Sitharaman announces massive development plans for Bihar and AP in Budget

New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday proposed an outlay of Rs 26,000 crore for various road projects in Bihar. In her Budget for 2024-25, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Union government will arrange financial assistance to Bihar through aid from multilateral development agencies. The government will also set up airports, medical colleges and sports infrastructure in Bihar, she said. The Centre will also formulate plan 'Purvodaya' for the all-round development of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh.

Sitharaman further said the government will support industrial corridor for development in the eastern region. The finance minister also said the government will provide e-vouchers directly to 1 lakh students every year with interest subvention of 3 per cent of the loan amount.

The government also announced a series of measures for the development of Andhra Pradesh, including arranging Rs 15,000 crore this fiscal and in future years for the development of the capital city of the state. Presenting Union Budget 2024-25, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government will also facilitate special financial support for the development of the capital city. Besides, the Centre allocated over Rs 3 lakh crore for schemes benefiting women and girls and stated that it is fully committed to the completion and financing of the Polavaram irrigation project.

The minister also announced a backward region grant for three districts of the state. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is a key ally of the BJP in the Centre. Political parties from Andhra Pradesh have protested time and again since 2014 demanding special category status for the state. Special category status is a classification of regions or states by the central government to provide special assistance in the form of tax benefits and financial support for the development of the region.