Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary greets Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on the pre-Price range assembly in New Delhi.
| Photograph Credit score: Particular Association
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who additionally held the Finance portfolio, on Saturday demanded additional help and a further bundle for Bihar throughout the pre-Price range assembly with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi.
Mr. Choudhary mentioned that the expansion efficiency of Bihar has been spectacular compared to main States within the nation and it recorded greater development than developed States like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Gujarat (8.03%).
“Nonetheless, in an effort to maintain the expansion momentum, the State wants extra monetary help for growth wants. There was allocation of Particular Help to States for capital expenditure of ₹1 lakh crore throughout 2023-24. Nonetheless, within the interim Union Price range 2024-25, this quantity was lowered to ₹55,000 crore. I’ll request you to maintain the quantity the identical. It will assist the States to strengthen their fiscal administration by extra public funding,” he mentioned.
Mr. Choudhary additionally urged the Union Minister to reinforce the borrowing restrict to fulfill its developmental schemes. He sought a further borrowing restrict of 1% of Gross State Home Product (GSDP) past the prescribed restrict for States like Bihar, with none situation.
Expressing his concern concerning the vitality sector, Mr. Choudhary demanded the implementation of ‘one nation, one tariff’ throughout the nation. He additionally harassed on establishing coal-based thermal energy vegetation in Pirpainti, Bhagalpur, and Chausa, Buxar.
He additionally batted for 9 airports to broaden Bihar’s air connectivity. “I request to make provision within the present Price range for 9 airports at Dehri, Saharsa, Forbesganj, Munger, Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Raxaul, and Gopalganj. The State is able to present land for these airports,” he mentioned.
Talking concerning the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY), he urged the Central authorities to bear the upkeep price of PMGSY in a 60:40 ratio.
He proposed the development of metro rail within the 4 massive cities — Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Bhagalpur — to fulfill the rising inhabitants and site visitors demand.
Within the well being sector, Mr. Choudhary requested the Centre to contemplate the institution of seven authorities medical schools — at Munger, Motihari, Gopalganj, Supaul, Begusarai, Mahua (Vaishali), and Ara (Bhojpur) — beneath the Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
He additionally talked about provision of extra funds of ₹17,686.25 crore for wage of academics beneath Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)
Mr. Choudhary reminded the Union Minister that Bihar had submitted a proposal price ₹369.60 crore beneath ‘Khelo India’, aside from releasing funds of ₹195.77 crore beneath the Supplementary Diet Programme (SNP). He additionally famous that the federal government was contemplating the continuation of wage and allowances for Anganwadi Providers, which was discontinued in August 2023; for this goal, he sought the sanction of an additional ₹46.41 crore, which was at the moment being borne by the State authorities.
Regardless of Bihar’s important agricultural potential, the State confronted disparities within the allocation beneath Centrally sponsored schemes, the Deputy Chief Minister argued. In 2023-24, Bihar obtained ₹58.30 crore beneath the Nationwide Meals Safety Mission (NFSM), a lot lower than States like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Assam. Due to this fact, he demanded that the allocation for NFSM be tripled for Bihar, particularly to help maize and millet cultivation.
Mr. Choudhary asserted that the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi Nationwide Rural Employment Assure Act (MGNREGA) had been affected as a consequence of insufficient allocation of funds beneath the Central Share associated to pending liabilities in materials elements and delays in settlement of fabric dues.
“Below the fabric element, ₹2410.57 crore was pending in FY 2023-24. For 2024-25, solely ₹247.57 crore has been allotted because the Central Share for the fabric element. The lowered allocation has adversely impacted the total clearance of earlier 12 months’s dues, affecting the present 12 months’s implementation of the scheme. Due to this fact, it’s requested that the mandatory quantity be launched for settlement of pending dues from the earlier 12 months, “ he submitted.
