As Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her seventh consecutive Union Budget on Tuesday, special emphasis was placed on the development of Bihar and Andhra Pradesh. This focus is notable as the Telugu Desam Party and Janata Dal (United) emerged as crucial allies in the NDA coalition after the Lok Sabha elections.
Initiatives for Bihar
Sitharaman announced that the Union government will provide financial assistance to Bihar through aid from multilateral development agencies. “We will formulate plan Purvodaya for the all-round development of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh,” she stated.
Key projects for Bihar include:
- Allocation of ₹26,000 crore for various road projects.
- Establishment of airports, medical colleges, and sports infrastructure.
- Significant investment in tourism, including the development of corridors similar to the Kashi Vishwanath temple corridor for Vishnupad temple in Gaya and Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya.
- Nalanda will be developed as a tourism hub, and Rajgir will be enhanced as a major site for Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains.
These announcements come at a crucial time as Bihar approaches its state elections next year. Amid the declining popularity of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the BJP hopes these initiatives will boost the BJP-JDU alliance in the state elections.
Development of Andhra Pradesh
For Andhra Pradesh, Sitharaman declared an allocation of ₹15,000 crore for the development of Amravati as the state’s capital. The funds will be raised from multilateral funding agencies and routed through the Centre.
Additional allocations include:
- Over ₹3 lakh crore for schemes benefiting women and girls.
- Commitment to the completion and financing of the Polavaram irrigation project.
- Funds for essential infrastructure such as water, power, railways, and roads, along with grants for the backward regions of Rayalaseema, Prakasam, and North Coastal Andhra Pradesh, as stipulated in the AP Reorganisation Act.
The special attention given to Andhra Pradesh and Bihar underscores their strategic importance, with both states playing key roles in the NDA coalition through their respective parties, the Telugu Desam Party and Janata Dal (United).
(With PTI inputs)