Bihars financial situation unsustainable - Modi

Patna, Apr 3 (UNI) The Opposition today staged a noisy walkout from the Bihar Assembly after Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi tabled the White Paper during the pre-lunch session.

The fact sheets of the White Paper shockingly revealed that the present (2004-05) financial situation is critical and unsustainable in the long run and each Bihari was reeling under the debt of Rs 5180. The debt on the state is as high as Rs 42,483 crore i.e Rs 5180 per capita and that is also being used to meet non-developmental expenditure, said Mr Modi, who also holds the Finance portfolio.

''The present (2004-05) financial situation of Bihar is critical and unsustainable in the long run''- this startling revelation was made in the White Paper tabled in the state Assembly by the government.

It revealed that Bihar is lagging behind major states of India.

There is more poverty, more malnutrition among children, high infant and mother maternal rates, very low immunisation, low literacy and more gender discrimination.

The Opposition members said they disagree with the fact sheet moved by the government and maintained that it was totally false.

The paper stated that there was no economic growth in Bihar during 1991-92 to 1995-96 while the country grew at 5.4 per cent.

During 1994-95 to 2001-02, growth in Bihar was just 3.8 per cent as compared to the national average of 6.1 per cent. No private investment was made during the period due to poor investment climate in terms of poor law and order situation, lack of infrastructure and lack of skilled manpower. The expenditure is as low as Rs 3476 crore, which comes up to Rs 423 per capita. The capital expenditure (asset creating) is also poor at Rs 1205 crore (Rs 147 per capita).

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