This study examines both the short- and long-run impact of public debt on the economic growth of Uttar Pradesh during the post-reform period of 30 years by employing the vector error correction model. The empirical analysis revealed that the increase in public debt-to-gross state domestic product ratio and interest payments burden would have an adverse impact on the long-run economic growth of UP, while having no significant impact on the short-run growth. It is also notable that the effective interest rate has negatively correlated with the gross capital formation in UP, and the latter has shown significant positive long-run association with the economic growth. In order to attract investments and economic growth, the state Government of UP should continue a countercyclical fiscal stance that would help in adhering to fiscal sustainability rules by smoothing out the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
