New Delhi, February 1: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled a series of initiatives for Bihar in the Union Budget 2025, including the establishment of a Makhana Board and funding for the western Koshi canal project. These announcements, ahead of the state’s upcoming assembly elections, have sparked heated reactions from opposition parties, who accuse the government of making populist moves for electoral gain.
Bihar’s assembly elections are expected later this year.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, leader of the JD(U)—a BJP ally—hailed the Budget as "progressive" and "futuristic," while senior RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, the former deputy CM, dismissed it as mere "rhetoric." Yadav also criticized Kumar for failing to secure significant demands like "special category status" for Bihar, despite the BJP relying on JD(U) for its survival at the Centre.
In her budget speech, Sitharaman informed that the Centre will establish a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Management (NIFTEM) in Bihar. The state will also see new greenfield airports and the expansion of Patna airports to meet future demands.
The new NIFTEM will provide a significant boost to food processing in the eastern region, while the Makhana Board aims to enhance the production and marketing of the region’s famous foxnuts. The western Koshi Canal project is expected to benefit thousands of farmers in the Mithilanchal region, covering over 50,000 hectares of land.
CM Nitish Kumar, expressed his gratitude, calling the Budget "progressive" and vital for the state's growth. "I thank Prime Minister Modi and Finance Minister Sitharaman for their support," he said, noting that the Makhana board would help increase the cultivation of the state’s world-renowned foxnuts, and the new airports would improve connectivity and bring in international flights.
Bihar’s Deputy CM and BJP leader Samrat Choudhary, also praised the Budget, calling it a historic step for Bihar’s development. "The NDA government, under PM Modi’s leadership, is focused on Bihar’s faster growth," he stated.
But, Tejashwi Yadav, Leader of the Opposition, was critical, comparing Bihar’s treatment unfavorably to that of Andhra Pradesh, which secured a Rs 1 lakh crore deal under TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu. He questioned the whereabouts of the Rs 59,000 crore promised to Bihar last year and criticized the Budget for not addressing the state’s needs, including a new Bihta airport. Yadav accused the Modi government of ignoring Bihar’s plight and claimed that all beneficial projects were directed towards Gujarat, the PM’s home state.
