PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday said that the Union Budget for the year 2024-25 was positive and commendable and also extended special thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for taking special care of the state’s needs in the budget.
Talking to media persons, Nitish said, “The announcements made for Bihar in the Union Budget will boost the state’s development. I hope that the Centre will keep cooperating for the state’s development by fulfilling other needs in future.”
When specifically asked about the grant of special status to Bihar, Nitish said, “Granting special category status to states was stopped a long time back. Now, we are getting special assistance from the Centre.”
Sitharaman presented the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha, announcing special financial packages for the state.
Nitish’s applause is seen as a boost for the BJP-JD (U) relationship when the future of the NDA in Bihar came under the scanner after the Centre outrightly rejected the former's demand for grant of special status to the state on Monday.
Nitish said that special attention had been given to the state's human resources development and infrastructure development. He said that special funds had been allocated for road projects, electricity projects, new airport, medical colleges and sports infrastructure.
“The Union Budget has also proposed the Centre's special assistance for the development of Bihar's tourist places. A major announcement has also been made in the budget for protecting Bihar from floods,” he remarked.
Announcements made for special financial assistance to the Kosi-Mechi river linking project, minimisation of river pollution project and irrigation project are also laudable, he added.
JD (U) working president and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Jha and Union minister and former party president Rajiv Ranjan Singh aka Lalan Singh also applauded the budget, stating that it would accelerate the pace of growth of the state as well as country.
Meanwhile, RJD chief Lalu Prasad attacked the Modi 3.0 budget in a poetic manner by posting a comment in Hindi in ‘X’. He alleged that the Union budget did not inspire any confidence among the poor, farmers and common people.
Former deputy chief minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said that the Union Budget 2024-25 was disappointing.
“To take Bihar to the path of development, there was a need for a revival plan and for this purpose, there was an urgent need for grant of special status to Bihar in addition to the special package. Those (Narendra Modi government) trying to brand routine allocation and pre-approved, fixed and approved schemes as new gifts should not defame Bihar. We will not budge an inch on our demand for special status to Bihar to stop migration from the state, remove backwardness, setting up industrial units and for better future of youths,” he added.