₹8L cr budget focus on infra, edu, AI

AIMING for a trillion-dollar economy, the Yogi government 2.0 presented its fourth annual budget for 2025-26 on Thursday, totalling ₹ 8.09 lakh crore, the largest budget in the state's history.

- NAMITA BAJPAI @Lucknow

AIMING for a trillion-dollar economy, the Yogi government 2.0 presented its fourth annual budget for 2025-26 on Thursday, totalling ₹ 8.09 lakh crore, the largest budget in the state's history. Though it was the ninth budget presented under the present dispensation, it is the second-last of the Yogi 2.0 before the assembly polls due in 2027.

State Finance Minister Suresh Khanna described it as a significant step towards the state's economic growth and social welfare. "This budget is 9.8% higher than the 2024-25 budget meant to accelerate UP's economic growth. It has been designed to strengthen the state's economy, boost industrial and infrastructural development, create employment opportunities, expand the horizon of education and make the state an AI hub by establishing an Artificial Intelligence city," said the minister.