BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav today said Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's 'Saat Nischay' (seven resolves) as part of 2016-17 state Budget, was nothing "new" as they were part of 'Sushashan Ke Karyakram 2010-2015' of the previous government.
"They (grand secular alliance) are trumpeting 'Saat Nischay' as something which is new. Except one or two measures, all others announced in 'Saat Nischay' have already found place in 'Sushashan Ke Karyakram 2010-2015' during his (Nitish's) previous regime," Yadav said during a debate on Bihar Budget.
Be it providing electricity, pucca road and drainage, piped water supply and construction of toilets for all, Yadav said all measures were already mentioned in 'Sushashan Ke Karyakram 2010-2015'.
The Chief Minister's ambitious 'Saat Nischay' scheme aims at making younger generation self-reliant through skill development, providing wi-fi connection in colleges and universities, education loan, electricity connection to all villages, providing piped water supply to every household and road and drainage in urban areas.
'Saat Nischay' got cabinet approval on February 19 before getting a place in the state Budget, which was presented on February 26 in the Bihar Assembly.
The senior BJP leader alleged as per 'Sushashan Ke Karyakram 2010-2015', the state government was supposed to provide power connection to all by 2016, but now it has been extended to 2018.
Similarly, all households were supposed to be already connected with pucca roads and drainage system, he said.
The state government had set the target of constructing toilets in every household in five years, Kishore Yadav said, adding the government could have constructed 48 lakh toilets out of 2.13 crore till date.
"Almost all measures of Sushashan Ke Karyakram 2010-2015 have been announced as 'Saat Nischay' as the Government of India is providing money for electrification, toilets and a sum of Rs 80 lakh to every panchayat," Yadav said.
Taking a swipe at both JD(U) and RJD, Yadav, a former minister, asked what happened to the progress of 'Karpoori Thakur Chhatravas Yojana' under which one hostel was to be built in every district.
The scheme was started in 2008-09 and only four hostels have been constructed while construction for four others was going on, he added.
Stating that the government should not pat its back for presenting a Rs 1.44 lakh crore budget, the BJP leader said the credit for bigger size of Budget goes to the Centre which took a decision that money allocated for centrally sponsored schemes would now reflect in the state's Budget.
Accusing the state government for opposing the Centre
for the sake of opposition, Yadav asked what was its own revenue.
Out of Rs 1.44 lakh crore, the state government's own revenue was expected to be Rs 29,730 crore in 2016-17 and the rest would come from the Central government in various forms, he said.
Yadav who countered the state government's claim that Bihar got less amount in the 14th Finance Commission, said the state would get Rs 4.09 lakh crore in five years against Rs 1.65 lakh crore as recommended by the 13th Finance Commission.
"It is the Narendra Modi government which accepted 14th Finance Commission's recommendations and increased the states' share from 32 to 42 per cent. Neither Narendra Modi nor the Centre decided the criteria as to which state would get what amount of money," Yadav said.
After Uttar Pradesh, Bihar got the highest allocation, even three times more than Gujarat, he stressed.
Yadav said implementing a 'special package' was his party's commitment and modalities were being worked out for it.
The state government would give its reply tomorrow on the state's Budget 2016-17.
