Bihar appears to have got bonanza, why was Andhra ignored: Cong on Budget

Taking a swipe at the Modi government over its budget announcements, the Congress on Saturday said Bihar appears to have got a bonanza and asked why the other pillar of the NDA, Andhra Pradesh, has been so "cruelly ignored".

Bihar remained in focus in the presentation of the Union Budget for the fiscal 2025-26 with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman making several announcements for the state, including setting up of a Makhana Board, financial support for western Kosi canal and support for enhancing capacity of IIT Patna.

Presenting her record eighth Union Budget in the Lok Sabha, the finance minister also announced that the Centre will establish a National Institute of Food Technology, entrepreneurship and management in Bihar and also facilitate greenfield airports there to meet the future needs of the state.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said Bihar appears to have got a bonanza of announcements.

"It is natural since elections are due there later in the year. But why is (has) the other pillar of the NDA, namely Andhra Pradesh, been so cruelly ignored?" Ramesh said on X in an apparent reference to BJP allies JD(U) from Bihar and TDP from Andhra Pradesh.

The Congress leader also hit out at the government over announcements related to nutritional support programmes like Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0.

"The Finance Minister has announced the revision of cost norms in Saksham anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 -- after many years of turning down this demand. The FM has however not extended this announcement to - inclusion of breakfast in schools; provision of a glass of milk, as is done in Karnataka through the Ksheera Bhagya Scheme; upward revision in honorarium given to Anganwadi workers," he said.

"The Union Education and WCD Ministries themselves have been pushing for these proposals for years, only to be turned down by the Finance Ministry. What kind of investment in people is the Finance Minister envisioning without these basic provisions?" Ramesh said.

Sitharaman announced that cost norms for nutritional support programmes like Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 will be enhanced in the Union Budget 2025-26.

She said Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 programmes provide nutritional support to over 8 crore children, 1 crore pregnant and lactating women, and 20 lakh adolescent girls in aspirational districts and the northeast region.