Budget 2024: Help for flood-hit states announced in the budget, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar get a big share

New Delhi: In the first budget of the third term of the NDA government, help was announced for the flood-hit states, but there was no mention of Manipur in the budget speech. On May 3, 2023, ethnic violence broke out in Manipur in which more than 220 people were killed and more than 50 thousand people were displaced. The situation has still not returned to normal there. Congress MP from Inner Manipur Angomcha Akoijam also raised questions about this. The MP wrote in a social media post that – the missing name is Manipur, this is what the budget speaks. There is no package for flood relief and rehabilitation for internally displaced persons.

Finance Minister mentioned the flood

In the budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman mentioned the damage caused by floods and heavy rains in Bihar, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and announced help from the central government. However, nothing was said about the damage caused by floods in Manipur. While presenting the budget, the Finance Minister said that Assam has been battling floods for the last two years. In such a situation, the state will get financial help. Apart from this, financial help will be given to compensate for the loss caused by last year’s flood in Sikkim.

The Finance Minister said that more than 100 branches of India Post Payment Bank (IPPB) will be set up in the North-East. The budget said that for the development of Andhra Pradesh, Rs 15,000 crore will be arranged in the current financial year and future years for the development of the state capital. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the government will also provide special financial assistance for the development of the capital city. Apart from this, the Center allocated more than three lakh crore rupees for schemes benefiting women and girls. Sitharaman said that she is fully committed to completing and financing the Polavaram irrigation project. Backward region grants were also announced for three districts of the state.

Many announcements for Bihar in the budget

Many big steps were taken for Bihar in the budget. In these, an expenditure of more than Rs 60,000 crore was proposed for various projects in the state. These include plans for three expressways, a power plant, heritage corridors, new airport and sports infrastructure. The Finance Minister has announced the Purvodaya Scheme. The Center has announced the Purvodaya Scheme for the development of eastern states like Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. Under this, focus will be given on human resource development, infrastructure development.