The central government has identified Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and West Bengal as focus states for socio-economic development, aligning with India’s ambitious goal to achieve developed nation status by 2047, marking the centenary of Independence.
Addressing the significance of the eastern region, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman emphasized the need to transform Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and West Bengal into the growth engines for the envisioned “Amrit Kaal,” acting as a bridge towards the aspirational goal of a developed India by 2047.
During a post-Budget press conference, Sitharaman said that the attention on the eastern region did not exclude the northeast, which would continue to receive the prioritized focus it has historically enjoyed.
“We intend to make sure that the eastern region, and when I say the eastern region I am not talking about the northeast. Northeast will get the attention they have been getting all the while, they will continue to get it and they will be on top of our priority,” she added.
A significant proportion of aspirational districts in India is concentrated in the eastern states. Among the mentioned states, Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal are governed by non-BJP parties.
(Inputs from ANI)