Comment: Nitish Kumar

Nothing in it for Bihar

The budget for 2011-12 has sops only for election-bound states. We in Bihar are especially disappointed.

For several months, we have been agitating for special category status for Bihar. There is no promise to address that in the union budget. The state’s demand for Rs 4,000 crore per annum from the Centre under the Backward Region Grant Fund in the next five year plan too had been ignored.

There is no proposal to promote agriculture in the state which has an agro-based economy. I have serious reservations about funding for the proposed food security bill. The Centre has also failed to announce cash subsidy to beneficiaries for distribution of foodgrains. The allocation of Rs 21,000 crore for Sarva Siksha Abhiyan is too little to cater to the state’s needs.

Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister, Bihar