UP Budget 2023: The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh has allocated Rs 62,658 crore in its annual budget for farmers' welfare in the fiscal year 2023-24, nearly 9% of total allocations, under various headings such as supporting their livelihood, increasing their savings, enhancing agricultural skills, protecting crops from stray cattle and developing infrastructure in rural areas.
Agriculture-related scheme allocations are one of the budget's main highlights ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Finance Minister Suresh Khanna announced a Rs 1,500 crore provision to provide a 100% reduction on private tube well energy bills in 2022, fulfilling a promise made by the BJP in its election platform - Lok Kalyan Sankalp Patra.
The previous year's budget included a 50% reduction in power prices for tube wells. A financial allocation of Rs 2,803 crore has been earmarked for flood control and drainage-related activities in the river. Another Rs 1,619 crore is projected for river rehabilitation and erosion control projects.
A budget of Rs 900 crore has been set aside for delivering water to farmers through canals and government tube wells, Rs 502 crore for the building of new government tube wells (NABARD financed), and Rs 100 crore for the restoration of 569 defective state tube wells.
The budget for major irrigation projects is Rs 5,332 crore, Rs 2,220 crore for medium irrigation projects, and Rs 34,00 crore for minor irrigation projects.
To help farmers deal with stray cattle, the state government has set aside Rs 120 crore for the development of cow protection centres and Rs 750 crore for stray bovine care. Five cow-shelter centres have been established in each district to handle the problem of abandoned cattle in the Bundelkhand area, Khanna said, adding that building work on 171 centres, out of a goal of 187, has been finished to address the issue of stray bovines.
The government has given Rs 20 crore for the Agritech Startup initiative in four agricultural institutions to provide agriculture education. A provision of Rs 50 crore has been made for the creation of the Mahatma Buddha Agricultural and Technological University in Kushinagar, while a provision of Rs 35 crore has been provided for infrastructure works at agricultural universities in Kanpur, Ayodhya, Banda, and Meerut.
For boosting people's agricultural abilities, the government claimed 1,700 kisan pathshalas will be organised under the Million Farmers School plan.
In addition, Rs 632 crore has been set aside for the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture scheme, Rs 113 crore for the National Mission on Natural Farming, Rs 1,950 crore for the subsidised supply of electricity to private tube-wells for farmers, Rs 984 crore for the National Agriculture Development Scheme, Rs 753.70 crore for the National Crop Insurance Scheme, Rs 55.60 crore for the implementation of the National Millets Revival Programme, Rs 102.81 crore for Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Kisan Samriddhi Yojana and Rs 100 crore for Atmanirbhar Krishak Samanvit Yojana.
The government proposed Rs 3,473 crore for bridges and road-related work for agricultural marketing facilities, Rs 1,525 crore for roads in rural areas, and Rs 250 crore for widening and strengthening/reconstruction of roads for agricultural marketing facilities in sugar mill areas to accelerate infrastructure development in rural areas.
The government has set up Rs 20 crore for the Agricultural Accelerator Fund, which seeks to encourage rural agri-startups by young entrepreneurs. It will attempt to deliver new and affordable solutions to farmers' concerns, as well as contemporary technology to transform agricultural methods, and enhance production, and profitability, according to an official.
Under the Swacch Bharal Mission (Rural) initiative, Rs 2,288 crore has been given for the building of 6,65,473 individual toilets and plastic management in 330 blocks. The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana has been allocated Rs 9,000 crore (Rural).
