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Amid pandemonium and shrill slogan shouting by the opposition benches, Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav tabled on Tuesday the supplementary budget of Rs 25,347.87 crore for the FY17 in the state assembly.
The ministries viz. Public Works Department (PWD) and irrigation held by his senior cabinet colleague and uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav accounted for the largest demand for grants at about Rs 4,547 crore, which forms 18 per cent of the total supplementary budget.
Under PWD, the roads and bridge departments have raised demands for about Rs 3,200 crore and Rs 380 crore respectively, while irrigation department has demanded Rs 790 crore.
Recently, there had been reports of rift in the first family of UP with Shivpal threatening to resign allegedly over bureaucrats not heeding his directives.
Later, ruling Samajwadi Party President Mulayam Singh Yadav had acknowledged some party leaders had been conspiring against Shivpal. On his intervention, senior party leaders belonging to the Yadav clan had met and presented a united public face even as vociferously denying any rift in family. They even blamed the media for the controversy.
The energy and agricultural (panchayati raj) departments have sought grants of over Rs 2,100 crore and Rs 1,960 crore respectively. Other departments seeking funds include food and civil supplies (Rs 1,500 crore).
The primary education and social welfare (SC special component plan) have raised demand for grants worth Rs 3,600 crore and Rs 1,200 crore respectively. Similarly, the government is seeking Rs 2,000 crore towards relief during natural calamities.
Besides, the Akhilesh regime has sought Rs 800 crore towards land acquisition for the proposed Lucknow-Ballia Purvhanchal Expressway, which would connect eastern UP region with the state capital. The project is estimated at Rs 18,000 crore.
On February 12, Yadav, , who also holds the finance portfolio, had tabled his last full Annual Budget of Rs 3,46,935 crore for 2016-17 during budget session of the state legislature.
Grants under supplementary budget are sought to provide funds for exigencies and expenses arising during the course of the financial year, which were either not covered under the Annual Budget or funds falling short.
With elections due early 2017, Akhilesh is taking care to keep the electorate in good humour while ensuring that his flagship schemes do not face funds' crunch.
The current supplementary budget's revenue and capital heads comprise over Rs 13,282 and Rs 12,065 crore respectively, spanning both plan and non-plan heads.
