Sat Feb 01 08:32:56 UTC 2025: ## Congress Criticizes Union Budget 2025-26 for Favoritism Towards Bihar
**New Delhi, February 1, 2025** – The Indian National Congress has accused the Modi government of showing favoritism towards Bihar in the recently presented Union Budget 2025-26, while neglecting Andhra Pradesh, another key NDA ally. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh highlighted the numerous allocations for Bihar, including a Makhana Board, funding for the western Kosi canal, capacity enhancements for IIT Patna, a new National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management, and new greenfield airports. He questioned why Andhra Pradesh received comparatively little attention, suggesting the generous allocation to Bihar was politically motivated due to upcoming state elections.
Ramesh further criticized the government’s approach to nutritional support programs like Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0. While welcoming the increased cost norms for these programs, he lamented the lack of provisions for school breakfasts, milk provision (similar to Karnataka’s Ksheera Bhagya scheme), and increased honorariums for Anganwadi workers. He pointed out that these proposals had been repeatedly pushed by the Education and Women and Child Development Ministries but rejected by the Finance Ministry. He questioned the government’s commitment to investing in its people without these crucial additions. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her presentation of the budget, highlighted that Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 currently support over 8 crore children, 1 crore pregnant and lactating women, and 20 lakh adolescent girls.
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