5,50,270.78 crore paperless budget for 2021-22 in the State Assembly. It includes new schemes of Rs 27,598 crore. The state government has made several announcements for the welfare of farmers, youth and women. Here are the budget’s key highlights.
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Today, February 22, the Yogi Adityanath-led government tabled its fifth Budget proposal for 2021-22 in the State Assembly. The government proposed a Rs 5.5 lakh crore (Rs 5.5 trillion) budget for the fiscal 2021-22. This is the state’s first paperless budget and the Assembly elections are just a year away.
A target of doubling farmers’ income by 2022, construction of new medical colleges, eliminating foot and mouth disease by 2030, construction of rural stadium and gym — are among the several schemes announced by Suresh Khanna, the finance minister of the state during the budget session.
Key highlights of UP Budget 2021:
Rural Development
Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin), a budget provision of Rs 7,000 crore (Rs 70 billion) is made. The state government has also announced Rs 369 crore (Rs 3.7 billion) under Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana-Grami, and Rs 5,548 crore (Rs 55.5 billion) under Rashtriya Gramin Rojgar Guarantee Yojana to create 35 crore (350 million) person days employment.
For the farmers
The state finance minister has proposed Rs 100 crore (Rs 1,000 million) for the self-reliant farmer integrated development scheme. Along with this, a provision of Rs 600 crore is proposed under the Chief Minister’s Farmer Accident Welfare Scheme. Moreover, Rs 700 crore is proposed to provide free water facility to farmers and Rs 400 crore (Rs 4,000 million) kept for the grant for providing crop loans to farmers at concessional rates.
For women
During his budget speech today, the state finance minister said that for the upliftment of women, the government has proposed to launch Jan Arogya Yojana. This will help women labourers. Besides, an advisory committee is formed to provide equal wages to women workers. To educate children of labourers, Atal residential schools will be constructed in 18 districts of the state.
To address the problem of malnutrition in women and children, Mukhyamantri Saksham Suposhan Yojana will be implemented and a budget of Rs 100 crore (Rs 1,000 million) is proposed for this scheme.
For the health sector
The state government has announced Rs 1,950 crore (Rs 19.5 billion) for the construction of new medical colleges in 13 districts — Bijnor, Kushinagar, Sultanpur, Gonda Lalitpur, Lakhimpur-Kheri, Chandauli, Bulandshahar, Sonbhadra, Pilibhit, Auraiya, Kanpur Dehat and Kaushambi.
As part of the Budget 2021-22, Rs 50 crore (Rs 500 million) for vaccination scheme towards prevention of COVID-19 was announced for the state, Rs 5,395 crore (Rs 53.9 billion) for Rashtriya Gramin Swasthya Mission, and Rs 1,300 crore (Rs 13 billion) for Ayushman Bharat Yojana.
For Youth
A provision of Rs 25 crore (Rs 250 million) is made for the construction of rural stadium and open gym. Under ‘Mukhya Mantri Abhyudaya’ Yojana, tablets will be provided to eligible students. Rs 8.55 crores (Rs 85.5 million) has been proposed for Youth Sports Development and Promotion Scheme. Further, a budget provision of Rs 10 crore (Rs 100 million) made for young advocates to facilitate purchase of books and magazines.
Animal Husbandry and Fisheries
The state government aims to eliminate the mouth and foot disease in the state by 2030 under the Rashtriya Pashu Rog Niyantran Karayakaram.
Meanwhile, 200,000 fisher people are proposed to be covered for free Premium under Machhuwa Durghatna Beema Yogna, and a provision of Rs 243 crore (Rs 2.4 billion) made for the new scheme.