Patna, Mar 3 (PTI) With Bihar elections scheduled later this year, the Nitish Kumar government on Monday presented a comprehensive budget of Rs 3.17 lakh-crore, unveiling key initiatives focused on women’s empowerment, farmer support, infrastructure development and prioritising student welfare.

Presenting the budget on the floor of the assembly, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who holds the finance portfolio, told the House that the budget, the total size of which was Rs 38,169 crore more than the last fiscal, is inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'margdarshan' (guidance) and the CM's 'netritva' (leadership).

The NDA government in the state has decided to allocate substantial funds for women empowerment schemes and entrepreneurship, Choudhary said.

"For marriage of poor girls of marriageable age, the government will set up 'Kanya Vivah Mandaps' in all panchayats. The government will set up a ‘mahila haat’ (women’s marketplace) in Patna and reserve space for women in vending zones in major cities in the state," he added.

"Dedicated pink buses for women will operate in major cities, in which the driver, passengers and the conductor will be women. Besides, ‘pink toilets’ in all districts will be constructed for women. Twenty such toilets will be built within a month in the state," Choudhary added.

The government will also start ‘gym-on-wheels’ in Patna, in which trainers will be women only, he added.

The government also announced that hostels will be set up for working women in major cities.

Choudhary said the government will provide 33 per cent reservation for women in jobs at the Bihar State Road Transport Corporation. Additionally, he said, the government will offer a subsidy to women for purchasing e-rickshaws.

"The government has received enormous support from the people of the state in its bid to achieve the goal of a ‘samriddh Bihar’, which is essential to achieve the prime minister’s goal of a ‘viksit Bihar’", he added.

"Modi’s vision of ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas aur sabka prayas’ and the CM’s motto of ‘nyay ke saath vikas’ have been the twin guiding principles behind the budget. We are making progress, leaving behind years of anarchy," said the senior BJP leader, in an apparent dig at the opposition RJD-Congress combine.

Speaking about budgetary allocations for different sectors, Choudhary said Rs 60,964 crore has been set aside for education, which is of crucial importance in the densely populated state with a relatively young demographic.

The government has also decided to increase the scholarship amount from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 per month for students from Class 1 to Class 10, he said, adding that the government will also ensure the opening of at least one degree college in all 534 blocks in the state.

He said Rs 20,335 crore has been allocated for the health sector, while Rs 17,831 crore will be given to the home department, which is responsible for law and order, improvement in which has been the most talked about achievement of the NDA government.

The FM said greenfield airports will be built at Sultanganj and Raxaul, in Bhagalpur and East Champaran districts, respectively, and the airport at Purnea will become operational within three months.

In a bid to strengthen the health network in the state, a dedicated cancer hospital has been proposed for Begusarai district.

The budget also spoke of the government's resolve to make the registration of property easier.

In his speech, Choudhary also mentioned the cooperation received by the state from the Centre and thanked it for the many announcements made for Bihar in the Union budget.

"The state has a revenue surplus of Rs 8,831.18 crore during 2025-26, which is 0.80 per cent of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). The GSDP estimate is Rs 10,97,264 crore for the year 2025-26. The fiscal deficit has been estimated at Rs 32,718.31 crore, which is 2.98 per cent of GSDP estimate at Rs 10,97,264 crore for the year 2025-26," he said.

"The fiscal deficit has been estimated at Rs 32,718.31 crore, which is 2.98 per cent of the GSDP estimate at Rs 10,97,264 crore for the year 2025-26. For the year 2025-26, revenue surplus is Rs 8,831.18 crore. This revenue surplus will be used for investment in physical infrastructure, generating productive capital assets like roads, buildings, power, schools, health centers, irrigation schemes, etc.," he said.

A provision of Rs 13,368.47 crore has been made for the welfare of SC & ST, Minority, OBC and most backward classes (MBC) and social welfare for the year 2025-26.

The government will open migration counselling-cum-registration centres in cities like Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, NCT of Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, Surat, Ludhiana, Coimbatore, and Chennai for providing assistance to migrant labourers from Bihar outside the state, he added.

For the benefit of farmers, the state government, in association with NEFED and the National Cooperative Consumer Federation (NCCF), will fix the minimum support price of pulses, he said.

Later, talking to reporters, Choudhary said, "Bihar will continue to grow under the leadership of Modi and Nitish." As soon as Choudhary finished the budget, Bihar CM hugged him and congratulated him. Choudhary said, "Nitish Ji is our guardian… his praise means a lot for me. It was Nitish Kumar’s budget presented by me," Choudhary said. PTI NAC PKD RBT MNB