Lucknow, Aug 4 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna on Tuesday presented a supplementary budget of Rs 59,019.54 crore in the Assembly during the second day of the Monsoon Session. The supplementary budget sees significant allocations for the energy, industrial development, health, agriculture and social welfare sectors. The budget was tabled amid noisy protests by opposition members, particularly from the Samajwadi Party (SP), leading to heated sloganeering between treasury and opposition benches.Presenting the supplementary budget, the Minister announced additional financial provisions aimed at boosting infrastructure expansion, attracting industrial investment, strengthening healthcare services and supporting the agricultural sector across the state.

The supplementary budget earmarks Rs 4,722 crore for the energy sector and Rs 1,655 crore for the Social Welfare Department. According to the government, the additional expenditure is intended to accelerate development projects and improve public service delivery in key sectors.In agriculture and allied sectors, the Agriculture Department has been allocated Rs 132.38 crore under the revenue head and Rs 159 crore under the capital head. The Horticulture and Food Processing Department will receive more than Rs 244.80 crore, while additional provisions have also been made for the Animal Husbandry Department, Dairy Development, Fisheries, Land Development and Water Resources departments.

The health sector emerged as one of the major beneficiaries of the supplementary budget. Allopathic medical services have been allocated Rs 1,100 crore under revenue expenditure and Rs 96 crore under capital expenditure. An additional Rs 704.25 crore has been provided for Family Welfare programmes, while Rs 60.65 crore has been earmarked for Public Health services. The government has also allocated funds for the expansion of Ayurvedic and Unani healthcare facilities.The government has laid special emphasis on industrial development and infrastructure expansion. The Department of Heavy and Medium Industries has been allocated nearly Rs 20,905.88 crore under the capital head and Rs 130.30 crore under the revenue head. 

Additional provisions have also been made for handloom and textile-related projects as well as printing and stationery infrastructure works.Meanwhile, opposition protests continued throughout the budget presentation. SP legislators entered the well of the House and raised slogans against the government. During the exchange, SP members shouted, “Chanda Chor Kahan Milenge, BJP Ke Daftar Mein”, while BJP legislators responded with slogans targeting the opposition. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was present in the House during the proceedings.SP MLA Atul Pradhan questioned the rationale behind the supplementary budget and demanded details on the utilisation of funds sanctioned in previous budgets. He argued that merely announcing fresh allocations would not address public concerns unless the government accounted for the implementation of earlier commitments.

/IANS