Education dept gets highest allocation in over Rs 2.18 lakh cr Bihar budget

The Bihar government on Monday presented a budget of over Rs 2.18 lakh crore for 2021-22 fiscal in the Assembly, with highest allocation of Rs 38,035.93 crore for the education sector in the state, an 8 per cent increase from the previous fiscal.

This was the first budget presented after the State Legislative Assembly elections of last year.

Deputy Chief Minister Tarkishore Prasad, who holds the finance portfolio, presented the revenue-surplus budget in the House.

"We have presented a budget of Rs 2,18,302.70 crore for 2021-22, which is Rs 6,541.21 crore more than the total estimates for the current fiscal. The revenue surplus is estimated at Rs 9,195.90 crore," he said while presenting the budget.

In the budget, the state government made the highest allocation of Rs 38,035.93 crore for the education sector, followed by Rs 16,835.67 crore for rural development, Rs 15,227.74 crore for roads, Rs 13,264.87 crore for health and Rs 8,560.00 crore for the energy sector.

An allocation of Rs 4,671 crore has been made for the second phase of 'Saat Nischay' (seven resolves) programme, which was implemented immediately after Nitish Kumar-led NDA was back in power in the state in November last year.

The Rs 2.7 lakh crore 'Saat Nishchay' (Seven Resolves) scheme was announced by Nitish Kumar before the 2015 Assembly elections for the first time and he had promised to implement the second phase of the programme if voted to power in the last assembly polls. Electricity, sewage connection, toilets, piped drinking water, health infrastructure and metallic roads, water to farmer's field were some of the components of the scheme.

"The Deputy Chief Minister has presented the budget. In the budget, it has been proposed to spend more money on health and education. The budget has taken care of every sector. Despite the impact on the world economic situation due to coronavirus, we want to carry forward all the work," Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar told the media after the budget presentation.

However, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Bihar and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav termed the budget as a "failed" budget.

"The Bihar government does not provide appointment letters even after a court order. What is the blueprint for creating 20 million jobs? There is no discussion on stopping migration. In every way, the budget of the Bihar government has failed," he said.

( With inputs from ANI )