Other bonanza in Budget 2024 for NDA-ruled Bihar, include setting up of a 2,400 MW power plant at Pirpainti, in Bhagalpur district, which “will be taken up at a cost of Rs 21,400 crore”.
Budget 2024: The Central government Tuesday announced a massive Rs 26,000 crore allotment for developing major road connectivity projects in Bihar. The allocations, made in the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, announced the Centre’s support for funding three key road projects–Patna-Purnea Expressway, Buxar-Bhagalpur Expressway, and Bodhgaya, Rajgir, Vaishali and Darbhanga spurs, in the state.
The allocated amount also includes funds for an additional two-lane bridge over river Ganga at Buxar. These four projects will have “a total cost of Rs 26,000 crore,” Sitharaman said.
A combined amount of Rs 60,000 crore was allocated by the Centre for various projects, which includes a power plant, heritage corridors, new airports and sports infrastructure, in Bihar.
Other bonanza for NDA-ruled Bihar, include setting up of a 2,400 MW power plant at Pirpainti, in Bhagalpur district, which “will be taken up at a cost of Rs 21,400 crore”. “New airports, medical colleges and sports infrastructure in Bihar will be constructed,” said Sitharaman.
In addition, the Centre would also help Bihar, which has frequently suffered from floods in many of rivers originating from Nepal.
“Our government, through the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme and other sources, will provide financial support for projects with estimated cost of Rs 11,500 crore such as the Kosi-Mechi intra-state link and 20 other ongoing and new schemes including barrages, river pollution abatement and irrigation projects,” she said.
The mammoth allocations are seen by many as part of BJP’s efforts to placate Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United), a key ally in the current NDA dispensation, after the government rejected its demand for a special category status to Bihar.
Transit-oriented dev plan for big cities
In related news, the government announced that a transit-oriented development plan is in the works for 14 large cities in the country with population of over 30 lakh. Making the announcements while presenting the Union Budget 2024-25 in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman said a framework will be formulated by the government for the creative redevelopment of cities.
Sitharaman also announced a Central assistance of Rs 2.2 lakh crore for urban housing over the next five years as well as an interest subsidy scheme to facilitate loans at affordable rates for urban housing works.
Further, the finance minister said the measures will be put in place by the Central government to ensure an efficient and transparent rental housing market with enhanced availability. She also proposed a scheme to support the development of 100 weekly haats or street food hubs in select cities.
(With PTI inputs)