Uttar Pradesh Budget Size Increases to Rs 8.33 Lakh Crore with Record Health Outlay of Rs 46,728 Crore

Uttar Pradesh's budget has seen a significant increase, more than doubling from Rs 3.47 lakh crore in 2016-17 to an estimated Rs 8.33 lakh crore by 2025-26. Capital expenditure also rose from Rs 69,790 crore to Rs 1,47,720 crore during this period. The Economic Survey presented in the assembly highlighted these changes on the first day of the budget session.

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The state's fiscal health is described as balanced in the survey. The public debt-to-GSDP ratio decreased from 29.3% in 2016-17 to 28.0% in 2024-25, which is below both national and global averages. Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna noted that the budget grew by Rs 4.86 lakh crore over nine years, compared to a Rs 2.34 lakh crore rise between 2008-09 and 2016-17.

Health and Education Developments

In healthcare, the budget allocation reached a record Rs 46,728.48 crore, making up 6.1% of the total budget. The report stated that citizens' out-of-pocket health expenses have decreased while medical infrastructure has improved. Institutional deliveries rose by 18.02%, from 34.74 lakh in 2021-22 to 41 lakh in 2024-25.

The state has made strides in education as well, with the number of medical colleges increasing from 36 in 2017 to 81 by the end of 2025. This includes both government and private institutions, with a split of 45 government and 36 private colleges.

Agriculture and Food Processing Growth

Agriculture's contribution to Uttar Pradesh's economy grew from 24% in 2017-18 to 24.9% in 2024-25. Foodgrain production reached 737.4 lakh metric tonnes in this period, boosting the state's share of national output from 18.1% to 20.6%. Paddy production saw a notable increase, with area and output rising by 19.4% and 23.6%, respectively.

Uttar Pradesh is emerging as a food processing hub with around 65,000 units operational, employing nearly 2.55 lakh youths. According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey for 2023-24, agriculture and allied sectors employ about 53.2% of the workforce.

Tourism and Safety Initiatives

Tourism has also flourished, with visitor numbers increasing by over two times to reach 156.18 crore by 2025. A record attendance of 66.30 crore was noted at the Prayagraj Mahakumbh event alone.

In terms of safety measures, Khanna informed the assembly about a zero-tolerance policy towards crime aimed at enhancing women's safety across the state.

The survey also highlighted free vaccinations for children aged up to five against twelve life-threatening diseases like polio and measles, along with tetanus immunisation for pregnant women.

With inputs from PTI