Nitish Kumar govt looted one-third of Bihar’s budget: Pawan Khera

Congress leader Pawan Khera on Wednesday alleged that the Nitish Kumar-led BJP-JD(U) government in Bihar has looted nearly one-third of the state’s total budget — amounting to Rs70,000 crore — which could have been used for various development projects.

Expressing concern over the misuse and embezzlement of funds highlighted in the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) 2025 report, he said various departments of the state government failed to submit 49,649 utilisation certificates (UCs), accounting for Rs 70,877.61 crore in unverified spending.

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Addressing a press conference here, Khera said, “In the history of independent India, no such large-scale loot has ever occurred as what has taken place under the BJP-JD(U) government in Bihar. It has robbed the poor of their rights. The impact of this scam is visible in the dilapidated condition of bridges, crumbling government buildings, and deteriorating infrastructure across the state.”

The CAG recently tabled its State Finance Report for 2025 in the Bihar Assembly, raising concerns that Rs 70,877.61 crore may have been misappropriated under various welfare schemes intended for the poor. The report found that the Bihar government lacks records to show how these funds were spent.

Utilisation certificates, which by law should be submitted within 18 months of spending, have been missing for over a decade in some cases.

Khera further alleged that the BJP-JD(U) government also failed to utilise Rs3,59,667 crore from the state’s budget over the past five years—a lapse he said has severely impacted welfare and development programmes targeting Dalits, backward and extremely backward classes, women, children, and minorities.

Astonishingly, nearly 40% of the unspent amount was meant for centrally sponsored schemes focused on social welfare, he said.

“The BJP-JD(U) government in Bihar is deeply entangled in corruption. It has neglected crucial sectors such as education, social welfare for Scheduled Castes and Tribes, support for backward communities, agriculture, and urban development. The CAG report clearly raises the possibility of large-scale embezzlement,” Khera said.