Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary greets Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on the pre-Budget assembly in New Delhi.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who additionally held the Finance portfolio, on Saturday demanded additional help and an extra package deal for Bihar through the pre-Budget 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 progress than developed States like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Gujarat (8.03%).
“However, in order to sustain the growth momentum, the State needs additional financial assistance for development needs. There was allocation of Special Assistance to States for capital expenditure of ₹1 lakh crore during 2023-24. However, in the interim Union Budget 2024-25, this amount was reduced to ₹55,000 crore. I will request you to keep the amount the same. This will help the States to strengthen their fiscal management through more public investment,” he mentioned.
Mr. Choudhary additionally urged the Union Minister to boost the borrowing restrict to fulfill its developmental schemes. He sought an extra borrowing restrict of 1% of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) past the prescribed restrict for States like Bihar, with none situation.
Expressing his concern concerning the power sector, Mr. Choudhary demanded the implementation of ‘one nation, one tariff’ throughout the nation. He additionally confused on organising coal-based thermal energy crops in Pirpainti, Bhagalpur, and Chausa, Buxar.
He additionally batted for 9 airports to develop Bihar’s air connectivity. “I request to make provision in the current Budget for nine airports at Dehri, Saharsa, Forbesganj, Munger, Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Raxaul, and Gopalganj. The State is ready to provide land for these airports,” he mentioned.
Speaking concerning the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY), he urged the Central authorities to bear the upkeep value of PMGSY in a 60:40 ratio.
He proposed the development of metro rail within the 4 large cities — Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Bhagalpur — to fulfill the growing inhabitants and visitors demand.
In 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 further 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 value ₹369.60 crore beneath ‘Khelo India’, other than releasing funds of ₹195.77 crore beneath the Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP). He additionally famous that the federal government was contemplating the continuation of wage and allowances for Anganwadi Services, which was discontinued in August 2023; for this objective, he sought the sanction of an additional ₹46.41 crore, which was presently being borne by the State authorities.
Despite 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 National Food Security Mission (NFSM), a lot lower than States like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Assam. Therefore, he demanded that the allocation for NFSM be tripled for Bihar, particularly to assist maize and millet cultivation.
Mr. Choudhary asserted that the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee 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.
“Under 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 diminished allocation has adversely impacted the total clearance of earlier 12 months’s dues, affecting the present 12 months’s implementation of the scheme. Therefore, it’s requested that the mandatory quantity be launched for settlement of pending dues from the earlier 12 months, “ he submitted.
Source: www.thehindu.com
