The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar tabled the Budget for 2025-26 on Monday, which proposed several women-centric schemes and committed to create jobs in the state. The Bihar Assembly polls are scheduled for October-November.

       Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who holds the finance portfolio, tabled a Rs 3.17 trillion Budget in the Assembly, which he said was Rs 38,169 crore more than the last financial year (FY25). He acknowledged the support to the state from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Budget 2025-26.

       The state Budget has allocated Rs 60,964 crore for the education sector, which is up from Rs 54,605 crore (BE) in 2024-25 Budget. The highlights, however, were the schemes for women’s empowerment. The government has proposed to set up a “mahila haat” (women's marketplace) in Patna, “pink toilets” in all districts, and “pink buses”, where the driver and conductor will be women, in major cities. It has said 33 per cent of jobs in the state transport corporation will be reserved for women. “We also propose the establishment of “Kanya Vivah Mandaps” in all panchayats, which will serve the needs of poor rural families with girls of marriageable age,” Choudhary said.

       In Bihar’s 2020 Assembly elections, held in the aftermath of the Covid-forced return migration of workers to the state, the overall result was decided by a mere 12,768 votes of 41.43 million cast. The Janata Dal United-Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA clinched 125 of 243 seats, with a 37.26 per cent vote share, narrowly beating the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)-led Mahagathbandhan (MGB), which secured 110 seats and 37.23 per cent of votes.

       According to the post-poll survey by think tank CSDS-Lokniti, the difference between the two alliances was the greater support that the NDA had received from the women electorate, especially those in the 18-39 age group, while younger men had voted in greater numbers for the MGB. A feature of the last three Assembly polls in Bihar is the high percentage of the turnout of women electors. In 2020, 59.7 per cent of women electors voted compared to 54.6 per cent of men electors.

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       Chhattisgarh Budget

       In Raipur, the Chhattisgarh government on Monday presented a Rs 1.65 trillion state Budget for 2025-26, proposing to cut the tax on petrol by Re 1, undertake a survey for inter-linking of rivers, and focus on the development of Bastar, a hotbed of Naxal activity.

       The government said it expected an 11 per cent increase in its income without imposing any new taxes. Finance Minister OP Choudhary said allocation for capital expenditure has been increased by 18 per cent compared to the previous year. The Budget allocated Rs 26,341 crore for capital expenditure.

       The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) at current price is projected to increase from Rs 567,880 crore in 2024-25 to Rs 6,35,918 crore in 2025-26 with a 12 per cent growth, the minister said. The per capita income in the financial year 2024-25 is expected to reach Rs 162,870, with growth of 9.37 per cent, the finance minister said.

       Jharkhand Budget

       The Jharkhand government on Monday presented a Rs 1.45 trillion state Budget for 2025-26. For its flagship scheme to provide a monthly allowance to women, the state government allocated Rs 13,363 crore and Rs 5,000 crore for the scheme to provide free electricity.

       State Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore said the state's economy is expected to grow at a rate of 7.5 per cent in 2025-26. Kishore noted that the government was presenting the Budget on the birth anniversary of industrialist Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata. The state Budget has set the target of attracting Rs 20,000 crore in investment, which will generate both direct and indirect employment for 15,000 people, Kishore said.

       (With inputs from PTI)

       AT A GLANCE

       Key proposals in each state

       Bihar

       (Total Budget: ？3.17 trn)

       > Establishment of ‘mahila haat’ (women’s marketplace) in Patna

       > 33% job reservation for women in the state transport corporation

       Chhattisgarh

       (Total Budget: ？1.65 trn)

       > ？1 tax cut on petrol

       > Survey for inter-linking of rivers and development focus on Bastar region

       Jharkhand

       (Total Budget: ？1.45 trn)

       > ？13,363 cr allocated for the monthly allowance scheme for women

       > ？5,000 crore for providing free electricity

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