Bihar Budget: Tejashwi blasts govt, dy CM refutes charges

Bihar’s leader of opposition Tejashwi Yadav on Friday came down heavily on the Nitish Kumar-led state government, accusing it of ignoring the burning issue of unemployment in the budget and alleging rampant corruption in the implementation of government projects.

PATNA Bihar’s leader of opposition Tejashwi Yadav on Friday came down heavily on the Nitish Kumar-led state government, accusing it of ignoring the burning issue of unemployment in the budget and alleging rampant corruption in the implementation of government projects.

Leader of Opposrition Tejashwi Yadav comes out of the Bihar assembly on Friday. (Santosh Kumar/HT Photo)

Yadav was participating in the discussion on the state budget for fiscal 2022-23, which was tabled in the legislature earlier this week.

In his speech, Yadav took aim at the “prismatic model” of implementation of government programmes, which allows 10-15 departments to coordinate while “none has any accountability”.

“Time has come for refracted model of development. The chief minister on Thursday said he did not know so many students go to Ukraine and other countries for higher education. After 17 years, he should know why they go? The meagre enrolment in higher education in the state, which is the youngest in the country with 1.25 crore of its population in the 18-23 age-group, gives the answer. Bihar has the highest drop-out rate in school. Academic sessions in universities are perennially delayed and degrees are seldom given before five years. The per capita expenditure on education is also the lowest,” he said, adding the government could not pat its back just by trumpeting increase in budget size.

Repeating his frequent taunt that CM Kumar was tired and exhausted, Yadav said the Niti Ayog report had exposed Bihar’s claims of progress by putting it at the bottom of the multi-dimensional poverty index. “Still, special status demand remains on the back burner. Another report says that income of farmers is the lowest in Bihar at ₹42000/annum, while it is ₹77,124 nationally. In Bihar, 22 of the 38 districts have more than 50% people poor, while 11 districts have more than 61%. Yet Bihar has the costliest electricity and the lowest per capita consumption, which is lower than even Manipur and Nagaland. I was surprised to hear an MP claiming that 90% people get tap water in the state. Just look around yourself constituency to find the true answer. Don’t be so far removed from realities,” he said.

The 32-year-old RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) scion said unemployment was alarming in the state, where most of the graduates were facing joblessness. “This was the reason why I had announced to give 10 lakh jobs if my party was voted to power. I know vacancies have been there for years and budgetary allocation to departments remains unutilised. There are youths waiting for jobs as teachers and technical staff since 2013. The budget has no long-term vision or policy blueprint for creating employment by starting closed sugar mills, developing IT parks or special economic zones or setting up industries. As a result, there is huge migration — be it for education, jobs or health reasons — while the CM is content expressing surprise,” he said, adding that his party would demand the old pension scheme to be started for employees and social security pension to be increased to a minimum of ₹1,000.

In his reply, deputy chief minister and finance minister Tarkishore Prasad said government was committed to making a developed and prosperous Bihar.

Prasad said the government’s focus on inclusive, sustainable and all-round development was reflected in the budget. “Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the government wants to maintain high trajectory growth, with emphasis on health, education, industry, agriculture, infrastructure development and welfare measures. The ‘seven resolves’ of the government have been able to touch every life, especially the youth of the state. There is also commitment to ensure water to every farm and work has begun on it,” he said.