Nitish congratulates Centre for 'balanced' budget despite COVID challenges

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday congratulated the Centre for coming out with a''balanced'' budget for the financial year 2021-2022 despiteconstraints on revenue collection in the wake of COVID-19pandemic.

He also hailed Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's proposal to increase the budgetary outlay forhealth to over Rs 2.23 lakh crore in FY22 from Rs 94,452 croreestimated in the current fiscal.

Kumar said the centre presented a Rs 34.8 lakh crorebudget for 2021-22, which is more than the estimated totalexpenditure of Rs 30.42 lakh crore in the current financialyear, and proposed to increase the capital spending by 34.5per cent to Rs 5.5 lakh crore.

''It is a welcome budget given the COVID-19 pandemicand constraints on revenue collection. I congratulate thecentral government for presenting a balanced budget,'' Kumar,who is heading the NDA government in Bihar, said in astatement.

Kumar hailed the announcement to exempt pensioners,who are of 75 years of age or above, from filing tax returns.

The Union finance minister said in the budget that theexemption would be made available to such senior citizens whohave only interest income apart from their pension.

The proposal to provide LPG cylinders to one croreadditional households under the Ujjwala scheme is a welcomestep, Kumar, the de facto leader of BJP's NDA ally JD(U),said.

The Ujjwala scheme has benefited eight crore poorhouseholds across the country.

He also said the proposed scheme for 'Mega InvestmentTextiles Parks' will not only provide employment but also helpboost exports from the country.

The Union finance minister announced that seventextile parks with world-class infrastructure would be set upover the next three years.

Kumar said the centre is promoting solar and renewableenergy and will provide financial assistance to check airpollution, which is an encouraging step to save the country'senvironment.

The Bihar government has already decided to install''pre-paid smart meter'', the CM said, adding that the centrehas also decided to extend it further.