Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has welcomed major financial announcements made by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for the state but reiterated his demand for special status. Speaking on Tuesday, Kumar revealed that he had urged NDA leaders for either special status or a special package for Bihar. Following these discussions, the NDA has announced substantial aid for the state.

“I have continuously advocated for this (special status),” Nitish Kumar stated. “I told the NDA leaders to give us either special status or a special package. They have responded by announcing aid for various initiatives. Although the provision for special status was eliminated some time ago, we believe aid should be given to help Bihar, and they have now begun this process.”

Major Financial Boost Announced for Bihar

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled a series of significant announcements for Bihar during her Budget speech in Parliament, focusing on infrastructure and financial support.

The key projects include:

  • Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor: Development of an industrial node at Gaya in Bihar.
  • Road Connectivity Projects: Construction of Patna-Purnia Expressway, Buxar-Bagalpur Expressway, Bodhgaya-Rajgir-Vaishali-Darbhanga, and an additional two-lane bridge over the river Ganga at Buxar, with a total cost of Rs 26,000 crore.
  • Power Projects: Setting up a new 2400 megawatt power plant at Pirpainti at a cost of Rs 21,400 crore.

Reactions from Bihar Leaders

JDU MP and Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh expressed optimism about Bihar’s growth prospects following these announcements. He stated, “We had demanded special status or a special package for Bihar. Today’s Budget provides an abundance of packages across sectors like infrastructure, tourism, and irrigation. After implementing these schemes, Bihar’s growth rate will significantly improve.”

Support for Andhra Pradesh

In addition to Bihar, Andhra Pradesh also received notable benefits from the Union Budget 2024-25. The Finance Minister announced special financial support to address the state’s need for capital.

Sitharaman said, “Regarding the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, our government has been working to fulfil its commitments. Recognizing the state’s need for capital, we will facilitate special financial support through multilateral agencies.”

She added, “In the current fiscal year, Rs 15,000 crore will be arranged, with additional amounts in future years.” (With ANI inputs)