Madhya Pradesh Unveils ₹4.21 Lakh Crore Budget Focused on Welfare and Growth
The budget emphasizes infrastructure, women’s welfare, youth employment, and agriculture, while opposition criticizes increasing debt levels.
- Finance Minister Jagdish Devda presented a ₹4.21 lakh crore budget for 2025-26, a 13% increase from the previous year, with no new taxes introduced.
- Key allocations include ₹18,669 crore for the Ladli Behna Yojana, ₹13,909 crore for the Atal Kisan Jyoti Scheme, and ₹51,074 crore for urban and rural development initiatives.
- The budget highlights plans to develop infrastructure, including 39 new industrial zones, upgraded airstrips, and religious tourism projects like the Omkareshwar Mahalok Corridor.
- Critics, including the Leader of Opposition, raised concerns about the state’s rising debt, projected at 4.66% of GSDP, and the lack of provisions for government employees’ demands.
- The government emphasized its focus on women’s welfare, youth skill development, and agriculture, with initiatives such as linking welfare schemes to insurance and pension programs.