Modi’s friends get special treatment

As both TDP and JDU played an instrumental role in helping the BJP led NDA scrape through victory with a slender majority at the centre and retain power for the third consecutive term, there have been high expectations on the much-awaited Union Budget with respect to Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. Moreover, the way Modi and his cabinet held deliberations with both  Chief Ministers Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar after the election results hinted that there will be special treatment for their states in this Budget.   

On the expected lines, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman made sure that the Union Budget honors the financial help sought by the alliance partners to some extent, if not fully. The incentives offered and the budget earmarked for both AP and Bihar point to the fact that the Modi’s government want to keep its allies content and satisfied so that they will continue their allegiance in the coming days without any deviation. 

It is known fact that AP CM Naidu visited Delhi several times in the last few weeks after the formation of new government and requested to grant adequate funds in the budget to revive the fortunes of the state which has been reeling under debts and lack of development in the last five years. He sought the intervention of the centre for development of capital, completion of Polavaram, grant of infrastructure, setting up industrial corridors, speed up Bhogapuram Airport, improvement of backward districts etc. He has reportedly put forward an earnest request for nearly 1 lakh crores for all these aspects.   

Though all the promises have not been realised, the Modi’s government made its intention clear with regard to Andhra Pradesh. They allotted 15000 Crores for Amaravati and also announced that Polavaram project will be given high priority. The Finance Minister also gaveassurances of further funds in subsequent years. Emphasising the commitment to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, she pledged grants for the backward regions of the state.

For Bihar, Sitharaman revealed plans for new airports, medical colleges, and sports infrastructure. She assured that their requests to multilateral banks would be fast-tracked. Additionally, Rs 26,000 crore has been earmarked for highways in Bihar, including the Patna-Purnia, Buxar-Bhagalpur, and Bodhgaya-Rajgir-Vaishali-Darbhanga Expressway, along with a new two-lane bridge over the Ganga in Buxar. A 2,400 MW power plant and an industrial corridor node in Gaya were also announced.

Overall, both AP and Bihar seem to have benefitted better than other states in this budget. The centre government appeared keen to appease its alliance partners by giving a special treatment to Modi’s friends, Naidu and Nitish Kumar.