Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Tarkishore Prasad, on Monday presented a budget of Rs 2.37 lakh crore with prime focus on education, health, infrastructure and social sectors. The state government also showed green-light to 151 ethanol units.
Presenting the Rs 2,37,691 crore budget for 2022-23 as against the previous Rs 2.17 lakh crore budget, the finance minister said while education department has been allocated Rs 39,191 crore budget, health department Rs 16,134 cr budget, Rs 15,456 crore for rural development, Rs 14372 crore for home department and Rs 11,475 crore for energy.
The government expects a growth rate of 7.9 per cent in 2022-23 financial year. No new tax has been imposed.
Among pet government schemes, the finance minister told the Bihar Legislative Assembly: “We have set apart Rs 700 crore for students credit card scheme, Rs 200 crore for self-help grant to youths seeking employment, Rs 1,110 crore on Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal scheme, Rs 225 crore for skilled youth programme. The six sutras of this budget are health, education, investment in agriculture, agriculture and thrust on strengthening rural-urban infrastructure”.
Prasad added that the government had invited investment of Rs 800 crore so far and would set up 151 ethanol units. He said though Bihar also had to suffer huge financial constraints due to three successive waves of the pandemic, it was still heartening to record the best growth rate among states. “A loan of Rs 1 lakh crore would be interest-free in 2022-23,” said the finance minister.
The state government said it had given given anti-Covid vaccine to eight crore people. The state recorded C:D ratio of 5.2 per cent. As per Economic Survey Report 2022-22, there had been 33.4 per cent increase in enrolment of scheduled caste children below eight years between 2012-13 and 2019-20.
