Lucknow: The UP govt said on Wednesday that it has placed farmers and villages at the centre of the state’s economic roadmap.A govt spokesperson said that the 9-year tenure of the govt under chief minister Yogi Adityanath focused on narrowing the urban-rural divide and curbing migration by strengthening rural infrastructure and farm-based livelihoods.In the Budget 2026–27, agriculture and rural development received renewed emphasis, with Rs 10,888 crore allocated for agricultural schemes, a 20% increase over the previous year. The provisions aim to modernise farming, expand rural infrastructure, promote agri-entrepreneurship, and integrate farmers with new technologies and markets.The budget also strengthens natural and sustainable farming practices.The spokesperson said that since 2017, several major initiatives aimed at improving farmers’ financial security were taken. The govt claims record sugarcane payments exceeding Rs3.04 lakh crore since 2017.A farmer leader from Azamgarh, Ravindra Kumar Singh said the govt’s policies positioned farmers as active stakeholders in the state’s growth. “For inclusive development, it is essential that those engaged in agriculture and allied sectors are not merely beneficiaries of subsidies but equal partners in economic progress. This approach bridges the urban-rural divide and curbs migration,” he said.
