 "Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. File Photo")
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced a bag full of goodies for Bihar.
Sitharaman, presenting the Union Budget today (February 1) while wearing the famed Madhubani saree made in Bihar’s Mithila region, announced that a ‘Makhana board’ would be set up in the state.
Delivering a record eight straight Budget, Sitharaman also said a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management would be established, the Patna airport would be expanded and a new brownfield airport for the state.
Sitharaman was gifted the sari by Padma Shree Dulari Devi during her last visit to Bihar.
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But what do we know about the projects in Bihar? Why is the state ruled by the Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) in alliance with the BJP so much in focus?
Let’s take a closer look:
What do we know about the projects?
As per News18, Sitharaman announced the establishment of a ‘Makhana’ board to help farmers grow the superfood.
This will give a fillip to the production of Makhana in Bihar and help its processing.
Those cultivating Makhana – around 10 lakh people – will be organised into Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Sitharaman said.
“Makhana board to be set up in Bihar. The Board will handhold and train makhana farmers and help them get access to all relevant govt schemes,” Sitharaman was quoted as saying by Moneycontrol.
Around 85 per cent of India’s Makhana is grown in Bihar.
The state government had been asking the Centre for help in Makhana production including the announcement of a Minimum Support Price (MSP).
As per India Today, Sitharaman also said a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management would be established in Bihar.
“For food processing, we will establish a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar. This will result in enhanced income for farmers through value addition and skilling, entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for the youth,” Sitharaman was quoted as saying by Moneycontrol.
As per News18, Sitharaman said the capacity of the Indian Institute of Technology in Patna would be increased.
“IITs’ capacity will be expanded. Total number students in 23 IITs has increased 100 per cent from 65,000 to 1.35 lakh in the past 10 years. Additional infrastructure will be created in the five IITs started after 2014 and IIT Patna will also be expanded,” Sitharaman added.
As per India Today, Sitharaman also proposed support for the Western Kosi Canal ERM project in Bihar’s Mithilanchal region.
She said this would help several farmers cultivating over 50,000 hectares of land in the state.
Sitharaman said the Patna airport would be expanded and a new brownfield airport set up in Bihar.
Why is state in such focus?
The slew of projects come amid Assembly elections being due in Bihar in November 2025.
After the BJP did not get a majority on its own in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Nitish’s JD(U) and the Chandrababu Naidu TDP were crucial to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) forming the government at the Centre.
The JD(U) won 12 seats out of 16 seats it contested in Bihar during the Lok Sabha polls, while the TDP netted 16 seats of the 17 seats it contested in Andhra Pradesh in the Lok Sabha.
The BJP, which won 240 seats during the Lok Sabha polls, fell well short of its massive victory of 303 seats in 2019.
Their support helped the NDA cross the ‘magic mark’ of 272 seats in the Lok Sabha.
The aftermath of the polls saw the Centre allocate a massive Rs 26,000 crore for Bihar during the 2024 Budget.
Nitish, whose history of switching sides has earned him the sobriquet ‘Paltu Ram,’ is gearing up for another poll battle.
With inputs from agencies