Amid uproar, Akhilesh Yadav presents supplementary budget

Lucknow, Feb 11: Amid an uproar by the opposition over the state of law and order in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday, Feb 11 presented the second supplementary budget for the current financial year in the assembly.

The Rs.27,000 crore budget is aimed at providing a financial impetus to the sick discoms (power distribution companies) and assisting the indebted farmers, an official said.

A large chunk of funds from the supplementary budget will go to provide financial assistance to drought-hit areas where farmers are facing major problems.

The central government has already sanctioned Rs.1304 crore for the farmers of the state.

Special preference has been given to the Bundelkhand region and the Metro Rail project here.

The power companies have been given Rs.26,606 crore through bonds under the 'Uday' scheme and Rs.904.52 crore has been allotted for drought relief.

On Friday, the chief minister will present the budget for 2016-17.

After presenting the supplementary budget, Akhilesh Yadav said the opposition parties were misleading the people by making wrong allegations that the state government was not sensitive towards the problems of people of drought-hit Bundelkhand.

The legislators of the main opposition Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) walked out of the House.

Earlier, when the proceedings began, the House was plunged into chaos as the legislators of the opposition parties - BSP, Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - protested against what they said was the failure of the Samajwadi Party (SP) government to maintain law and order.

Congress members stormed into the well of the House even as an unperturbed Akhilesh presented the supplementary budget.

The opposition has been especially exercised over the death on Sunday of an eight-year-old boy, who fell victim to reckless celebratory firing after an SP-backed candidate's victory in a local election in Shamli district.

IANS