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Union Budget 2025: The Budget 2025 presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharman in the Parliament on Friday had a big pie for Bihar, where assembly elections are scheduled later this year.
Nirmala Sitharaman announced greenfield airports, a new National Institute of Technology (NIT) and an expansion of IIT Patna, among other announcements for Bihar, where assembly elections are scheduled anytime between October and November 2025.
Incidentally, Nirmala Sitharaman wore an off-white handloom Madhubani silk saree gifted to her by Padma Shri awardee Dulari Devi, a Bihar-based artist. Madhubani art is a traditional folk art form from the Mithila region of Bihar.
The announcements for poll-bound Bihar in Union Budget 2025 include:
National Institute of Food Technology: Nirmala Sitharaman said that a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management will be set up in Bihar to provide a boost to food processing activities in the Eastern region.
Western Kosi Canal: Sitharaman said financial support will be provided for the western Kosi Canal, which will benefit 50,000 hectares in the Mithilanchal region in Bihar.
IIT Patna: The FM also announced that IIT Patna will be expanded.
Greenfield airports: Greenfield airports will be set up in Bihar, the FM said.
Makhana board: The FM announced that a Makhana Board will also be set up in Bihar.
"A Makhana Board will be established in the state to improve production, processing, value addition and marketing of Makhana. The Board will provide handholding and training support to Makhana farmers and will also work to ensure they receive the benefits of all relevant government schemes," she said.
This year, Bihar submitted a 32-page memorandum to Nirmala Sitharaman urging the Centre to allocate generous funds for its development.
The Bihar announcements were also discussed on social media. “Is this the Bihar State Budget???” asked political analyst Sumanth Raman in a post on X.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal United is BJP’s alliance partner in the state and at centre. The two parties intend to contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections together unless Nitish wants to switch over again as he has done in the past.
In last year’s budget, the Modi government had announced several major projects in Bihar. The Finance Minister had announced plans to develop expressways connecting Patna to Purnea, Buxar to Bhagalpur, and Bodhgaya to Darbanga, with a total budget of ₹2,600 crore. A new two-lane bridge over the Ganga in Buxar and a 2,400 MW power plant in Pirpainti, Bhagalpur, were also announced in the last budget.
The Budget also included a ₹11,500 crore allocation for flood control measures to protect Bihar from recurring flood damage. Further development included the creation of temple corridors at Gaya and Rajgir to boost tourism.
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