For decades, Uttar Pradesh has served as the shorthand for missed opportunities. Trapped within the “BIMARU” acronym—backward, burdened, and perpetually playing catch-up—the state sat at the heart of India’s demographic advantage but failed to capitalize on it. Today, that label is being strategically dismantled. The state’s first-ever Economic Survey, tabled ahead of the 2026 budget, marks a significant shift from fiscal stocktaking to a bold political and economic statement: Uttar Pradesh is no longer asking for patience; it is staking a claim as a primary driver of the national economy. The Scale of Ambition The numbers tell a story of immense scale, but the underlying shift is one of confidence. With a projected Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Rs 36 lakh crore in 2025–26 and a growth rate of 12 per cent, UP has firmly established itself among India’s fastest-growing large economies. This trajectory consistently outpaces the national average, reflected most clearly in the doubling of per capita income over the last eight years—rising from Rs 54,564 in 2016–17 to nearly RS 1.1 lakh in 2024–25. This growth is inherently inclusive, evidenced by the fact that over six crore people have exited multidimensional poverty during this period, creating a massive new consumer class.