Patna: MLAs cutting across party lines on Monday demanded that the constituency development fund be increased to Rs 5 crore, triggering rare unity and sloganeering during Question Hour in the legislative assembly.Members from both treasury and opposition benches stood together and raised slogans in support of the demand. The protest prompted minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav and deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha to assure the House that the govt would look into the matter.Earlier, Bijendra Prasad Yadav said that if the MP fund is increased, the state govt would also consider a similar step. His remarks led to an uproar, as members sought an immediate and positive response. Deputy CM Sinha then said the minister would seriously consider the demand and discuss it with CM Nitish Kumar.BJP MLA Sunal Kumar said Bihar is the fastest-growing state in the country and material costs have risen since 2023. He pointed out that only Rs 4 crore is currently allocated to an MLA’s constituency, which typically includes at least 40 panchayats and 40 wards in urban areas. The available funds are exhausted after recommending merely 25 schemes, he said.“We are not going to distribute saris. We will only contribute to Bihar’s development through development fund,” he said.Pramod Kumar cited neighbouring Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand as examples, saying that MLAs in those states receive Rs 5 crore each for their constituencies.Drug menace: Replying to Subhanand Mukesh, home minister Samrat Choudhary said action is being taken against drug mafias in the state. In 2025, police registered 2,161 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act) and arrested 2,958 of the 3,520 accused named in the FIRs, he said.Regular raids and checks are being conducted around educational institutions across the state, and patrol teams are maintaining surveillance, he added.Student credit card: Former deputy CM Tarkishore Prasad raised the issue of non-credit of funds to the bank accounts of 5,254 girl students under the Student Credit Card Scheme.Bijendra Prasad Yadav said a corporation was constituted after the launch of the scheme and the process is underway. He assured the House that pending cases are being resolved.Liquor prohibition discussed in House: The issue of liquor prohibition was debated both inside and outside the House. RJD MLA Ranvijay Sahu cited figures and claimed that the illegal liquor trade in the state is worth Rs 30,000 crore, alleging that the police administration has failed to enforce total prohibition.He alleged that five people died after consuming poisonous liquor in Rohtas district on Feb 18. Citing govt and NCRB data, he claimed that more than 300 people have died after consuming spurious liquor in the state since the prohibition law came into effect in 2016.He further alleged that excise department personnel arrest small smugglers to inflate statistics while several syndicates operate with impunity. He demanded an immediate discussion on the issue in the assembly.
