PATNA: The newly formed NDA government in Bihar on Tuesday presented a record-breaking state budget for the financial year 2026-27 with a total outlay of Rs 3,47,589.76 crore in the state assembly. This marks an increase of approximately Rs 30,000 crore over the previous year's budget of Rs 3.17 lakh crore for 2025-26.
Presenting the budget, Bihar Finance Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav said that the government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, aims to make Bihar a developed state.
In his budget speech, Finance Minister Yadav linked Bihar's development model to five elements. He said that the state's plans were being prepared on the basis of knowledge, integrity, science, aspirations, and respect. The government's priority is to move forward by combining education, technology, innovation, and social justice, he added.
This year, government has given significant importance to the affordable housing scheme for urban and rural areas as it would not only improve people's living standards but would also strengthen the construction sector and create new employment opportunities.
The budget also places special emphasis on connecting the state with a better road network. The government has announced the construction of five new expressways. This will facilitate traffic, reduce travel time, and promote industrial investment. Calling expressways the backbone of development, the finance minister said that they will accelerate Bihar's economic activities.
The budget also focuses on increasing farmers' income and promoting modern farming through the fourth agricultural roadmap. Plans for developing infrastructure for industries, encouraging startups, and empowering local markets are also included. The government claims that these efforts will provide employment opportunities to young people at the local level.
The finance minister said that this budget was not just an account of expenditures, but a roadmap for a developed Bihar. The government is moving forward with a balance of infrastructure development, social welfare, and economic progress.
After the budget was presented, the ruling party called it historic, while the opposition raised questions about effective expenditure of the allocated budget.
