In Patna, the group of ministers (GoM) working on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) recently met in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. They need to have another meeting soon to talk about lowering taxes on insurance premiums for people, especially seniors and groups. Samrat Chaudhary, Bihar’s deputy chief minister and finance minister, said that many ministers suggested more talks on this issue. They plan to meet again next month and will give their findings to the GST council led by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
During the Jaisalmer meeting, they also talked about changing tax rates on things like Kashmiri shawls, used cars, clothes costing more than ₹1,500, and bicycles. However, they postponed the discussion on insurance taxes.
On Friday, Chaudhary attended a meeting where he asked for financial help of over ₹1.50 lakh crore for Bihar’s overall development. Many chief ministers and finance ministers from different states joined him in this meeting. He wants the central government to upgrade the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and requested ₹25,000 crore without interest for that.
Chaudhary is also seeking ₹48,320 crore for building a new expressway from Deoghar in Jharkhand to Pashupatinath in Nepal, alongside money for high-speed corridors, flyovers, and bridges. He’s asking for another ₹1,000 crore for improving agricultural infrastructure, which includes modernizing local markets and setting up research centers for horticulture.
He is looking for ₹6,739 crore to help modernize the state power companies, plus enough funds to improve the transport system, including railways, roads, air travel, and waterways.
Some of Chaudhary’s major requests include doubling the Forbesganj-Darbhanga railway track and creating new railway lines connecting Bihar with Aurangabad. He also wants Darbhanga airport to become an international airport, an investment of ₹2,500 crore for Bhagalpur airport, and ₹10,000 crore for urban and industrial development in ten cities, including Patna.
Chaudhary proposed a ₹48,320 crore plan for a new expressway of 250 km from Deoghar to Pashupatinath, a 270 km fast corridor from Ladania to Nawada, and improving roads and bridges in the area.
Additionally, he requested ₹1,000 crore for developing agriculture and cooperative sector facilities, which includes modernizing 32 local markets and setting up agriculture and horticulture research centers in Bihar.
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