Vaishali (Bihar) [India], February 1 : Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday 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..."
"Just look at TDP supremo Chandra Babu Naidu, who managed to secure benefits to the tune of Rs 2 lakh crore for Andhra Pradesh but Nitish Kumar has not been able to provide anything to Bihar. CM seems to be not in his senses and has lost the ability to discern where not to clap his hands," said Yadav.
Another RJD leader and Rajya Sabha MP responding to the announcement of the formation of the Makhana Board, said, "Google and see if Makhana Board existed earlier or not... This is an old material with new packaging ..."
Meanwhile, responding to Tejaswi Yadav's statement, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh says, "... Makhana is one of the oldest produce, the marketing of which is happening in the entire world, and the formation of Makhana Board for the development, value addition and increasing its export, is this old packaging?... Is the announcement of Greenfield Airport and IIT expansion, the formation of institutes for food processing old packaging? He will not understand, he and his parents have no interest in the development of Bihar..."
In her budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced several sops for Bihar where assembly polls are due towards the end of this year.
She announced that Greenfield airports will be felicitated in Bihar in addition to the expansion of the capacity of the Patna Airport and a brownfield airport in Bihta. Sitharaman said, "Greenfield airports will be felicitated in Bihar to meet the future needs of the state. These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport in Bihta."
She also highlighted the Western Kosi Canal ERM project in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar. "Financial support will be provided for the Western Kosi Canal ERM project benefitting a large number of farmers cultivating over 50,000 hectares of land in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar," she said.