Lucknow erupted in political fireworks as the Uttar Pradesh government’s latest budget faced scathing criticism from opposition heavyweights. Samajwadi Party veteran Shivpal Singh Yadav branded it a ‘paper budget,’ dripping with sarcasm on social media platform X. ‘Congratulations on UP’s paper budget,’ he posted, mocking it as ‘nectar of dreams’ for the masses while real development lags behind glossy ads.
Yadav painted a grim picture: roads riddled with potholes, unemployed youth stashing degrees in closets, and government data smugly filed away. ‘Magic with numbers, mountains of stats, but the poor’s plate echoes with despair,’ he quipped. Inflation soars, farmers struggle, yet the government claims all is well. This isn’t a budget, he argued—it’s just another event, and the public knows whose time is up.
Echoing the sentiment, Congress leader Aradhana Mishra ‘Mona’ called it a ‘parched, disappointing’ document. In a whopping Rs 9.12 lakh crore allocation, new schemes get a measly Rs 43,000 crore—barely 5%. Farmers see no solid relief amid DAP-urea shortages and shrinking incomes. Agriculture growth dips, doubling farmer income remains a hollow promise.
Mona slammed the oversight on outsourced workers’ minimum wages, instructors’ arrears per court orders, and neglect of eastern UP and Bundelkhand. With fiscal deficits looming, she warned of looming tax burdens on citizens. Both parties predict this as the government’s swan song, with 2027 elections set to deliver the verdict.
The budget’s promises ring hollow against ground realities. As UP hurtles toward polls, opposition voices amplify public frustration over unkept pledges. Will the government pivot, or is this the prelude to change?