AMN / PATNA

Bihar finance minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary Tuesday presented the Budget of over 2.61 lakh crore rupees for the Financial Year 2023-24.

Mr. Choudhary said in comparison to 2022-23 there is a 10.18 percent increase in 2023-24 total budgetary expenditure. The total budget expenditure will be 24,194 crore rupees more than the Financial Year 2022-23.

Referring to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) report the Finance Minister said the state economy posted a strong recovery from a Covid-infested slowdown in 2021-22 as the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) at constant prices recorded a robust growth of 10.98 per cent. He said during the same period the national growth rate was 8.68 percent. Mr. Choudhary said Bihar has become the 14th biggest state with respect to the size of the economy of the states in the country.

The finance minister presented the Budget in the Legislative Assembly in which Health, Education and infrastructure has been kept on top priority. Mr. Choudhary said the education department has got the highest allocation of 22.2 percent of the total annual scheme in the budget. He said greater emphasis has been given to Women Empowerment, Youth and Employment in the budget expenditure.

The Minister said the state government is committed to provide 10 lakh jobs in the government sector. Mr. Choudhary announced that 49000 recruitments will be done by the Bihar Public Service Commission, 12000 by Bihar State Technical Selection Commission and 2900 by Bihar Staff Selection Commission in the coming days.