Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister Jagdish Devda on Wednesday presented the first budget of the Dr Mohan Yadav government, which is of Rs 3.65 lakh crore for the 2024-25 financial year, 16 per cent more than the previous year’s budget of the BJP state government.

Before Devda could complete his budget speech, the opposition members led by Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar staged a walkout from the house and sat on a dharna in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the assembly premises.

During his budget speech, Devda pointed out that no new taxes have been imposed. “This is an all-pervasive (sarvasparshi) welfare budget,” Devda asserted.

The minister said that there would be an estimated increase in capital expenditure by 15 per cent in 2024-25 as compared to the budget estimate for 2023-24.

He said the budget provisions estimate a revenue surplus of Rs 1,700 crore for 2024-25.

“The budget for the 2024-25 fiscal has been made with the target of doubling the budget size in the next five years,” said Devda, who is also one of the two Deputy Chief Ministers of MP.

He said the budget’s main aim was increasing capital investment, expansion of road network, irrigation and electricity facilities, quality health facilities, attracting investment for employment generation and good governance in the state.

The capital outlay for 2024-25 is estimated at 4.25 per cent of the State’s Gross Domestic Product.

The finance minister said that the fiscal deficit in 2024-25 is estimated to be 4.11 per cent of the state GSDP.

A budget allocation of Rs 18,984 crore has been made for the ‘Ladli Behna Yojana’, the BJP government’s flagship scheme under which eligible women are provided Rs 1,250 per month.

The scheme, brainchild of former MP CM and present Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, had played a pivotal role in ensuring the saffron party’s continuation in power in MP with a thumping victory on 163 of the 230 assembly seats in the State assembly polls of November 2023.

The state’s budget for agriculture has been increased to Rs 26,126 crore from the Rs 22,732 crore in the previous fiscal.

The budget allocation for infrastructure has been increased from Rs 49,009 crore of the previous fiscal to Rs 53,460 crore for this year.

The finance minister allocated a sum of Rs 500 crore for preparations of the Simhastha, which would take place in 2028 at Ujjain, the hometown of CM Dr Mohan Yadav.

The budget proposed an amount of Rs 11,065 crore for the ‘Atal Krishi Yojana’, Rs 4,000 crore for ‘PM Awas Yojana’ and Rs 800 crore to connect Women Self-Help Groups with major markets.

Devda announced that new Government Medical Colleges would start functioning at Mandsaur, Neemuch and Seoni from this year.

The government has allocated Rs 40,804 crore for the Scheduled Tribe sub plan while the allocation for the Scheduled Caste sub plan stands at Rs 2,700 crore.

The budget has a provision of Rs 15,509 crore for the establishment of government primary schools, and Rs 9258 crore for middle schools.

The budget for urban and rural development also increased to Rs 44588 crore from Rs 39326 crore in the previous financial year.

Throughout Jagdish Devda’s budget speech, the opposition Congress continued its ruckus on the massive private nursing college scam.

As the minister continued with his presentation of the budget, the opposition remained stationed in the well of the House, reiterating its demand for the resignation of the then medical education minister and present sports and youth affairs minister Vishwas Sarang over the nursing scam.

Subsequently, the Congress staged walk-out from the House before the finance minister could complete his speech.

Reacting to the Budget, the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI) MP Chapter President Dr Anil Sirwaiyan said the sum of Rs 4,190 crore allocated for industries could have been increased.

He said the sums of Rs 40,804 crore and Rs 27,900 crore for the ST sub plan and SC sub plan respectively, must be utilised for industrialisation, entrepreneurship development and self-employment schemes in such areas.

“This would go a long way in realising the vision of regional industry development and employment generation in rural areas,” Sirwaiyan suggested.