Lucknow, Feb. 3 -- Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday hailed the Union Budget 2026-27, saying it fulfils the aspirations of Uttar Pradesh and will help the state become "Naye Bharat Ka Naya Uttar Pradesh...Viksit Bharat Ka Viksit UP (New UP of New India and developed UP of developed India)." Addressing a press conference on the budget, he said the UP government hopes that one of the five All India Institutes of Ayurveda announced in the budget may come up in Varanasi. His government would extend waterways to the Yamuna and explore similar possibilities for other rivers, such as the Rapti, he further said. "The UP government had earlier sent a proposal to the Union government for an Ayurveda institute for Varanasi, for it is the birthplace of Dhanwantri," he said. He also said the Union Budget will form the basis for the state budget that his government will present in the UP legislature later this month. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the development journey the country took over the past 11 years is now clearly visible at the grassroots level, he said. He described the budget as a balanced document of "reform, growth and fiscal discipline" The Union Budget has been prepared keeping in mind the aspirations of farmers, youth, women and the poor. One of the most significant and far-reaching provisions in the budget is the allocation of Rs.10,000 crore for MSMEs that would benefit UP the most, he said. Uttar Pradesh leads the country in this sector and has the largest MSME base in India. Currently, nearly 96 lakh MSME units are active in the state, providing direct or indirect livelihoods to around 3 crore people. He said this fund will be especially crucial for the ODOP (One District One Product) initiative, which Uttar Pradesh has successfully promoted by linking it with branding, design, packaging and exports. The budget will pave the way for MSMEs to adopt new technologies, skill training, modern packaging and access to global export markets. He also said Uttar Pradesh will play a crucial role among the 20 inland waterways announced in the country. India's first inland waterway between Varanasi and Haldia has already become operational and proposals have been prepared to extend waterways to Prayagraj and the Yamuna. Strengthening cargo movement through the development of a ship repair and maintenance ecosystem, especially in Varanasi, will further reinforce the state's inland waterway network, he remarked. Talking about rail connectivity, the chief minister said, "Out of the seven high-speed rail corridors announced in the budget, two major corridors (Delhi-Varanasi and Varanasi-Siliguri) will pass through Uttar Pradesh. These projects will provide the state with fast, modern and world-class rail connectivity. This will not only drastically reduce travel time but also boost industrial, tourism and commercial activities." He said the budget has further strengthened Uttar Pradesh's potential in the biopharma sector. The process of developing a bulk drug park over nearly 1,200 acres in Lalitpur has been expedited, while work on a medical device park in the Yamuna Authority area of Gautam Buddha Nagar has reached an advanced stage. A provision of Rs.10,000 crore for the biopharma sector will help establish India as a global pharma hub. He added that the announcement of the 'Mahatma Gandhi Gram Swaraj Yojana' will benefit Uttar Pradesh the most, as the state has the largest number of gram panchayats and a vast rural population. With over 105,000 revenue villages, UP has immense potential for effective implementation of this scheme. About the state tourism, CM said that the Union Budget 2026-27 provides for the development of 15 archaeological sites across the country, two of which are in Uttar Pradesh - Sarnath (Varanasi) and Hastinapur (Meerut). Development of these historical and mythological sites will give fresh impetus to the state's tourism sector. He said the budget has an important announcement about infrastructure development in cities with a population exceeding 5 lakh. Uttar Pradesh has 762 urban local bodies, of which around 200 have populations of five lakh or more, including 17 municipal corporations. This initiative will help develop modern, well-planned and citizen-friendly urban infrastructure, significantly improving the quality of urban life. The chief minister, referring to the 16th Finance Commission report, said that Uttar Pradesh receives the largest share of taxes devolved by the Centre to states. Given its large population, UP bears a major responsibility with a 17% share and naturally, the state will benefit from this, he said. Taking a sharp dig at political attacks made in the name of PDA vis-a-vis the Union Budget, Adityanath said PDA is merely rhetoric, while the real objective is 'Parivarwaad'. He questioned why those who talk about PDA today failed to care for the self-respect and dignity of the poor, youth, farmers and deprived sections when they were in power. "Poverty and problems existed earlier as well, but discussions then revolved only around one's own family," he added. The term PDA, coined by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, refers to pichda (backwards), Dalits and alpsankhyak (minorities)....