From airport to makhana board, poll-bound Bihar gets big pie in Union Budget 2025

The Union Government on Saturday unveiled several big-ticket plans for poll-bound Bihar in the FY26 Budget, which include setting up of a makahana board, a greenfield airport as well as financial support for Western Koshi Canal Project in the Mithilanchal region of the state.

In the Union Budget 2025-26, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also announced the establishment of a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar and the expansion of hostel and other infrastructure capacity at IIT-Patna.

Other announcements for Bihar include the capacity expansion of Patna airport and development of a brownfield airport at Bihta.

While announcing the setting up of a makhana board in the state, Sitharaman said, “There is a special opportunity for the people of Bihar. A makhana board will be established in the state to improve production, processing, value addition, and marketing of makhana.”         People engaged in these activities will be organised into FPOs (Farmer Producer Organization), which will provide handholding and training support to makhana farmers.

These FPOs will also work to ensure they receive the benefits of all relevant government schemes, she added.

Moreover, in line with the “government's commitment towards 'Poorvodaya', we will establish a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar”, said Sitharaman.

Under the Poorvodaya scheme, the government is formulating an all-round development of the eastern region states covering Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.

The institute will provide a strong fillip to food processing activities in the entire eastern region. This will result in enhanced income for the farmers through value addition to their produce and skilling, entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for the youth.

Moreover, “greenfield airports will be facilitated in Bihar to meet the future needs of the state,” she said.

These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport at Bihta, she added.

The finance minister also announced support for the Western Koshi Canal Project in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar.

“Financial support will be provided for the Western Koshi Canal ERM Project benefitting a large number of farmers cultivating over 50,000 hectares of land in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar,” she said.

Besides, she also announced the expansion of the hostel and another infrastructure capacity at IIT-Patna.

During the last budget in July 2024, the Centre announced several big-ticket measures for Bihar, proposing a total outlay of over Rs 60,000 crore for various projects, including funding for three expressways projects, a power plant, heritage corridors and new airports and sports infrastructure.

The Assembly election is scheduled to be held in the state later this year.

Union minister and Lok Jan Shakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan hailed the budgetary announcements.

“Establishment of the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar will strengthen food processing activities in the entire eastern region and increase the income of farmers by improving the quality of their produce,” Paswan posted on X.

JD(U) working president Sanjay Jha hailed the announcement of setting up of a Makhana Board in Bihar, saying it will unlock new opportunities for the farmers and entrepreneurs.

Stating that it will turn out to be a gamechanger for the region's agricultural economy, Jha said in a post on X, “The initiative will enhance production, processing, value addition, and marketing, driving economic growth in Mithila and Bihar.”

Meanwhile, taking a swipe at the Modi government, the Congress said Bihar appears to have got a bonanza and asked why the other pillar of the NDA, Andhra Pradesh, has been so “cruelly ignored”.

“It is natural since elections are due there later in the year. But why is (has) the other pillar of the NDA, namely Andhra Pradesh, been so cruelly ignored?” Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said on X in an apparent reference to BJP allies JD(U) from Bihar and TDP from Andhra Pradesh.