Youth at core of Union Budget vision, says UP BJP president

Gorakhpur: Union minister of state for finance and Uttar Pradesh BJP president Pankaj Chaudhary on Wednesday said the Union Budget 2026-27 lays out a clear roadmap for a ‘Viksit Bharat 2047', with youth at its core.Addressing a ‘Budget Par Samvad' programme organised by the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha at Yogiraj Baba Gambhir Nath auditorium in Gorakhpur, he said the budget goes beyond numbers and focuses on jobs, innovation and inclusive growth.Chaudhary highlighted a sharp rise in infrastructure outlay from Rs 2 lakh crore in 2014-15 to Rs 12.2 lakh crore this year along with seven proposed high-speed rail corridors, including Delhi-Varanasi and Varanasi-Siliguri. He also cited dedicated freight corridors, 20 new waterways, city economic regions in tier-two and tier-three towns and development of five major tourist destinations as job multipliers.Calling it the first budget after Operation Sindoor, he said defence allocation has been raised 15% to Rs 7.85 lakh crore. He underlined push for manufacturing through PLI schemes, semiconductor mission, electronic manufacturing incentives and MSME support, including a Rs 10,000 crore SME Growth Fund.Chaudhary said skilling, startup promotion and content labs in schools and colleges would empower India's working-age population. Referring to UP's Rs 9.12 lakh crore budget, he claimed the state's economy and exports have seen significant growth in recent years.