Presenting his maiden budget on Friday amid an uproar and a walkout by the BSP, UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav announced there would be no new taxes and revived some of the popular welfare schemes introduced by the previous Samajwadi Party government.
The ambitious proposal for unemployment allowance, a brainchild of his father and then chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, took the lion’s share among all the schemes with an allotment of Rs. 1,100 crore, followed by Rs. 446.35 crore for Kanya Vidyadhan Yojna aimed to encourage higher education among girls.
“An effort has been made to fulfill all the poll promises," said Akhilesh after presenting the annual budget. He also announced a provision of Rs. 500 crore to waive up to Rs. 50,000 loans to farmers.
“No funds had been allocated for statues in the budget,” said Akhilesh. Later, addressing a press conference, the CM said the Lokayukta was conducting an inquiry into the installation of statues in memorials during the BSP regime.
He also said action would be taken on the recommendations of the Lokayukta against some ministers of the Mayawati government. Opposition parties, however, panned Akhilesh’s budget. “It is an unsuccessful attempt by the SP government to please people”, leader of opposition Swami Prasad Maurya told reporters.
{{/usCountry}}He also said action would be taken on the recommendations of the Lokayukta against some ministers of the Mayawati government. Opposition parties, however, panned Akhilesh’s budget. “It is an unsuccessful attempt by the SP government to please people”, leader of opposition Swami Prasad Maurya told reporters.
{{/usCountry}}Congress, too, termed the budged as disappointing.