Madhya Pradesh finance minister Jagdish Devda on Wednesday presented a ₹3.65 lakh crore budget for financial year 2024-25 — 16% higher than the previous year — in the state assembly, with increased allocations for the culture department, cow conservation, development of religious places and construction of expressway roads.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government increased the budget allocation for cow conservation by three times to ₹250 crore and by 2.5 times for culture department. However, no increase in monthly allowance of ₹1,250 per month to women under the Ladli Behna Scheme has been proposed.
“A total of 2,190 cow shelters are being operated in the state for about 3 lakh (300,000) cows. The amount provided for cow feed in the shelters has been doubled from ₹20 to ₹40 per cow per day. The budget provision has been increased by three times to ₹250 crore for 2024-25,” Devda said in his budget speech. The government also proposed an increase in minimum support price of wheat to ₹2,700 and paddy to ₹3,100 per quintal, he said. The MSP hike was one of the promises of the BJP ahead of the assembly polls.
Also read : Hathras stampede: UP to compensate devotees from three other states too
{{/usCountry}}Also read : Hathras stampede: UP to compensate devotees from three other states too
{{/usCountry}}“Our government is establishing Veer Bharat Trust, a museum of the brilliance of the timeless great heroes of India. Through the establishment of Veer Bharat Museum, Madhya Pradesh has taken steps in the historic work of preserving the contribution of the heroes of Indian civilisation. This will be the first museum of its kind in the country,” he said.
The minister said that ₹10,000 crore was allocated for development of expressways, including Atal Pragati Path. Significant allocations include ₹26,560 crore for the women and child development department, up 81 per cent from the last fiscal.
“This budget will take the state forward. The overall development will take place and the vision of PM Narendra Modi of seeing MP a developed state will be accomplished,” chief minister Mohan Yadav said. “The budget doesn’t have anything to provide relief to people from inflation and unemployment...,” opposition leader Umang Singhar said.