Patna: Bihar BJP leaders expectedly termed Thursday's Union budget as one that took care of every section of the society, and also claimed that states such as Bihar would benefit in a big way.

"This budget was dedicated to the villages, poor people, farmers, senior citizens, salaried people and small industries," said deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi.

He said steps like increase in minimum support prices (1.5 times the input cost for rabi crops) and Rs 5 lakh per annum insurance cover to 10 crore poor families would benefit the farmers and the poor people from states such as Bihar in a big way.

Modi also said that steps like giving kisan credit cards to those engaged in fisheries and animal husbandry, Rs 10,000 crore fund for infrastructure development for fisheries and animal husbandry sector, and earmarking of Rs 11,000 crore for giving loans to farmers would benefit Bihar in a big way.

Sources in the state government said that these budgetary provisions would in a way complement the initiatives of the state government under the third agricultural roadmap.

Modi maintained that even the salaried class had got relief in this budget as a provision of standard deduction of Rs 40,000 had been introduced.

Another senior BJP leader and health minister Mangal Pandey said the decision to provide free LPG connection to 8 crore houses was a step dedicated to the women of the country and also the target of constructing 2 crore toilets in the country was something that would benefit the women in a big way, as would the decisions related to the health sector.

BJP state unit president Nityanand Rai said that Bihar would reap the benefits of the earmarking of Rs 2,600 crore for irrigating farmlands.

In Bihar, irrigation facility is available in only about 25 lakh hectares of the total 57 lakh hectares of farmland.

Rai also hailed the provision of the budget that talks of setting up 42 mega food parks in the country, and said such projects would help farmers.