Budget 2024: Opposition Terms Bihar’s Rs 26,000 Crore Budgetary Allocation ‘Jhunjhuna’

The Centre government led by BJP’s announcement regarding Rs 26000 crores budgetary allocation to Bihar has drawn sharp political reactions with Opposition terming it as a “jhunjhuna”, particularly when ruling JD(U)’s demand for granting ‘special status’ to the state was not made out.

Earlier, BJP-led Centre ruled out special status demand of its ally JD(U) led by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. The Centre government while citing an inter-ministerial group (IMG) report prepared in 2012 had said that ‘a case for granting special category status to Bihar is not made out’.

On Tuesday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the Budget 2024-25 announced Rs 26000 crore budgetary allocation for Bihar under which several development projects for the state including the development of an industrial node at Gaya on the Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor and a slew of road connectivity projects will be undertaken.

Here is how the various political leaders reacted on Rs 26000 crore budgetary allocation to Bihar:

On the announcements made for Bihar in Union Budget 2024, independent MP Pappu Yadav said, "...They are saying that they will give 4 cr jobs, how many jobs have you given in last 10 years? What about the issue of migration from Bihar?... Nitish Kumar is a kingmaker but you didn't get the special package... Now you are saying that don't give us special state status but a package, why are you begging?... Talk about special state status, no central university has been announced. You don't need to withdraw support, just leave the cabinet, I think Nitish Kumar is a serious person."

Former Bihar CM and RJD leader Rabri Devi expressed sharp discontent over the Rs 26000 budgetary allocation to Bihar.

"... Murders and thefts are happening in the state. Labourers are not getting their wages. Youth are not getting employment and farmer issues persist... Rs 26000 crore allotted to Bihar is a 'jhunjhuna'," she said.

Meanwhile, on the announcements made for Bihar in Union Budget 2024, JDU leader Neeraj Kumar said, "It's obvious to have expectations from the Union Budget. As Niti Aayog considers mountainous region (for special state status) when 1990 to 2002, there was mountainous region in the state as Jharkhand was with Bihar, tribal population was substantial, why no one was worried about special state status? 26,000 crores given for roadways is a satisfactory news. To make Bihar is not just a resolution of our party, PM Modi has also promised us...."

BJP MLA from Katihar, Tarkishore Prasad on the Rs 26000 crore budgetary allocation to Bihar said, "... 3 Expressways have been announced for Bihar. Rs 26000 crores have been allocated for infrastructure development. Many medical colleges have been announced... Many more important announcements will be made for the development of Bihar... The opposition leaders want to make special status as a political instrument. Bihar cannot progress this way..."

On announcements for Bihar in Union Budget, Bihar Minister Dilip Jaiswal said, "It's a tight slap on them (opposition) by the Central Govt. Rs 26,000 crores have been given for the highway, those districts which do not have medical colleges, new medical colleges will be opened on the proposal of Bihar govt. Two new bridges are to be built on river Ganga, also a powerplant of 2400 MW capacity will be established...We had never dreamed that the Central govt thinks this much about Bihar. I would like to thank the Central govt...The opposition knows that special state status has some technical point, but they won't be able to digest that Bihatr has got even more than that."