(FE)
Uttar Pradesh must grow to its full capacity to become a $1-trillion economy and help India achieve a GDP size of $5 trillion, 15th Finance Commission chairman NK Singh said on Tuesday after meeting chief minister Yogi Adityanath.
“For development of UP, a new growth rate is needed. If UP continues to move at this (current) rate, it will not be able to become a $1-trillion economy,” Singh told reporters in Lucknow, while urging the state to also do more in health and education sectors. On the possibility of a package for the state from the finance commission, Singh said, “The team of the finance commission has toured 27 states, and there is not a single state which has not demanded a special package. What parameters will be used, how much weightage will be given and under which formula funds be divided between the Centre and states, are some of the challenges for the commission. So you have to wait for commission’s report.”
The state government has demanded a state-specific grant of Rs 1,02,138 crore. The biggest chunk of the pie, Rs 30,000 crore, has been sought for the power sector while Rs 10,000 crore demand is for drinking water for Bundelkhand and Vindhyanchal region. The state has sought Rs 3,000 crore for rural sanitation, Rs 3,900 crore for promotion of tourism and Rs 10,400 crore for construction of roads and bridges.
