Patna: Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget in parliament on February 1, marking a series of historic firsts even as Bihar found itself largely missing from the opening contours of the speech.
Sitharaman, presenting the Budget for the ninth consecutive time, became the first woman finance minister in independent India to do so. This was also the first occasion on which a Union Budget was presented on a Sunday. Opening her address, she thanked citizens for standing “firmly with the government” as India charts its path towards becoming one of the world’s largest economies.
However, the early part of the Budget speech drew attention for what it did not include. Unlike the previous two budgets — in which Bihar was mentioned 11 times in 2024–25 and eight times in 2025–26 — the state did not feature at all in the first hour of the 2026–27 speech. Instead, the focus appeared to shift towards southern states, particularly Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
That said, Bihar did find indirect mention through major national infrastructure announcements. Sitharaman announced the development of seven high-speed rail corridors across the country, including the Siliguri–Varanasi corridor, a significant portion of which will pass through Bihar. Officials say the route is expected to improve connectivity across several districts in the state and boost regional economic activity.
The Budget also outlined plans to strengthen inland waterways, with ship repair centres to be established in Patna and Varanasi. These centres are intended to support freight movement along the Ganga and other rivers, as part of a broader push to reduce logistics costs and promote river-based transport.
According to the finance minister, Patna and Varanasi will be developed as inland waterways hubs, with training programmes aimed at encouraging local participation and generating employment for youth. The government hopes these measures will gradually increase the share of freight transported through rivers, easing pressure on road and rail networks.
