The Union Budget’s “special help” announcement, according to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday, addressed the state’s issues that had earlier prompted calls for special category status.
Special Help Announcement
Shortly after Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the budget to Parliament, Kumar, a close ally of the ruling National Democratic Alliance, told reporters at the Vidhan Sabha premises: “We had proposed that if special status wasn’t feasible for technical reasons, Bihar should receive special assistance from the Centre in another form, which has been announced today.”
Avoiding the Question of Special Status
The leader of JD (U) avoided answering directly when asked whether he was abandoning his desire for special status. When asked if he was satisfied with the budget, he responded with a definite “Haan, bhai.”
Criticism of Opposition Parties
Additionally, he aimed his weapons at the RJD, Congress, and Left coalition, which had interrupted the day’s events by opposing Bihar’s special status.
“These individuals who are creating a lot of fuss ought to keep in mind that the state never received its fair share throughout their tenure as members of the governing class at the Center. Any advancement you witness is the outcome of the state government’s work since we came into office in 2005. People avoided leaving their houses after dark, even in a metropolis like Patna, because of the dire circumstances that existed up to that point, claimed Kumar.
Major Allocations in the Budget
During the budget presentation on Tuesday, Finance Minister Sitharaman proposed ₹26,000 crore for the state’s infrastructure and development, including projects involving airports, medical institutes, and road connections. Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, the minister of legislative affairs for Bihar, responded to the ₹26,000 budgeted spending by saying the amount will accelerate growth in all sectors.
Additional Funding
A further Rs. 11,500 crore for flood control measures and an extra Rs. 21,400 crore for electricity projects, including a new 2400 MW power plant at Pirpainti, were also announced by the finance minister.
During the budget announcement, a new program called “Poorvodaya” was also unveiled with the goal of accelerating the development of eastern India.
The government pledged to set aside specific money for the construction of temple corridors at the state’s most famous temples and expressed support for the development of Nalanda as a tourism hub. Additionally, a specific fund has been proposed for the Jain temple sites in Bodh Gaya and Rajgir, similar to Varanasi.
