The Bhartiya Kisan Union has described the Uttar Pradesh budget as “old wine in a new bottle” for farmers. “It is anti-farmer and corporate-friendly,” said Dharmendra Malik, senior BKU leader and spokesperson.

“Around 70% of the State’s population earns its livelihood through agriculture so we expected the State government to spend 30% of the budget on the upliftment of farmers and rural areas. But, it seems, the government’s focus is on building expressways,” he said.

The past experience of expressways, he said, didn’t prove beneficial to farmers. “Governments acquire the land, pay the compensation and move on. They neither invest in the skill development of the farmer nor do they develop agriculture-based industries on both sides of expressways. With no agricultural land left, the farmer has nowhere to go once he spends the compensation money. The State government doesn’t guarantee a job as part of the resettlement either.”

Sugarcane price

Mr Malik further criticised the government for not increasing the State advised price of sugarcane.

“We are demanding ₹400 per quintal because the input costs have increased but it continues at ₹315 for the common variety of sugarcane,” he said.

He also questioned the expansion of sugar mills that were announced in the budget. “It is limited to a few mills. A number of mills are still crying for attention, like the Satha Sugar Mill in Aligarh and Morna Mill in Muzaffarnagar.”

‘No outlay increase’

Mr Malik said no substantial increase in the outlay for fisheries, animal husbandry and horticulture meant the farmer could not diversify to add to his income.

Rajendra Yadav, state president of Bhartiya Kisan Sangathan said the budget failed to meet the expectations of the farmers.

“The government hasn’t come up with any concrete solution to the problem of stray cattle. The government scheme of paying ₹30 a day to tend the stray cattle is not viable. It should be increased to ₹100,” he said.