Budget 2025: Makhana Board, New Technical Institutes—Bihar Gets a Wave of Development

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made several important announcements regarding the development of Bihar while presenting the Narendra Modi government's Budget 2025 in Parliament. The minister said in the budget speech that a Makhana Board will be set up in Bihar, which will accelerate the promotion of agriculture by providing training to Makhana producing farmers.

Improvement in agriculture and food technology

The Finance Minister said that the establishment of Makhana Board will provide better technical and management training to the farmers, which will increase Makhana production. Along with this, National Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management Institute (Food Technology Institute) will also be established in Bihar, which aims to speed up the work of food processing in the eastern region. This initiative is expected to improve the income of farmers and increase skill training and employment opportunities for the youth.

Investment in education and infrastructure

The budget also makes a provision to increase the hostel capacity at IIT Patna. There are hopes of large-scale development in Bihar from this budget of the central government, especially when preparations for the assembly elections in the state are also gaining momentum this year.

The central government is keeping an eye on the demands of the state.

In the recent meeting of the Finance Minister with the states, Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Chaudhary had presented several demands in writing, including additional special economic assistance, new expressways and high-speed corridors. At the same time, announcements related to new railway lines and water transport are also expected in Bihar. Nitish government minister Sumit Kumar Singh also said that technical educational institutions like new IITs and NITs should be announced in the state, as well as there is a possibility of inauguration of new airports to expand air services.

Referring to the Mithila painting on the saree worn by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the budget speech, there are reports that this special design indicates that there may be a special focus on Bihar in the budget speech. These initiatives of the central government are expected to open new dimensions of development in Bihar, which is expected to improve the economic and educational structure of the state.