Don’t let Bihar’s progress be halted, support NDA: Nitish Kumar’s appeal
PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, 74, on Tuesday urged people of the state to back the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidates in the Lok Sabha elections in the state, underlining that this was important to ensure that the state’s journey to progress and prosperity was not halted or reversed.
Kumar said the state was in a “pitiable condition” when he took over as chief minister in 2005 and that he had worked hard to fix the state’s many problems.
“You all know I sacrificed everything for the transformation of the state by pulling it out of a situation of hopelessness. Bihar recovered its lost prestige and its people got basic facilities such as roads, uninterrupted electricity, drinking water, education and health that they deserved but had been denied,” Kumar said in his first written appeal to Bihar voters.
The chief minister also emphasised the steps taken by his administration to reduce unemployment in the state, saying it was part of the state’s 7 Resolves programme, which would continue to provide jobs in future.
“I had announced 10 lakh jobs and 10 lakh employment opportunities under the government’s flagship programme 6 Resolves (Part-2). “Bihar is scripting history in that sphere with large-scale recruitment in education, police and other fields. The government has given jobs to lakhs of youth, while lakhs of others have been given financial assistance for self-employment. Big investors are also coming to the state, which will further improve prospects for employment,” he said.
Appealing to people to vote for the NDA candidates and also motivate their family and friends to do the same, Kumar said the state had come a long way since the dark pre-2005 days when girls’ enrolment in schools was abysmal and people didn’t dare to move out after dusk.
“Today, girls enrolment at the secondary level is equal to boys and they are also getting employment in a big way in schools, police, health and other fields to contribute to state’s progress. Women also have over 50% representation in the panchayat raj bodies. Over 1.30 crore women are there in over 10-lakh Jeevika self-help groups, which is also a pointer to the distance the state has covered in the last two decades.
Referring to the “utter lawlessness” that prevailed in the state before 2005, Kumar said even doctors were targets of abductors in the years before 2005.
Bihar turned a new leaf when his government came to power in 2005. “I urge you to back all the NDA candidates to ensure that Bihar’s journey to progress and prosperity was not halted or reversed and the faith of the prospective investors in the state was not jolted,” he added.
Social analyst DM Diwakar said that Bihar has always been politically tough and Nitish Kumar knows that. “He is doing his part to supplement Narendra Modi’s campaigns, as the Opposition is campaigning under the guidance of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, who is not-so-active this time but has his fingers on the pulse of Bihar politics,” he added
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