This, when the state’s finances in the next fiscal (2009-10) are already strained owing to an additional expenditure of Rs 18,000 crore due to implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission’s recommendation and a host of populist schemes, recently announced by Chief Minister Mayawati.

Worse, the internal borrowings of the government for financing the capital expenditure from small savings have fallen by over Rs 3,500 crore and the recovery from VAT during the current fiscal has slumped by Rs 2,500 crore.

The supplementary demand presented on Friday, totalling Rs 4,898 crore, is the second this year. In the first such demand of Rs 5,916 crore, presented on August 13 last year, Rs 253 crore was provided for the Ambedkar Parivartan Sthal.

Proposed expenditure under Friday’s supplementary demand

* A provision of Rs 270 crore has been made for the Ambedkar Memorial, under construction since 1995. Of this, Rs 136 crore will be spent on “additional works” sanctioned for the memorial and Rs 35.36 crore will be spent for “works related to long-term stability” of the project. Further Rs 77 crore will be spent on similar works. Another Rs 21.31 crore has been provided for the construction of an administrative building and public amenities for the memorial.

* Close to the Ambedkar Sthal, Rs 4.37 crore will be spent for the acquisition of land on the right bank of the Gomti river for beautification.

* For the development of the Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan, a provision of Rs 110.53 crore has been made.

* For construction of Kanshiram memorial, the government will spend Rs 198 crore.

* Rs 104 crore will be spent on the construction of statues of Dalit icons.

* A provision of Rs 160 crore has been made for the Savitribai Phule Balika Shiksha Madad Yojna, announced on Mayawati’s birthday on January 15. Under the scheme, girls studying in Class XI and XII will be given Rs 20,000 each.