Nitish govt’s last Budget before polls: Education gets top outlay; outreach to SCs, EBCs & OBCs

Education got the highest allocation of Rs 60,964 crore. “Currently out of 534 blocks of Bihar, 358 blocks lack degree colleges… one degree college will be opened in a phase-wise manner in each of those districts,” the Finance Minister said.

The Health Department has remained among the top five priority areas of the Nitish government since 2005-06, getting an allocation of Rs 20,035.80 crore this time with an aim of setting up medical centers in urban areas, particularly targeting underserved populations in slum areas.

The Budget has also allocated Rs 13,368 crore for several welfare schemes of SCs, STs, minorities, OBCs and MBCs.

The key support base of the NDA, led by the BJP and the JD(U), includes sections of the EBCs and OBCs, which together account for about 63% of the population in the state. The Budget has allocated Rs 19,648 crore for various welfare schemes for the SCs and the STs, who make up over 20% of the state’s population.

The government has earmarked Rs 3,303 crore for student scholarships whose 90% beneficiaries belong to the OBC, EBC and SC communities. Choudhary said the state government will double pre-matric scholarships for general, SC, ST, BC and EBC students.

As about 90% of the people from the OBCs and EBCs live in villages, the NDA government has allotted significant funds for the development of rural infrastructure that mainly involves roads, electricity, water supply and building construction. The Rural Development department has been allocated funds of  Rs 16,093 crore.

The Budget has allocated Rs 5,972 crore for the CM’s pet scheme Saat Nischay-II, a development plan meant to make Bihar atmanirbhar (self-reliant), which involves construction and repair of village roads, drains, cleanliness drive, education loan, assistance allowance for unemployed youth, employment, and skill development programmes for women.

In line with the Nitish government’s focus on women empowerment, the Budget has proposed establishment of a “mahila haat (women’s marketplace)” in Patna, setting up “pink toilets” in all districts and running “pink buses” in major cities.

Choudhary also proposed the setting up of “Kanya Vivah Mandaps” in all panchayats to “help poor rural families with girls of marriageable age”. He announced the establishment of hostels for working women in major cities.

The Budget includes Rs 17,908.18 crore for rural and urban road development, with the government planning to improve transportation links by connecting all district headquarters to Patna with four-lane highways by 2027.

Choudhary announced that three greenfield airports will be built in Rajgir, Sultanganj, and Raxaul, with smaller airports planned for 7 other cities including Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur, Madhubani and Supaul.

He said that the state’s revenue expenditure for 2025-26 is estimated at Rs 2.52 lakh crore, with capital expenditure projected at Rs 64,894 crore. A fiscal deficit of Rs 32,718 crore is expected.

JD (U) MLC and spokesperson Neeraj Kumar told The Indian Express: “We have reached out to the women constituency by proposing several new initiatives such as opening the women driver training centers in major cities. The provision of 33% quota has been made for women in the State Road Transport Corporation. We have looked at rural Bihar with a special focus on the SCs, OBCs and EBCs.”