New Delhi: From seeking more funds for Polavaram and Amravati projects in Andhra Pradesh to placing a request of Rs 1.5 lakh crore in central funds for Bihar, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Janata Dal (United), or JD(U), have reached out to the Centre with their wishlists ahead of the Union Budget.
More importantly, Bihar’s wish for central funds is almost double of last year’s budgetary bonanza of Rs 58,900 crore for infrastructure development in the state where it shares power with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
What could play in Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s and Centre’s mind is the Bihar polls in October-November, in spite of the all-round criticism of the last year’s budget that the Opposition had dubbed as a ‘kursi bachao’ (cling to power) exercise. The TDP and the JD(U)—the second and third biggest constituents of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA)—are crucial to the stability of the Narendra Modi government.
Meanwhile, the TDP’s wishlist includes funds for the Godavari-Krishna river-linking project in the backward Rayalaseema region and south coastal districts, along with support for five textile clusters, as well as more funds for Polavaram and Amaravati projects.
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In a 32-page letter to Sitharaman, Bihar finance minister Samrat Chaudhary sought Rs 1.5 lakh crore in central funds for the eastern state. This mind-boggling amount includes Rs 25,000 crore interest-free loan for infrastructure development, allocation of Rs 48,000 crore for the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), and Rs 13,000 crore for flood control.
Further, Chaudhary also requested the Centre to increase the state’s borrowing for additional loan equal to one percent of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP)—the sum of all value added by industries within each state—till its per capita income reaches the national average.
Bihar wants construction of new bridges and culverts for smooth traffic along with a strong drainage system in 26 districts, especially in the northern region. Floods are common in that region due to the presence of major rivers such as Mahananda, Gandak, Kosi, Bagmati, Kamala, Balan, and Budhi Gandak.
“There is a plan to build a high dam with the consent of the Nepal government. With this, it will be possible to control the floods that occur every year in rivers like Gandak, Kosi and Kamala,” a JD(U) leader told ThePrint.
Last year, the Budget allocated Rs 11,500 crore for flood control measures to protect Bihar from recurring flood damage.
As for infrastructure, the poll-bound state is seeking for construction of high-speed corridors, an expressway corridor to boost its economy, and 250 km of green field road corridors connecting Nepal’s Pashupatinath to Deoghar, Jharkhand and other parts of Bihar.
“Bihar wants to upgrade Darbhanga airport to international standard, and there is a proposal to build greenfield airports in Rajgir and Bhagalpur too,” said a JD(U) leader
Last year, the Centre had announced Rs 26,000 crore support for the development of road connectivity projects and an additional two-lane bridge over the Ganga in Buxar. Sitharaman had also said that a 2,400-MW power plant would be set up in Bhagalpur district at a cost of Rs 21,400 crore.
Now, the state has requested for a proposal to build a solar park. “Solar energy projects will not only improve power supply, but also be environment friendly and will create new employment opportunities. For this purpose, a solar park with a capacity of 50-100 MW is proposed. For this, there is a request to extend the current deadline till the year 2028. Currently, the plan of floating solar plants on water is being implemented in Darbhanga and Supaul,” the letter reads.
“Since the formation of the government, the Centre has helped Bihar in flood mitigation and infrastructure push. Since it’s an election year, Bihar needs more push for its infrastructure growth to remain constantly on the path of growth,” JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar told ThePrint.
Even a BJP leader spoke in the same vein, saying that the push for growth is in core areas. “Since, we are facing assembly elections, we expect more outlay for Bihar to generate goodwill in our electoral constituencies. The PM is expected to visit Bihar next month.”
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Southern wishlist
Unlike his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is banking more on the Centre to complete the Polavaram irrigation project and the Amaravati Capital City Master Plan as well as for the push in the existing central government schemes.
While returning from Davos, Naidu made a halt in Delhi to meet Sitharaman with whom he sought the Centre’s assistance to expedite work on Polavaram and Amaravati. The TDP chief thanked the finance minister for approving a revival package worth Rs 11,440 crore for the Visakhapatnam steel plant.
Earlier, Andhra Pradesh finance minister Payyavula Keshav, at a meeting chaired by Sitharaman with states ahead of the Budget, urged the Centre to accord priority to river-linking projects and sought assistance on the lines of support which Rajasthan has got for linking of 11 rivers.
Beside providing viability gap funding for different PPP projects, including roads, airport and metro rail, the southern state has asked for five textile clusters keeping in mind the huge base of weavers.
In the last year’s budget, the Centre had provided special assistance of Rs 15,000 crore for the development of new green field capital city Amaravati and along with two industrial corridors and funds for Polavaram projects and metro connectivity worth Rs 50,000 crore.
“We are expecting the same kind of support in the Union Budget like the last time, as the state lagged behind in the last five years. We are not asking for any specific project; we are looking forward to holistic support from the central government in development of the state,” TDP spokesperson Prof Jyothsna Tirunagari told ThePrint
The TDP’s approach is different from other parties, another functionary said. “We push for our stake in the central schemes and as (TDP minister) Nara Lokesh has said, speed of doing business is more necessary… Our MPs have been asked by Naidu to visit every Union minister weekly to push for our stake and find out schemes where we can get central assistance. So ours is a 365-day approach of knocking the Centre’s door… Our approach is holistic.”
At the National Disaster Response Force’s 20th Raising Day event last week, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had highlighted that the Centre extended financial support of nearly Rs 3 lakh crore for Andhra Pradesh in just six months.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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