Lucknow, Feb 20 (IANS) Presenting Budget 2025-26 in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Thursday, Finance Minister Suresh Khanna outlined the state government’s plans and announced fund allocations in sectors like food supply, fisheries, livestock, cooperatives, horticulture, food processing and sugarcane development.
Highlighting the dairy sector, Khanna emphasised that India is the world’s largest milk producer, with Uttar Pradesh leading in milk production.
The dairy business serves as a key source of additional income for marginalised and landless workers in rural areas. The Budget also proposes Rs 203 crore for the Nand Baba Dairy Mission and Rs 107 crore for strengthening and reviving dairy cooperatives.
The Finance Minister mentioned that about 12,50,000 cows are protected in a total of 7,713 cow shelters in the state. A total of 1,63,000 cows were handed over to 1,05,000 cattle keepers under the Mukhyamantri Nirashrit Govansh Sahbhagita Yojana and Poshan Mission. Work will be done on a plan to get tagging done to identify domesticated, protected, and stray cows.
“A budget of Rs 2,000 crore is proposed to maintain stray cows while Rs 140 crore is proposed to establish large cow conservation centers. A budget of Rs 123 crore is also proposed for strengthening veterinary hospitals/animal service centers,” he added.
He stated that under the National Food Security Act, 2013, around 3.60 crore Antyodaya and eligible household cardholders in Uttar Pradesh receive nearly 8 lakh metric tonnes of free ration every month. In the financial year 2023-24, a total of 92.30 lakh metric tonnes of free food grains were distributed.
Following the Central government’s decision to continue free food grain distribution for five years from January 1, 2024, Uttar Pradesh has been ensuring uninterrupted supply. Additionally, under the National Food Security Act, Antyodaya beneficiaries receive 1 kg of sugar per family/per card/per month, with approximately 12,283 metric tonnes allocated every quarter.
“To support food distribution infrastructure, a provision of Rs 200 crore is proposed for the construction of Annapurna Bhavans,” he added.
The Finance Minister informed that under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, Rs 195 crore is proposed for male beneficiaries and Rs 115 crore for female beneficiaries. Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, Rs 190 crore is proposed for the construction of an integrated aqua park market.
Suresh Khanna further informed that a new scheme is being brought with a provision of Rs 10 crore for the purpose of technology adoption, upgradation and cybersecurity to equip Uttar Pradesh Cooperative Bank and District Cooperative Banks with modern IT technology.
“There is a provision of Rs 525 crore for interest subsidy for distribution of crop loans to farmers at low interest rate through PACS. Rs 170 crore is also proposed under the advanced storage scheme of chemical fertilisers,” he added.
“The government has also proposed Rs 720 crore for the ‘Per Drop More Crop’ micro-irrigation scheme and Rs 650 crore for the National Horticulture Mission Scheme. A provision of Rs 300 crore is proposed for the arrangement of incentive amounts under Uttar Pradesh Food Processing Industry Policy, 2022,” he added.
The Finance Minister further stated that Uttar Pradesh is India’s largest producer state, with sugarcane farming and sugar mills playing a crucial role in the state’s economy and rural development.
The Budget includes the provision of Rs 475 crore for sugarcane payment. Additionally, Rs 90 crore has been proposed for establishing a 60 KLPD distillery at Pipraich Sugar Mill and Rs 50 crore for setting up a new 2,000 TCD sugar mill and a logistics hub at the closed Chhata Sugar Mill.
–IANS
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