Patna,(BiharTimes): With main focus on chief minister Nitish Kumar’s Seven Resolves made for the development of Bihar on the eve of last year’s Assembly election, finance minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui on Friday presented an estimated budget of Rs 1,44,696.27 crore for financial year 2016-17. It is projected to be 40 per cent more than the 2015-16 budget of Rs 1,20,685.32 crore.

It has an estimated plan outlay of Rs 71,501.84 crore and non-plan expenditure of Rs 72,276.95 crore.
In terms of allocation education continued to be at the top with electricity following it. Rural works, road construction and rural development occupy third, fourth and fifth position in terms of allocation.

Aids, grants, scholarships and development of other educational infrastructure continue to get top priority. As energy sector replaces road construction at the second slot the priority is clear, that is, electricity to all the households in the state.

As in the last 10 years the first budget of Grand Alliance government showed surplus revenue worth Rs 14,649.46 crore.

The finance minister also announced payment of train fare to all workers migrating to other states in different seasons for work.