Narendra Modi 'fails' in budget examination: Nitish Kumar

Patna: Describing this year's budget as disappointing, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday declared that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had failed in the "examination" and said the budget promises "acchhe din" (good days) only for those having black money.

"There is nothing in the budget for farmers or any other section of society. People got only disappointment from the budget of the BJP government," Kumar told reporters.

Mocking Modi, who had yesterday said he had an exam today with reference to the budget, Kumar said, "The result is out and he failed to pass."

The Bihar Chief Minister also targeted the Centre for the compliance window for blackmoney holders.

"The budget promises 'Acchhe din' only for holders of black money. By giving amnesty to holders of black money that they could pay only 45 per cent of the total amount and can do 'mauj' (enjoy) with rest 55 per cent, the Narendra Modi government has in a way given license to convert black money into white," he said.

"Is this what you had promised on black money before 2014 election? After two years your government has come up with an amnesty scheme for holders of black money," Kumar, whose rivalry with the Prime Minister is an open secret, said.

He took a potshot at Finance Minister Arun Jaitley too and said, "While presenting budget in Parliament, he did not look like a man knowing well about economics and rather appeared as a lawyer who put a lot of emphasis during his speech on dispute settlement."

Kumar said Bihar felt "let down" as there was neither reference of any allocation of money for the special package of Rs 1.25 lakh crore and Rs 40,000 crore of earlier packages nor a mention of BRGF (Backward Regional Grant Fund) in the Annexure which is a bonafide right of the state in the wake of creation of Jharkhand out of it.

The Bihar Chief Minister also took a jibe at assertions that the budget plans to double famers' income in five years, saying, "Even if this happens, what will they get? Farmers' monthly income presently stands at about Rs 1,500-2,000. What will they get if it doubles up to Rs 3,500-4,000 in next five years?"

"What about the poll promise of giving an MSP to farmers after adding 50 per cent on the input cost?" he asked.

He said Bihar would lose around Rs 10,000 crore in 2016-17 due to less allotment to the state in accordance with 14^th Finance Commission recommendations.

Likewise, in rural roads under PMGSY, Bihar had sent a proposal of Rs 4,000 crore for 2015-16 and it got only Rs 2,781 crore in the budget, he said.