MP Budget 2024: Rs 26,560 cr earmarked for women & child development, no new tax introduced

Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister Jagdish Deoda presented the state budget of Rs 3.65 lakh crores in the state assembly for FY2024-25. The budget saw a 16% increase from the previous year's budget. Significant allocations have been made towards various sectors, including women and child development, culture department, cow conservation, development of religious places, and the construction of expressway roads, reflecting the government's priorities for the upcoming fiscal year.

This was the first budget of the government led by chief minister Mohan Yadav. In his 2-hour-48-minute-long budget speech, Deoda allocated Rs 26,560 crore for women and child development,  which is a massive boost of 81 per cent compared to the budget estimate for the year 2023-24. However, there is no increase in the amount being provided under the Ladli Behna Scheme.

"Under the leadership of Honorable Chief Minister @DrMohanYadav51 ji, the budget of developed Madhya Pradesh was presented in the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly by Finance Minister Mr. @JagdishDevdaBJP ji. This all-encompassing and all-inclusive budget of Madhya Pradesh, dedicated to the poor, farmers, women, elderly, labourers and youth, will prove helpful in the upliftment of all sections of the state and will provide new impetus to the development of the state. Congratulations to Honorable Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav ji and Finance Minister Shri Jagdish Devda ji for the historical public welfare budget dedicated to the aspirations of the people," the state BJP tweeted on Wednesday.

Other highlights:

1. Health sector: For health schemes, the government has allocated Rs 21,444 crore; Five districts to get Ayurved hospitals, the finance minister said while presenting the Budget. The districts are: Balaghat, Sagar, Sahdol, Morena, and Narmadapuram.

2. Agriculture: The government also announced Rs 66,605 crore for agriculture and allied sectors and Rs 52,682 crore for the education sector.

3. Energy: The state government allocated Rs 19,406 crore, a nearly Rs 1,000 crore hike compared to the last financial year, for the energy sector.

4. Sports and youth: The sports and youth welfare sector has been allocated Rs 586 crore in the new Budget. Devda announced Rs 10,279 crore for public health engineering. 

5. Culture: The Culture department has got a Rs 1,081 crore proposal in the Budget.

6. The government has also announced a Rs 40,804 crore proposal under the Scheduled Tribes Sub-Plan, aimed at bringing the community into mainstream society.

Devda said: "A similar proposal of Rs 27,900 crore has been announced for the Scheduled Caste community. Additionally, Rs 1,704 crore has been proposed for backward classes, minority welfare, nomadic and semi-nomadic communities."

7. Rural development: The proposal for rural development has got a higher allocation compared to urban development. While Rs 27,870 crore is proposed for panchayat and rural development for FY 2024-25, Rs 16,744 crore is proposed for urban development.

8. Public welfare: The government has declared a boost for public welfare schemes including pensions, which have got a proposal of Rs 4,421 crore in the budget, a 15 per cent rise from last year.