Bhopal, Feb 18 Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister Jagdish Devda on Wednesday unveiled the state’s budget for the 2026-27 financial year – likely the first rolling budget in the country – with an outlay of ₹4.38 lakh crore and a six-pronged development framework focusing on women, the poor, and farmers.
The third budget of the Chief Minister Mohan Yadav-led state government was presented in the assembly amid slogans from opposition Congress members, who marched into the House to protest against the government's failure to raise the MLA Local Area Development (LAD) fund.
Despite the opposition protests and constant interruptions, Devda spoke for nearly 90 minutes, centered on what he called the 'GYANII' model of development – focusing on the poor (Gareeb), youth (Yuva), farmers (Annadata), women (Nari), infrastructure, and industrialization.
Approximately 90 per cent of the total budget, or around ₹3 lakh crore, is allocated to these six pillars.
A massive ₹1,27,555 crore has been allocated for women-centric schemes, including ₹23,883 crore for the flagship "Ladli Behna Yojana," which provides monthly financial support of ₹1,500 to over 1.25 crore women.
Devda informed the House that Madhya Pradesh has likely become the first state in the country to adopt a rolling budget framework.
"I feel a sense of pride in informing the House that our government, in its series of innovations, has added another link this year in the form of a 'rolling budget,' which is a process of dynamic financial planning," he said.
Unlike a traditional budget, which is set once a year for a fixed 12-month period, a rolling budget "rolls" forward by adding a new month or quarter as the current one ends, allowing for more flexibility in financial planning.
The minister also announced the construction of 5,700 hostels for working women across the state.
The budget allocates ₹10,428 crore for the rural employment guarantee scheme, VB G RAM G, and ₹900 crore for the PM Janman scheme, which is exclusively for the particularly vulnerable tribal groups.
The minister said that one lakh farmers would be provided with solar pumps, and announced ₹1,335 crore for the Labour Department, ₹12,690 crore for road repairs, and ₹4,454 crore for the Jal Jeevan Mission.
Devda said that no new taxes would be imposed on the people of the state, and the budget will meet the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of a self-reliant India, with the aim of providing "justice for every woman and employment for every youth".
The government has made a special provision of ₹3,600 crore for the 2028 Simhastha Kumbh in Ujjain.
For the agricultural and rural sectors, the budget has proposed ₹40,062 crore for Panchayat and Rural Development.
For the youth, the budget has proposed the recruitment of 15,000 new teachers, and a health scheme with free tetra-pack milk to students up to Class 8.
Commenting on the budget, Chief Minister Yadav said it is a "landmark budget for development". However, the opposition called it a "document of illusion" that is based on a "mountain of debt".
Yadav said that the budget focuses on the agricultural sector and long-term development, and it meets the vision of the country's "Mission 2047" to make the country a developed nation.
"Today, the presentation of a budget of about ₹4,38,300 crore is a fulfilment of our commitment to development," Yadav said, adding, "especially in the 'Year of Farmers' Welfare', more than ₹1 lakh crore has been allocated for agriculture-related development works."
The chief minister said, "₹1 lakh crore has been allocated for infrastructure development – the first time since the state's formation. Adequate funding in all sectors reflects our commitment to public welfare."
Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar (Congress) criticised the budget, accusing the government of financial mismanagement.
"The budget is not a document of development, but a document of illusion. It tries to mislead the public by giving false figures. The people of the state have seen through this trickery," he added.
Pointing to the government's recent credit history, Singhar claimed that the state has borrowed ₹5,600 crore just before the beginning of the budget session.
"The government is living on borrowed funds and is spreading only illusions in the name of development," he said, adding that the budget is "completely disconnected from ground reality".
Congress members in the assembly constantly interrupted the finance minister during his speech.
Despite repeated appeals by Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar, the opposition members continued to raise concerns about the increasing debt and the lack of development in the state.
While the government celebrated its "rolling budget" innovation as a step toward predictable growth, the opposition maintained that no amount of accounting changes could hide a state "burdened with debt".
In a pointed jab at the state's rising debt, one opposition member even displayed a small bowl to suggest the administration is surviving on borrowed funds.
