Bihar paying price for BJP-JD(U)'s loot; state will be liberated from trouble engine govt: Cong

New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) The Congress on Sunday accused the BJP-JD(U) of "looting" Bihar for the past 20 years through corruption, and exuded confidence that the people of the state will be liberated from this "trouble-engine government" through their vote.

Congress general secretary in charge, communications, Jairam Ramesh claimed the people of Bihar are paying the price for the "loot, corruption, and negligence" that has persisted for the past 20 years.

In a post in Hindi on X, Ramesh alleged that the BJP-JDU government in Bihar has set "new records of loot and negligence". A caste-based survey conducted by the Bihar government revealed that approximately 90 million people in Bihar are surviving on just Rs 67 per day, he pointed out.

"The question arises: What has the BJP-JDU government done with Bihar's budget and funds over the past 20 years?" Ramesh said.

The Congress leader claimed the answer lies in the CAG report, which shows how the Modi government at the Centre and the BJP-JDU dispensation in Bihar "robbed" the state through "scams and deliberate negligence".

Citing the CAG's 2025 report, he claimed the Bihar government spent Rs 70,877.61 crore, but failed to submit 49,649 utilisation certificates for the funds spent.

This means there is no evidence of where and how such a large sum was spent, the Congress leader said and pointed out that the amount was supposed to be spent on Dalits, extremely backward communities, farmers, health, social justice, education, and development.

"Departments with no evidence of expenditure: Cooperation Rs 804.69 crore; Health Rs 860.33 crore; Backward and Extremely Backward Welfare Rs 911.08 crore; Social Welfare Rs 941.92 crore; SC/ST Welfare Rs 1,397.43 crore; Agriculture Rs 2,107.63 crore; Rural Development Rs 7,800.48 crore; Urban Development Rs 11,065.50 crore; Education Rs 12,623.67 crore; Panchayati Raj Rs 28,154.10 crore," he claimed.

There is no evidence of the total amount of Rs 70,877.61 crore, Ramesh added and alleged that the CAG report clearly indicates that a "massive scam" has occurred.

In its 2025 report, the CAG also stated that while the BJP-JDU government in Bihar made budgetary announcements over the past five years, its implementation on the ground failed miserably, he claimed.

In Bihar, funds allocated for schemes for Dalits, backward classes, extremely backward classes, women, children, and minority communities remained unspent, Ramesh said.

The CAG report states that despite a total budgetary allocation of Rs 3,59,667 crore over the past five years, the funds remained unspent, the Congress leader said and pointed out that in 2019-20, 35 per cent of the budget remained unutilised.

"In 2020-21, 31 per cent remained unspent. In 2021-22, 27 per cent remained unspent. In 2022-23, 22 per cent remained unspent and in 2023-24, 20 per cent remained unutilised," Ramesh said.

Some crucial schemes remain unspent, directly impacting the education and health of children, as well as impacting farmers, women, poor families, and marginalised communities in Bihar.

"In the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA): In 2021-22, 46 per cent remained unspent. In 2022-23, 52 per cent remained unspent. In 2023-24, 48 per cent remained unspent.

"That is, out of every Rs 100 approved for children's education, the government spent approximately Rs 50," the Congress leader said.

The situation is similar with the mid-day meal scheme; here too, more than half of the budget remained unspent, Ramesh claimed, adding that 40 per cent of the funds remained unspent in 2021-22.

In 2022-23, 57 per cent remained unspent, 68 per cent in 2023-24, he claimed, underlining that funds meant for children's nutrition remained unspent.

Ramesh further said centrally sponsored schemes like Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Gram Sadak, nutrition, scholarships, SC-ST-OBC welfare, and other schemes saw an average of 40 per cent of funds remaining unutilised over the past five years, the Congress leader said.

"The people of Bihar will be liberated from this plundering, lying, corrupt, and incompetent trouble-engine government through their votes," he asserted.

Bihar polls are being held in two phases -- on November 6 and 11, and results will be announced on November 14.

The opposition INDIA bloc, which has the RJD, the Congress and the Left parties as the main constituents, has declared RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav its chief ministerial candidate. PTI ASK NSD NSD