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After Bihar took centre stage in the Union Budget, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari came down hard on the Central government and said that the state was promised a special package but received only a "Jhunjhuna".
Speaking to ANI, Tiwari expressed concerns over reduced funding for crucial sectors such as education, rural development, and MGNREGA in the budget and questioned the government's commitment to its "Viksit Bharat" vision. "The government made income up to Rs 12 lakhs tax-free but the same person will have to pay GST. The amount that they have waived off - twice that amount people need to pay one way or another. They have reduced the education budget and then will talk about Viksit Bharat," he said. "They have cut short the budget for rural development and MGNREGA. People are talking about Bihar - a special package was promised but the government gave a 'jhunjhuna," the Congress leader added. In her budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced several incentives for Bihar, where assembly elections are due toward the end of this year. She announced that Greenfield airports would be developed in Bihar, in addition to expanding the capacity of Patna Airport and constructing a brownfield airport in Bihta. FM Sitharaman also highlighted the Western Kosi Canal ERM project in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav too yesterday criticised the Union Budget for failing to mention a "special package" for Bihar and called the budget "unfair" to the state. Addressing a press conference in Bihar's Vaishali, Yadav accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of failing to secure a better deal for the state despite being an ally of the ruling BJP at the Centre. "They did not talk about (giving Bihar) a special package. I am not sure if they will even give Bihar the status of a special state... Today's budget was unfair to Bihar. Whatever was given in the last budget has just been repeated this time... They have talked about Green Field Airport, but no details of where and when it will be built. No budget allocation for it was mentioned. I think all this is just 'jumla'. Train fares are getting expensive. No relief has been given in that," Yadav said. (ANI)
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