The Bihar legislature’s monsoon session began on Monday amid steady rains and indications of financial strain, with the government tabling its first supplementary budget of Rs 87,383 crore for the 2026–27 fiscal.
Deputy Chief Minister-cum-Finance Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav presented the supplementary budget in the Legislative Assembly. The amount constitutes nearly 25 per cent of the state’s record annual budget of Rs 3.48 lakh crore, which came into effect on April 1.
Officials indicated that the substantial allocation is aimed at funding welfare and subsidy schemes announced ahead of the 2025 Assembly elections, along with expenditure across key sectors. Of the total outlay, over Rs 57,078 crore has been earmarked for annual schemes related to development and welfare initiatives, while Rs 30,266 crore will go towards establishment and committed expenditure, including salaries, pensions and administrative costs. The remaining portion will be directed towards central schemes.
Budget documents show that Rs 13,550 crore has been allocated to the Bihar Contingency Fund, from which the government has increasingly drawn in recent years. Significant provisions include Rs 10,020 crore for old-age pensions under state and central schemes, Rs 9,994 crore for electricity subsidies, and over Rs 9,335 crore for the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin). Additional allocations include Rs 1,148 crore for disability pensions, Rs 1,056 crore for Lakshmibai Social Security Pension and Rs 683 crore for widow pensions.
A senior finance department official said the size of the supplementary budget so early in the fiscal year points to gaps in initial budgetary planning and reflects mounting financial pressure on the state. The government has yet to clarify the exact sources of funding for the additional expenditure and has reportedly approached the Reserve Bank of India and other agencies to raise funds.
The session opened with Assembly Speaker Prem Kumar delivering an address that included references to figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, B. R. Ambedkar and Ramdhari Singh Dinkar. He urged legislators to participate actively in proceedings, including Question Hour and legislative debates.
The government is expected to introduce 13 bills during the five-day session. Reports by the Comptroller and Auditor General on compliance for the 2023–24 financial year and on state finances for 2024–25 are also scheduled to be tabled.
Meanwhile, Opposition members staged protests at the Assembly entrance over the NEET-UG paper leak issue and rising crime in the state, raising slogans and holding placards before the session began. Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav was absent on the opening day as he is currently abroad and is expected to return later this week.
Proceedings were adjourned till Tuesday after the House paid tribute to eight former legislators who passed away in recent months.
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