Gyan to Gyanii: Agri roads all set to take MP home

Bhopal: The renewed quest for GYAN began last year in MP with Budget 2025-26. On Wednesday, the state added "industry" and "infrastructure" to "gareeb", "yuva," "annadata" and "naari" (GYAN) to waltz to GYANII as an integral part of its focus on a developed MP@2047, with deputy CM Jagdish Devda, who also holds the finance portfolio, presenting a Rs 4,38,317 crore budget focusing on agriculture, which got roughly one-third of the allocations.The focus on agriculture intensified with chief minister Mohan Yadav declaring on Jan 11 that the state would observe 2026 as the "Year of Farmer Welfare."But, it isn't just the farmer who is happy. It has brought good tidings to the common man too, with no new taxes announced.Presented in the MP Assembly on Wednesday, Devda's sixth Budget -- and the third of the Mohan Yadav-led govt -- proposed a total allocation of Rs 1.15 lakh crore for the farm sector, almost one-third of the total budget outlay.Devda also brought another innovation in the budget presentation, terming it a "rolling budget" that focuses on fiscal responsibility with flexibility to ensure better planning and implementation for a three-year period -- 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29. He said the rolling budget would link with a long-term vision.Devda read out the one-and-a-half-hour-long budget amid intermittent opposition uproar over increasing debt on the people of the state.The total estimated revenue receipts are Rs 3,08,703 crore which include the state's tax revenue of Rs 1,17,667 crore, state's share in Central taxes of Rs 1,12,137 crore, non-tax revenue of 24,394 crore and Central grants in-aid of Rs 54,505 crore.In 2026-27, the state govt will pay 10.93% of its revenue receipts as interest on loans taken so far. Revenue expenditure is estimated at Rs 3,08,659 crore, an increase of 7.5% compared to 2025-26. The budget quotes a revenue surplus of Rs 44.42 crore. No new taxes have been introduced. Speaking to mediapersons after the budget presentation, the CM said, "It is about prosperous Madhya Pradesh, happy Madhya Pradesh and cultural Madhya Pradesh. Without culture, our tradition is incomplete. In our state, it is our resolve to fight poverty, unemployment and welfare of youth. We aim at development that is inclusive, environmentally sustainable with cultural integrity. That has been the focus of this budget. We have unveiled the vision document for our state in 2047 and are moving forward in that direction."In his budget speech, Devda argued that the last budget "journey" for 2025-26 had GYAN at its core. "To make this journey even more successful and result oriented, our govt added ‘I' for industry and ‘I' for infrastructure which has transformed GYAN into its next phase -- GYANII," Devda told the House. Major budget allocations have been made for these sectors.For farmer welfare, the budget allocated Rs 28,158 crore for increase in production and promotion of modern technology. Another Rs 64,995 crore has been allocated to strengthen the agro input system including seeds, equipment, irrigation and energy facilities. Rs 8,091 crore has been provided for agricultural support schemes and Rs 13,769 for crop insurance and other relief funds.Ladli Behna Yojana, the flagship scheme that had its genesis in MP ahead of the 2023 assembly elections, continued to draw the lioness' share of all schemes with Rs 23,883 crore.Ladli Laxmi Yojana for the girl child has been allocated Rs 1,801 crore. A new Yashoda Dugdh Pradan Yojana for distribution of milk in tetra packs for students till standard VIII has been allocated Rs 700 crore. Sakhi Niwas Yojana – building hostels for working women, Matri Vandana Yojana, providing nutritious meals for pregnant women, Ujjwala Yojana – the total provision for schemes for women and child welfare is Rs 1,27,555 crore.By the time, the deputy CM's speech reached the concluding part, Congress members reached the well of the House. Led by LOP Umang Singhar, Congress MLAs entered the well voicing their concerns for the poor and farmers. Some of them sat on the floor of the well while Devda had to shout for his speech to be heard.Singhar said, "This budget is only a charter of empty declarations sans funds. When the finance minister says that the budget deficit will be as high as Rs 74,000 crore and the govt does not have resources, how will these schemes announced by the govt run? The BJP consistently promised to double the income of farmers. But this budget, which they claim is farmer-oriented, shows no clear-cut policy on increasing the income of farmers, jobs for the unemployed. This is not a budget for development but a document of illusion."