Uttar Pradesh Budget Session: Heated Debates and Future Prospects

The budget session of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly kicked off on Monday, marked by Governor Anandiben Patel's address amid protesting opposition MLAs. Her speech lauded the alleviation of poverty for six crore citizens in the state.

Additionally, Governor Patel noted the significant attendance at major events, with 65 crore people attending the 2025 Maha Kumbh and 21 crore at the 2026 Magh Mela in Prayagraj. However, the session faced criticism from Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Ravidas Mehrotra, who urged the Governor to deliver an independent speech instead of echoing government claims.

Before the session, Mehrotra accused the government of failing in various sectors, despite a proposed Rs 9 lakh crore budget with less than 40% of the previous year's funds utilized. In contrast, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya called for constructive issue-raising by the opposition as the session progresses, culminating in the presentation of the 2026-27 fiscal year budget on February 11.