Bihar: Nitish Kumar Announces His ‘Saat Nischay’ Scheme
PATNA: Ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced Janata Dal United’s (JDU’s) “7 Nischay part-2” plan for the state’s development and making it self-reliant in the coming years.
The seven resolutions included tap water in households, the construction of toilets, electricity connections, pucca lanes and drains, the economic empowerment of the youth and 35% reservation for women in government jobs.
Kumar said the “7 Nischay part-2” is in continuation with the earlier set of promises made to the public during the ongoing National Democratic Alliance rule in the state. The chief minister’s tweet enlists the promises, which include imparting technical education to the youth and promoting entrepreneurship, made to the people of the state.
Five months after he propelled his Janata Dal (U) back into the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance after jettisoning the grand alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress, Kumar faces continuous attacks from the RJD while the BJP is in no mood to let him corner the credit for development works in the state.
This makes the success of ‘Nitish Ke Saat Nishchay (Nitish’s seven resolves)’ all the more important for the chief minister, if he has to live up to his image ‘sushasan Babu’ or good administrator and retain his position as Bihar’s foremost political leader at the ground level. Kumar, who launched the third phase of the state-wide review last Thursday, had covered more than 20 districts during the first two phases of the state-wide tour programme. He has been undertaking such tours in each of his tenures as CM for more than a decade.
Creating a centre for excellence for promoting quality of training in ITI and polytechnic institutions, setting up district wise mega-skill centres for giving job-oriented training, tool rooms and training centres in each division and a new department for skill development and entrepreneurship will also be set up.
The government will also provide 50 per cent grants, up to a maximum of Rs 3 lakh, for setting up a new business and on loans of up to Rs 7 lakh, grants of seven per cent will be given by the government. Mr Kumar said that girl students passing Class 12 exams will be given Rs 25,000 each, and Rs 50,000 each for passing graduation as financial help.
The government will also provide a maximum of Rs 5 lakh, 50 per cent of project cost, as grant, apart from providing interest-free loans on up to Rs 5 lakh. Mr Kumar also promised to increase the participation of women in local administration, police, and in district-level offices, among others through reservations.
Farmers will get water for their crops in their fields, “in every possible manner”, as per the promises while every village will get solar-street lights, and solid and liquid waste management plants, along with maintenance and carrying out all projects, including tap water to every house, and building toilets, will be carried out.
The plan also contains promises of creating facilities in the city areas and building roads across the length and breadth of the state to boost connectivity. Improving healthcare facilities for the people also occupies a position in the JDU’s agenda.
“Serving the people is our dharma (duty). I thank you all for allowing me to serve Bihar. I have confidence that with your cooperation and blessings we will set 7 Nischay part-2 into motion to make the state’s development reach new heights and make an efficient and self-reliant Bihar,” read Mr Kumar’s tweet in Hindi).
(Bureau Report with Agency Inputs ).
