Bhopal, Feb 18 Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister Jagdish Devda on Wednesday presented the state’s “women-centric” budget for 2026-27 with an outlay of Rs 4,38,317 crore, and said no new taxes would be imposed.
Devda presented the third consecutive budget of the Mohan Yadav government amid interruptions from the Opposition, which raised concerns over the mounting debt burden on the state’s citizens. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav later described the budget as the fulfillment of his government’s commitment to development.
In his nearly 90-minute speech, the finance minister said the budget is framed on the model “GYANII - Garib Kalyan (poor), Yuva Shakti (youth), Annadata (farmers), Nari Shakti (women empowerment), Infrastructure and Industry”.
Allocations of about 3 lakh crore have been made for these areas, he said.
Ensuring justice for every woman is the government’s objective, and providing employment to the youth is its resolve, he asserted.
Devda announced provisions of Rs 1,27,555 crore for women welfare schemes, including self-help groups and the Ujjwala Yojana.
He said 5,700 hostels would be constructed for working women.
The budget has provisioned Rs 23,883 crore for the ‘Ladli Behna Yojana’ under which over 1.25 crore women receive monthly assistance of Rs 1,500 each. The government has so far disbursed Rs 52,304 crore under the programme launched in 2023.
Referring to the “rolling budget” provision introduced for the first time for carrying forward funds to the next fiscal, Devda said, “Unlike traditional budgets, this approach extends planning beyond a single financial year. It signals a move towards predictable, adaptive, and growth-oriented budgeting, aligned with long-term development priorities.”
Explaining the framework, he said the rolling budget is revised periodically to reflect changing economic conditions, policy outcomes, and fiscal realities. “Each year, the budget rolls forward by adding another year to the planning horizon,” he said.
Through the budget, the government has made a special provision of Rs 3,600 crore for the mega religious event Simhastha Kumbh to be held in Ujjain in 2028.
An allocation of Rs 40,062 crore has been proposed for the Panchayat and Rural Development Department.
Devda announced that 15,000 teachers would be recruited, while milk in tetra packs would be provided for free to children up to Class 8 in government schools.
He said the budget proposes no new taxes in the state.
The finance minister announced an allocation of Rs 10,428 crore for the rural employment guarantee scheme ‘G RAM G’ and Rs 900 crore for the PM Janman scheme, which is dedicated to the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups.
He also announced that 1 lakh farmers would be provided with solar pumps.
Besides, a provision of Rs 1,335 crore has been proposed for the Labour Department, Rs 12,690 crore for road repairs and Rs 4,454 crore for the Jal Jeevan Mission.
Devda said the budget is aimed at realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Viksit Bharat vision.
During the budget speech, Congress MLAs raised slogans over the non-enhancement of the MLA fund and trooped into the well. Assembly Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar urged them to maintain order and return to their seats.
CM Yadav called the budget the fulfilment of his government’s commitment to development. In the “Year of Farmers’ Welfare”, over Rs 1 lakh crore has been allocated for agriculture-related development works, he said.
“Rs 1 lakh crore has also been allocated for infrastructure work. This is the first time since the formation of the state that such a large amount has been provided. Adequate funds have been allocated across all sectors, showing our commitment to development and public welfare and aligning with the vision of Mission 2047,” he said.
Opposition Congress said the state’s debt is continuously increasing, while the government has been maintaining that all is hunky-dory.
Leader of the Opposition Umang Singhar claimed the government’s “borrowing of Rs 5,600 crore even before the budget session” is a sign that the state is being burdened with debt.
The government is “living on a fortune” by borrowing from public tax money and is spreading only illusions in the name of development, he alleged.
Talking to reporters, Singhar said it is a budget of false figures and empty promises.
This budget is a deception of the people of the state and is completely disconnected from ground reality, he said.
“This is a document of illusion. It attempts to mislead the public by presenting false figures. The people of the state have seen through this deception and will respond in due time,” he added.