Virendra Singh Rawat / Lucknow
To facilitate an equitable socioeconomic growth of different geographies, the Uttar Pradesh government has allocated more than Rs 2,500 crore for the development of economically laggard districts of the state.
Purvanchal (Eastern UP) and Bundelkhand regions are comparatively laggards in the various socioeconomic parameters compared to the Western and Central UP districts. Collectively, the Purvanchal and Bundelkhand regions account for nearly a third of the total population of UP as well as nearly 28 of the total 75 districts of the state.
The Yogi Adityanath government has earmarked Rs 600 crore and Rs 525 crore towards the special plans of Bundelkhand and Purvanchal regions.
Besides, Rs 1,500 core have also been allocated for new projects pertaining to the accelerated economic development plan spanning different laggard districts. These allocations have been announced in the UP Annual Budget 2023-24 tabled in the state legislature recently.
“The special budgetary allocations for Bundelkhand and Purvanchal regions have been made under the planning department for the next financial year 2023-24,” a senior state government official said here.
On umpteenth occasions, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath has underlined his government’s focus on catalysing faster socioeconomic development of the backward areas of the state.
Meanwhile, the state government has provided more than Rs 32 crore for nurturing rural startups and promoting self employment of the youth.
According to the UP Budget 2023-24, a budget of Rs 10 crore has been allocated for interest subvention for 3 years to the beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Rozgar Srijan Yojana.
Besides, Rs 13 crore has been arranged under Khadi and Village Industries Development and Sustainable Self Employment Promotion Policy; Rs 10 crore has been provided to integrate traditional artisans of clay art/terracotta with employment in the state during 2023-24.
At the UP Global Investors Summit (GIS) 2023, the state netted investment proposals of more than Rs 33.50 trillion from over 19,000 investors and business groups. The investment proposals have also come for the most laggard of the UP districts including Chitrakoot, Mirzapur, Balrampur etc.
“The investment proposals to the tune of several trillions of rupees for both Purvanchal and Bundelkhand regions will script a new growth story of the state. It will not only generate mass employment opportunities but also arrest the migration of youth to other states in search of jobs,” he noted.
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Meanwhile, UP Annual Budget 2023-24 has estimated total expenditure of Rs 6.90 trillion during the financial year 2023-24.