Bihar Politics & Governance

Union Budget announces ship-repair facility for Patna

1 February 2026

The Union Budget 2026–27 announced a ship-repair ecosystem in Patna to support inland-waterway transport. The announcement describes a planned facility, not an operational centre. A separate foundation-stone event had been reported in September 2025; the February budget announcement is the relevant update here.

Notable Points

• National Waterway 1: The Ganga waterway passes through Patna and forms part of NW-1, which links Haldia and Prayagraj.
• Project stage: A budget announcement identifies a policy intention; it does not establish construction or commissioning. Vessels needing repairs were reported to travel to Kolkata.

Union Budget announces Varanasi–Siliguri high-speed rail corridor

1 February 2026

The Union Budget 2026–27 announced a Varanasi–Siliguri high-speed rail corridor among seven proposed corridors. A Ministry of Railways clarification on 3 February said the indicative alignment would pass through Patna and estimated a journey time of 2 hours 55 minutes between Varanasi and Siliguri. The announcement is a planning proposal; it does not establish final alignment, stations, approvals or construction.

Notable Points

• Budget stage: The corridor was announced for planning; later route and journey-time details were indicative, not a final engineering alignment.
• Bihar relevance: The stated route through Patna would connect Bihar to the proposed corridor, but exact station locations were not specified in the material reviewed.

Bihar Economic Survey estimates 8.6% real growth in 2024–25

2 February 2026

Bihar’s Economic Survey 2025–26, tabled on 2 February, estimated GSDP growth in 2024–25 at 8.6% in real terms and 13.1% at current prices. It reported per-capita GSDP of ₹40,973 at constant 2011–12 prices and ₹76,490 at current prices. The secondary sector’s share of state GVA at constant prices rose from 21.1% in 2020–21 to 26.8% in 2024–25.

Notable Points

• Real and nominal growth: The 8.6% constant-price estimate adjusts for price changes; the 13.1% current-price figure includes them.
• Sectoral structure: The survey attributed the rising secondary-sector share partly to construction and manufacturing; these are survey estimates for 2024–25, not monthly growth figures.

Bihar Budget Session opens; Economic Survey tabled

2 February 2026

The Bihar Legislature’s Budget Session opened on 2 February with Governor Arif Mohammed Khan addressing a joint sitting of the two Houses. The Economic Survey 2025–26 was tabled in the Assembly, which adjourned after a condolence motion. The session was scheduled to continue through 27 February, with 19 sittings planned; the state budget was scheduled for 3 February.

Notable Points

• Governor’s address: Under Article 176 of the Constitution, the Governor addresses the state legislature at the first session of each year and after a general election to the Legislative Assembly.
• Scheduled business: The 19 sittings and 3 February budget presentation were announced plans at the session’s opening, not completed proceedings.

Reiga sugar mill resumes operations in Sitamarhi

2 February 2026

The Reiga sugar mill in Sitamarhi resumed operations after a five-year closure, with cane-laden vehicles arriving at the premises. Its restart restored a nearby processing outlet for local sugarcane growers; the report also noted expected employment benefits but gave no verified job count or production figure.

Notable Points

• Local processing: A nearby mill can reduce the distance farmers transport perishable sugarcane, but the report provides no throughput or payment data to assess the scale of the restart.

Bihar presents its 2026–27 state budget

3 February 2026

Finance Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav presented Bihar’s 2026–27 budget on 3 February. The total outlay was ₹3,47,589.76 crore; education and higher education received the largest departmental provision, about ₹68,217 crore, followed by rural development at ₹23,701 crore and health at ₹21,270 crore. The budget estimated ₹2,10,074 crore in receipts from the Centre and ₹95,203 crore in the state’s own tax and non-tax revenue. These are budget estimates, not realised receipts or spending.

Notable Points

• Budget scale: The budget’s expenditure estimate was ₹3.476 lakh crore; estimates and departmental allocations should not be confused with actual expenditure.
• Funding structure: Central transfers and Bihar’s own revenue are separate receipt sources; the figures include tax devolution and grants from the Centre.
• Women’s livelihoods: The budget reported ₹10,000 already provided to more than 1.56 crore women in self-help groups; further business support was proposed, not reported as disbursed.

Bihar proposes additional annual assistance for eligible farmers

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