Union Budget 2024: Govt announces special packages for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presenting the Union Budget 2024 on Tuesday announced special packages for Andhra Pradesh and BiharThe Centre proposed an outlay of Rs 26000 crore for various road projects in BiharSpeaking in Parliament while presenting the Union Budget 2024 Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Union government will arrange financial assistance to Bihar through aid from multilateral development agencies reported PTIThe government will also set up airports medical colleges and sports infrastructure in Bihar she saidThe Centre will also formulate a plan Purvodaya for the allround development of Bihar Jharkhand West Bengal Odisha and Andhra PradeshSitharaman further said the government will support industrial corridor for development in the eastern regionThe finance minister also said the government will provide evouchers directly to 1 lakh students every year with interest subvention of 3 per cent of the loan amountThe government announced a series of measures for the development of Andhra Pradesh including arranging Rs 15000 crore this fiscal and in future years for the development of the capital city of the state reported PTIPresenting Union Budget 2024 Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government will also facilitate special financial support for the development of the capital cityBesides the Centre allocated over Rs 3 lakh crore for schemes benefiting women and girls and stated that it is fully committed to the completion and financing of the Polavaram irrigation project reported PTIThe minister also announced a backward region grant for three districts of the stateThe Telugu Desam Party TDP is a key ally of the BJP in the CentrePolitical parties from Andhra Pradesh have protested time and again since 2014 demanding special category status for the stateSpecial category status is a classification of regions or states by the central government to provide special assistance in the form of tax benefits and financial support for the development of the regionMeanwhile Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced nine priorities in the Union Budget 202425 for generating ample opportunities in the economyThe nine priorities include productivity jobs social justice urban development energy security infrastructure innovation and reformsPresenting her seventh straight budget Sitharaman said the government undertakes a comprehensive review of research to develop climateresilient seedsIn the next two years one crore farmers will be initiated in natural farming she saidLargescale vegetable production clusters would be promoted to increase output she statedThe government will release new 109 highyielding climateresilient seeds for 32 field and horticulture cropsAccording to her the implementation of various schemes announced in the interim budget in February is still underwayWith inputs from PTI