Uttar Pradesh govt to seek budget only for projects to be finished in six months

LUCKNOW: The supplementary budget of the state government which was supposed to be of Rs 35,000 crore is now set to be scaled down considerably after UP government's decision to seek budget only for those projects which are due to be completed in the next six months after which the state would go to the polls.
The new estimated size of the supplementary budget, to be tabled on Wednesday, is approximately Rs 10,000 crore, said a highly placed source. Along with it, the government is likely to table a few ordinances to be made into laws. A few new bills are also expected to be tabled in the House on Wednesday.
The supplementary budget could also earmark additional funds of Rs 250 to Rs 300 crore for Purvanchal and Bundelkhand expressways. Sources said the government could make provision of a supplementary budget under Adhivakta Kalyan Nidhi.
Supplementary budget might also be earmarked for the family members of those who died on duty during Panchayat elections. A total of around Rs 600 crore could be earmarked for the compensation.
Sources said that a supplementary budgetary provision is also expected to be made for Jewar Airport in Noida. On the infrastructure front, a supplementary budget is expected to make allocations for incomplete roads and bridges. Sources said that budgetary provisions could also be made for giving dearness allowances and bonuses to the government employees.
Voting on the supplementary budget is expected to be held on Thursday.
The House proceedings began on Tuesday with leaders from all the parties paying tribute to the MLAs who died due to Covid-19 after the budget session. Leader of the House Yogi Adityanath paid homage to the MLAs, including Vijay Kashyap from Charthawal, Suresh Srivastava from Lucknow West, Ramesh Chandra Diwakar from Auraiya, Kesar Singh from Nawabganj in Bareilly, Dal Bahadur Kori from Salon in Rae Bareli and Devendra Pratap from Amapur.
Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary, Congress leader Aradhana Misra, SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar, BSP’s Shah Alam aka Guddu Jamali and Apna Dal’s Leena Tiwari also paid tributes to the departed soul.
The chief minister and Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary also paid tributes to Corona warriors and the common people who lost their lives during the pandemic.