Issue of 'special status' demand resolved, Bihar reaping benefits of double-engine govt: JD(U) MP

New Delhi, Feb 10 (PTI) Bihar had a demand for getting a 'special status' but that issue has now been resolved, Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha said on Monday stressing that the state is reaping the benefits of a double-engine government and is in a "take-off" mode.

Participating in the debate on the Budget in the Rajya Sabha, Jha thanked Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for the announcements made on Bihar.

"Bihar was historically neglected. Even when Jharkhand was with Bihar, there was freight equalisation. The minerals from Jharkhand went to the whole country but Bihar did not get anything," Jha said.

"It is true we have always demanded special status for Bihar, but the finance commission has settled this. Our party and leader Nitish Kumar said that if we don't get special status, give us a special package. We want to thank PM Modi, in the last budget as well, the issue of floods in Bihar was addressed... it was never done before," Jha said.

While thanking the government for announcing a Makhana Board and the Western Koshi Canal project in the Budget, Jha said a new greenfield airport, which will be an international airport, will be developed close to Patna.

He also thanked Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for wearing a Madhubani art sari while presenting the Budget.

"It's an honour for all people of Mithila," he said.  Jha said Bihar is in a "take-off" mode, and reaping the benefits of a "double engine government".

"Also remember where we started, what we inherited from the Congress and RJD. Bihar is also enjoying the double engine. The focus is on Bihar, it will also come in top states soon," he said.

During the debate, Manas Ranjan Mangaraj, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP from Odisha, alleged that several other states have been ignored in the Budget.

Speaking in Odia, the MP said the Finance Minister has perhaps forgotten other states, and said while she spoke on Bihar for three minutes in her Budget speech, states like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala Maharashtra, have been left out.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut also took a jibe at the government, saying budgets are being brought keeping in mind upcoming elections.

"The budget these days is made keeping in mind the upcoming state elections, whether it is Delhi or Bihar. There is no complaint with that, they are all parts of our country. We welcome the grant given to Bihar," he said.

"Last time they got Rs. 60,000 crore, but how much was spent by the government, have they even spent Rs. 600 crore? Giving package after package, you want to pressure the state?" he said.

Raut also said that the budget has no provisions on the demand of legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price that protesting farmer groups have been raising.

"Punjab farmers are protesting even today... We would have welcomed it if you had made some announcement," he said.

He also said no loan waiver was announced for farmers, even as the government has written off corporate loans worth crores.

Raut also slammed the Finance Minister for not speaking about the unemployment situation in her Budget speech.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP V Sivadasan said the Union government lacked vision.

"Mahatma Gandhi was martyred on January 31, the Budget was presented on February 1. We say, Gandhi lives in our hearts, but can we see Gandhi in the Budget documents? Gandhi gave a talisman- recall the face of the poorest and weakest human being you may have seen...The Budget fails according to Gandhi's talisman," he said.

He also slammed the government for not increasing the allocation for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), and accused it of ignoring Kerala's Wayanad, which faced a devastating flood last year.

"This government neglected the tears of Wayanad. I would like to remind you that Wayanad is in the Indian republic," he said.

Congress MP Vivek Tankha cornered the government over the stampede at the ongoing Maha Kumbh and questioned the claims of developing infrastructure.

"We want to talk about the Kumbh today. It happens after 12 years... What provision did you make for it? There is a line for 300 kms, it is difficult to reach there, where is the infrastructure you are talking about," he said.

"Look at the situation of religious tourism everywhere... Whether it is Vaishno Devi, Mathura, Ujjain, Jabalpur, Kedarnath... What provisions have been made for these religious towns?" he questioned.

Tankha also said that the relief given in income tax by the government will help only a few, and urged that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) should be rationalised.  PTI AO RT

Source: PTI