Hindutva, cow figure prominently in UP budget

Prominent Hindu religious destinations and cows figured prominently in Uttar Pradesh's budget for the next financial year, which was tabled in the Assembly on Thursday.

The little over Rs 4.79 lakh crore budget, which was presented in the house by state finance minister Rajesh Agarwal, made a provision of Rs 462 crore for the development of religious towns of Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura.

The budget also provided for Rs 247.60 crore for maintenance and construction of 'gaushalas' (cow shelters) in the rural areas across the state.

A provision of Rs 200 crore was also made for 'Kanha Gaushala' and 'Destitute Cattle Shelter Scheme' in urban areas. The government also proposed to use Rs. 165 crore for the maintenance of destitute cattle-heads of the state.

The state government, which has set up 'Shri Kashi Vishwanath Special Area Development Board' to ensure implementation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious 'Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir Expansion Scheme' in Varanasi, Modi's Lok Sabha constituency, provided Rs 207 crore for expansion and beautification of the road from the Ganga bank to Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

A budgetary provision of Rs 16 crore was made to setup 'Vaidik Vigyan Kendra' in Kashi Hindu Vishwavidyalaya, Varanasi. Besides Rs 8.38 crore was proposed for the construction o an auditorium between Mathura-Vridavan.

All the public 'Ramlila' (dramatic presentation of live and deeds of Lord Rama) would be covered with boundary walls and a provision of Rs 5 crore was made for the same.

While Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath praised the budget saying that it had taken care of every section of the society, the opposition parties said that the budget had nothing for the poor, farmers and unemployed.