Like Interim Budget 2019, state budgets focus on agriculture and unemployment

Finance Minister Piyush Goyal announced the interim budget for 2019, setting the tone for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections with a direct benefit transfer plan for the distressed farmers and sops for middle-class taxpayers. Similarly, states have also released 'pro-people' budgets that focus on the agrarian crises, unemployment and women empowerment.

Few states imposed new tax reforms even though they are in a deficit. Non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) states have doled out more than saffron states in their budgets to win over voters.

Kerala
Following the harrowing floods in 2018, the state government made significant allocations to its Rs 1.42 lakh crore budget for reconstruction. The Pinarayi Vijayan government issued Rs 2,500 crore for agriculture and Rs 7,500 crore for pension schemes. It set aside Rs 250 crore for women and jobs-centric schemes.

Odisha
In its Rs 1.32 lakh crore budget, the Naveen Patnaik government allocated Rs 4,461 crore for its cash transfer scheme for farmers named KALIA, along with interest subvention worth Rs 800 crore. Other moves that were deemed pro-people by many were Rs 1,028 crore allocation to rice at Re 1 per kg and Rs 2,100 crore set aside for pension for 48 lakh people in the state.

Andhra Pradesh
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu increased budgetary allocations this year and announced a Rs 2.26 lakh crore Budget. Naidu also addressed agriculture distress in the state and set aside Rs 5,000 crore for a grant to farmers. He also allocated Rs 4,000 crore for a one-time grant to women members of self-help groups.

Chhattisgarh
Despite a deficit of Rs 10,881 crore, the new Congress government in the state has announced a loan waiver for farmers and issued Rs 21,597 crore for the agriculture sector in the state. It has also increased funds for employment schemes.

Uttar Pradesh
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath increased outlay for agriculture by 14 percent in his election-oriented Budget of Rs 4.79 lakh crore. The state government also offered Rs 600 crore for cow shelters. For the education and hygiene of the girl child, it announced the Kanya Sumangala Yojana worth Rs 1,200 crore. The Budget also allocated funds for aggressive infrastructure development of Rs 5,000 crore for highways, airstrips and airports at Ayodhya and Jewar.

Himachal Pradesh
The state earmarked Rs 7,100 crore to boost the rural economy and relieve farmer distress. The government also wishes to assist farmers in flood control, mushroom cultivation and cow breeding. The state cut power tariff to 50 paise per unit for irrigation purposes.

Jharkhand
The state is due for polls in 2019, which is why Chief Minister Raghubar Das hiked budget allocation for agriculture by 24 percent. Under the Mukhya Mantri Krishi Ashirwad Yojana, farmers will receive Rs 5,000 per acre per year, along with a bonus of Rs 150 over the minimum support price (MSP).

Karnataka
The HD Kumaraswamy government has dedicated 25 percent of the state's budget for the agriculture sector and loan waivers. Other schemes that are being hailed by the public are Rs 6,000 monthly pension to pregnant women and milk for school-going children.

West BengalChief Minister Mamata Banerjee hiked agriculture allocation by a whopping 120 percent to Rs 6,086 crore. The Budget has also proposed a complete exemption to tea gardens from education and rural employment cess. The government also delved into employment schemes, stressing on cash handout of Rs 1 lakh a year to 50,000 unemployed youth.