Aimed at giving a push to the manufacturing sector in the state, the Uttar Pradesh government today announced the launch of ‘Make in UP’ programme similar to the Centre’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. State Finance Minister Rajesh Agarwal, who presented the first budget of the Yogi Adityanath government for 2017-18 in the state Assembly, cited the single window system, power for all and Make in UP as some of the key initiatives of the three-month BJP government.
The budget allocation for the year is Rs 3,84, 659.71 crore, an increase of around Rs 38,000 crore from last year’s annual budget. During his budget speech, the Finance Minister announced that a new textile policy is in the works for the state and also apprised the House of the GST rollout. The budget, he said, also provides Rs 36,000 crore as farm loan waiver.
In his speech, he said the budget would take the state forward on the high trajectory of growth which has been pegged at 10 per cent in the next five years. The farm loan waiver was a major promise in the BJP's election manifesto and the fulfilment of the commitment was a big challenge before the Adityanath government, which has just completed 100 days in office.
The Chief Minister was present in the House when the Finance Minister read out the budgetary proposals on the opening day of the budget session of the state legislature. Agarwal said the focus of the government is on rural development as well as ensuring overall development of the state. The backward Bundelkhand region is all set to get special attention from the government.
While Finance Minister was presenting the budget, the opposition parties created ruckus on the floor of the House, slamming the government over the failure of law and order situation in the state. As soon as the House met for the day, members belonging to the Samajwadi Party, the Congress and the BSP vociferously raised the issue of crime across the state and protested with banners and posters in the Well.
While SP members displayed placards saying "Jhooth kapat ki ye sarkar," (This is government of lies), "Kisan virodhi ye sarkar..."(This government is anti-farmer) and highlighting the alleged poor law and order situation, Congress members raised the killing of five persons in Raebareli and alleged rise in corruption and rape cases in the present regime. Adding to the commotion, BSP members showed placards on atrocities on women. One of the placards termed the present government as anti-minority.
As SP members squatted in the well of the House, Speaker Hriday Narain Dixit asked them to return to their seats. "If you have anything to say, you go back to your seats and don't waste the precious time of the House. 22 crore people of the state are watching (live proceedings on television)," the Speaker said. But his repeated pleas went unheeded and he adjourned the House for ten minutes, which he extended by another ten minutes as frayed tempers did not cool down.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Suresh Kumar Khanna said the entire opposition "was discarded by the people of the state due to their deeds. They did not have any issue to raise here. They are just trying to hog media limelight". The Speaker said the way in which opposition members were showing placards was not allowed.
"Do you want us to start the tradition of frisking members before entering the House," an exasperated Dixit asked the opposition members.
As Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath arrived in the House and made a reference to the Amarnath terror attack, the opposition members returned to their seats.
