Uttar Pradesh council passes four bills by voice vote

The principal secretary laid on the table four bills earlier passed by the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly — the Uttar Pradesh State Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2026; the Uttar Pradesh State Universities (Second Amendment) Bill, 2026; the Uttar Pradesh Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026; and the Uttar Pradesh Municipal Council (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The council later passed all four after consideration.

The Uttar Pradesh legislative council on Wednesday passed four bills by voice vote. During the post-lunch sitting, the principal secretary laid on the table four bills earlier passed by the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly — the Uttar Pradesh State Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2026; the Uttar Pradesh State Universities (Second Amendment) Bill, 2026; the Uttar Pradesh Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026; and the Uttar Pradesh Municipal Council (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The council later passed all four after consideration.

The four bills were earlier passed by the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly. (For representation)

Later, participating in the general discussion on the Annual Budget for the financial year 2026-27, BJP member Dharmendra Singh described the budget as a roadmap for a new vision of Uttar Pradesh and said it would benefit villages, the poor and farmers. He said the budget was aimed at empowering foodgrain-producing farmers.

BJP member Bhupendra Chaudhary said the budget addressed people’s aspirations and was outcome-oriented rather than merely announcement-based. He referred to provisions for roads, expressways and metro expansion, industrial growth, strengthening of the rural economy, reduction in migration, increased investment and job creation, as well as measures for women’s safety, dignity and self-reliance.

Another BJP member, Vagish Pathak, said the budget reflected the spirit of ‘Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay’, highlighting initiatives such as the defence corridor and the One District, One Product scheme.

Opposing the budget, Samajwadi Party member Man Singh Yadav alleged corruption and misuse of budgetary provisions, calling it anti-employment. He said recruitment of 79,000 teachers was still pending.

Bill tabled in assembly

Meanwhile, the state government on Wednesday tabled the Uttar Pradesh Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the legislative assembly.

Tabling the bill, parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Khanna said in the statement of objects and reasons that the 16th Central Finance Commission had recommended that, as part of fiscal consolidation, states should maintain their fiscal deficit at a maximum of 3% of the estimated Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) in each of the financial years 2026-27, 2027-28, 2028-29, 2029-30 and 2030-31.