UPA Govt. at Centre has doubled Bihar's allocation: Congress

Patna, Aug 20 (ANI): The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government on Friday said the Centre has doubled its allocation to Bihar since 2004 and alleged that the Nitish Kumar-led Government poorly utilised the central funds in execution of development schemes.

"The UPA Government has been generous to Bihar by significantly increasing allocation of funds to the State under various plan heads and contingency situations, but the NDA government has been ungratefully criticising the former," said Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) President Chaudhary Mehboob Ali Kaiser, while addressing the media in Patna.

"The data about the central allocation to Bihar over the years and a comparative analysis of who between the NDA and UPA made been more liberal towards the state could not be undermined by the propaganda being unleashed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar," he added.

Further accusing the NDA Government in Bihar, Kaiser said the two specific central flagship programmes like the Indira Awas Yojana and others became a victim of corruption in the NDA regime.

"The Centre did provide Rs 800 crore to the Bihar, but the State government failed to fully utilise the money to an extent that Rs 182 crore still remained unspent as of the day," said Kaiser reacting to allegations that the Centre did not give adequate funds for relief and rehabilitation of flood-affected people of the state following breach of Kusaha embankment on Kosi river two years ago.

"I am prepared to take up the cudgel on behalf of the party high command for such a debate with the former at any time and any place, including the Gandhi Maidan," he added over Kumar's challenge to Congress President Sonia Gandhi for a debate on the Centre's funding of Bihar and other assistances to it. (ANI)