Bihar's Ambitious Budget: Growth, Empowerment & Critiques

Bihar's Finance Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav unveiled a comprehensive and growth-oriented Budget for 2026-27, emphasizing empowerment, skill development, and women's opportunities. Amidst opposition walkouts, Yadav highlighted rapid economic progress and increased social service expenditure, while opposition criticized it for lacking new welfare schemes and addressing security concerns.

Bihar Finance Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav presented a comprehensive and growth-oriented Budget for 2026-27, aiming to empower women, provide opportunities for every family, and emphasize skill development for youth. The Budget, which amounts to Rs 3,47,589.78 crore, reflects a significant increase from the previous fiscal's allocation.

Discussion in the Assembly saw Yadav asserting the state's impressive 14.9 percent growth rate, citing policy initiatives by the NDA government that promise to generate surplus revenue. However, this did not sway the opposition, who criticized the Budget for lacking new welfare schemes and not addressing security issues.

Amidst the debate, the opposition staged a walkout, while Yadav maintained that the state government remains committed to social and economic growth. Emphasizing women's empowerment, Yadav praised schemes like the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana, noting the economic benefits received by 1.56 crore women in the state.

(With inputs from agencies.)