Finance Minister Announces Major Aid for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled substantial support for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, focusing on infrastructure and financial assistance. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and JDU MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh welcomed the aid, anticipating significant growth for their state. The budget also addresses commitments to Andhra Pradesh's capital needs.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced substantial aid for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday, focusing on infrastructure development and special financial support.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar remarked that he had long advocated for either a special status or a package for Bihar. 'I have continuously spoken for this (special status), I told them as well (NDA). They have now announced aid for a lot of things,' he stated. Kumar acknowledged that the provision for special status was removed earlier and hence, in lieu of that, aid has been granted.

JDU MP and Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh emphasized the positive impact of the schemes on Bihar's growth, citing abundant packages in various sectors such as infrastructure, tourism, and irrigation.

Sitharaman also highlighted key infrastructure projects in her Budget speech, including the Amritsar-Kolkata industrial corridor and multiple significant road connectivity projects totaling Rs 26,000 crore. Additional initiatives include a new 2400 MW power plant at Pirpainti at a cost of Rs 21,400 crore.

For Andhra Pradesh, Sitharaman reaffirmed the government's commitment to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act by announcing financial support through multilateral agencies. 'In the current FY, Rs 15,000 crore will be arranged with additional amounts in future years,' she noted.