Lucknow, February 11 The Uttar Pradesh government has announced a series of new initiatives across various sectors, with a budget of over ₹43,565 crore for the financial year 2026-27, presented in the Assembly on Wednesday.
Presenting the budget in the presence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Finance Minister Suresh Khanna detailed several proposed schemes, including the launch of the 'Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Employment and Industrial Zone' to promote micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), for which ₹575 crore has been allocated.
A new 'One District One Cuisine' (ODOC) scheme, with a budget of ₹75 crore, has also been proposed, along with ₹7.50 crore allocated for the modernization of the blanket production center in Khajni, Gorakhpur.
Under the Chief Minister's Urban Expansion and New City Promotion Scheme, ₹3,500 crore has been proposed. New housing schemes will be launched in Meerut after 35 years, in Agra after 33 years, in Lucknow after 22 years, and for the first time in Bulandshahr, he said in his over-hour-long budget speech.
Khanna stated that ₹23 crore has been proposed for setting up a new dairy plant in Mathura. A provision of ₹100 crore has also been made for a new scheme to establish a state-of-the-art fish wholesale market, an integrated aqua park, and a fish processing center.
In the cooperative sector, ₹25 crore has been proposed for the construction of new warehouses under the world's largest foodgrain storage scheme, he said.
The budget also proposes ₹580 crore for a new scheme to establish residential girls' schools in development blocks where Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas are not operational. A provision of around ₹358 crore has also been made to extend cashless medical facilities to teachers, non-teaching staff, and contractual or honorarium-based employees of council schools.
Under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, ₹300 crore has been proposed from the state fund to develop all primary schools into smart schools. Additionally, ₹300 crore has been earmarked for the maintenance of aided non-government schools found substandard in security audits.
The minister said ₹89 crore has been proposed for providing cashless medical facilities to teachers working in aided secondary schools.
Among the higher education initiatives, ₹21 crore each has been allocated for the establishment of Swami Shukdevanand University in Shahjahanpur and Kashi Naresh University in Bhadohi.
A provision of ₹14.50 crore has also been made for implementing a student mental health and welfare policy in higher educational institutions across the state, he added.