Madhya Pradesh finance minister Jagdish Devda presented the state budget for 2026-27 in the assembly with a total outlay of Rs 4.38 trillion (Rs 4.38 tn). The presentation took place amid interruptions from the Opposition as lawmakers voiced concerns about the fiscal trajectory of the state. The budget was tabled as a comprehensive plan that the government described as targeting welfare and development. Congress legislators led by the Leader of the Opposition, Umang Singhar, staged a protest in the legislature complex at the Mahatma Gandhi statue using empty piggy banks and placards to highlight perceived fiscal strain. Singhar argued that the government had already borrowed Rs 56 billion (Rs 56 bn) prior to the budget session and said that such borrowing indicated a mounting debt burden on citizens. The Opposition framed the pre-session borrowing as evidence that the administration was relying on public tax receipts to sustain its spending. Lawmakers repeatedly interrupted proceedings to press the point. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav chaired a cabinet meeting before the presentation and described the proposed budget as historic in many respects and a model of determined incremental progress that would include all sections of society. The administration emphasised that the budget was dedicated to the welfare of the poor, youth, farmers and women and to the expansion of industrial activities across the state. Officials presented allocations and priorities as aimed at balancing social programmes with economic growth. The finance minister proceeded with the formal tabling of the estimates despite the disruptions and outlined anticipated fiscal measures and spending priorities for the year ahead. Critics continued to question the sustainability of borrowing and warned of long term fiscal pressures, while the government defended its approach as necessary for development. The published account was drawn from a syndicated feed and may have been edited for headline and imagery by the publishing staff.