Budget neglects Bihar, says chief minister

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and senior JD-U leader Nitish Kumar on Thursday said the NDA government's first budget disappointed Bihar as it neglected the needs of the state.

They said the budget was routine and there was nothing new or special for a backward state like Bihar.

"The budget has disappointed Bihar as there is nothing special for us," Manjhi said.

He said Bihar's demand for a special status was also ignored in the budget.

"There was no reference to accord a special category status to Bihar, which is a backward and poor state," former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar told the media.

"It is a clear indication that good days will not come," he said.

Nitish Kumar said the budget's thrust was to help developed states, ignoring and neglecting poor and backward states.

"The budget has taken care of rich states but poor and backward states were left in the lurch. There was no reference on how to help Bihar sustain a high growth rate," he said, adding the Economic Survey on Wednesday said the state's per capita income had increased in the last few years.

Nitish Kumar said Bihar will not benefit from the budget as its interests neither in agriculture nor in tourism or heritage sector were addressed.

"There is no reference to help upcoming international Nalanda University, which is a central government project in Nalanda district," he said.