'Sarkaar bachani hai toh...' : Akhilesh Yadav jabs Modi govt 3.0 as Sitharaman announces huge sops for Bihar, Andhra Pradesh

Akhilesh Yadav, Kannauj MP and Samajwadi Party chief, on Tuesday attacked the NDA government as Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced huge sops for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh. Yadav claimed huge sops given to these two states are good to enough save the government. 

He also questioned the Centre over the fact that no budgetary allocations were made for Uttar Pradesh whatsoever.

The Kannauj MP said while speaking to reporters: "If the government has to be saved, it is a good thing that Bihar and Andhra Pradesh have been linked with special schemes. But in Uttar Pradesh, which gives the country a Prime Minister, have any big decisions been made for the farmers there? Are there any arrangements for the production and price of the farmer's crop?" 

Yadav further said that public will not get any major benefit until and unless permanent jobs are arranged for farmers. He also questioned the government on how they plan to reduce the unemployment levels that have risen in the last 10 years. 

In her Budget 2024-25 speech, Sitharaman announced a huge financial assistance package for Andhra Pradesh and massive projects for Bihar. Both Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal United (JDU) are key NDA allies at the Centre. 

Nirmala Sitharaman's announcements for Andhra Pradesh

Sitharaman said that in the current FY, Rs 15,000 crore will be arranged for meeting the southern state's capital requirements and additional amounts will also be arranged in future years. Furthermore, the Union Finance Minister said that the Centre was committed to financing and early completion of critical projects in Andhra Pradesh such as the Polavaram irrigation project.  

"Our government is fully committed to financing and early completion of the Polavaram irrigation project, which is the lifeline for Andhra Pradesh and its farmers. This will facilitate our country's food security as well," she said. 

She announced additional budgetary allocation for capital investment on the Vishakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor and the Hyderabad-Chennai Industrial Corridor. Sitharaman also announced grants for backward regions in Andhra -- Rayalaseema, Prakasam and North Coastal Andhra -- as prescribed in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. 

Bihar gets industrial nod, road connectivity projects

The Finance Minister on Tuesday announced an industrial nod in Bihar's Gaya on Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor, stating that this would catalyse the development in the eastern region of the state. She also announced road connectivity projects for the state at a cost outlay of Rs 26,000 crore. 

"We will also support the development of road connectivity projects- Patna -Purnea expressway, Buxar- Bhagalpur highway, Bodhgaya- Rajgir-Vaishali- Darbhanga, and an additional two-lane bridge over river Ganga in Buxar for Rs 26,000 crores," Sitharaman said. 

Sitharaman further announced a cost outlay of Rs 21,400 crore for power projects in the state. Apart from this, Sitharaman also allocated Rs 11,500 crore towards flood relief measures in Bihar. New airports, medical facilities and sports infra projects will also be set up in the northern state.