Image Source : PTI Nirmala Sitharaman presents Budget 2025.
During the Budget 2025 presentation, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Bihar will get new airport and the current Patna airport will be expanded. These announcements were made in the Parliamnet as Bihar remained in focus in the Union Budget 2025-26 with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman making several announcements for the state, including setting up of a Makhana Board, financial support for the western Kosi canal and support for enhancing the capacity of IIT Patna.
Bihar, currently ruled by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), will go to polls later this year.
Presenting the Budget in the Lok Sabha, the finance minister also announced that the Centre will set up a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Management in Bihar, besides facilitating greenfield airports in the state to meet future needs.
“A Makhana Board will be established in Bihar to improve production and processing of the nut,” Sitharaman said in her Budget speech.
She also said the Centre will provide financial support to the state for the western Kosi canal, benefiting 50,000 hectares in the Mithilanchal region.
The Centre will create additional infrastructure in five IITs and provide support for enhancing the capacity of IIT Patna.
Emphasizing the UDAN scheme, Sitharaman said that it has enabled 1.5 crore middle-class people to meet their aspiration for speedier travel.
“The scheme has connected 88 ports, and airports and operationalized 619 routes,” she said while announcing a modified version of the scheme.
“Udaan has Inspired by that success, a modified Udaan scheme will be launched to enhance regional connectivity to 120 new destinations and carry four crore passengers in the next 10 years. The scheme will also support helipads and smaller airports in hilly aspirational and northeastern regional districts,” FM Sitharaman said.
In her budget speech, she said Budget 2025 continues the government’s efforts to accelerate growth, inclusive development, private sector investments, uplift household sentiments, and enhance the spending power of India’s rising middle-class.
The budget session of parliament that began on January 31 and, according to schedule, will end on April 4. The budget speech outlined the government’s fiscal policies, revenue and expenditure proposals, taxation reforms, and other significant announcements
(With inputs from agencies)
