Patna, March 11: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar visited Araria on Wednesday as part of his "Samriddhi Yatra" (Development Journey).
During his address to the gathering, the Chief Minister was seen urging some members of the audience to stay, addressing them in his characteristic style.
"Where are you going? Please sit down. I can see some people leaving. I will only go after you have understood everything. Please sit down, I will explain your situation," he said, drawing the attention of the crowd.
He also reviewed ongoing development projects and highlighted the achievements of his government across various sectors.
Nitish Kumar also criticized the previous government led by Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi. He said that before assuming office as Chief Minister on November 24, 2005, the law and order situation in Bihar was extremely poor, and people were afraid to step out of their homes after dusk.
He also stated that key sectors such as healthcare, education, and road infrastructure were also in a poor state during that period.
Highlighting steps taken to maintain communal harmony, the Chief Minister said that the state government had fenced graveyards in 2006 to prevent disputes. He added that fencing of temples began in 2016, which helped reduce incidents of theft at religious places.
Speaking about the education sector, Nitish Kumar said that the government introduced several initiatives to promote girls' education, including the bicycle scheme launched in 2006. He also said that large-scale recruitment of teachers had been undertaken, initially through employment schemes and later through the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC).
According to him, Bihar currently has about 5.24 lakh government teachers, while the recruitment process for another 45,000 teachers is underway.
The Chief Minister also highlighted improvements in healthcare services, saying that government hospitals earlier lacked proper facilities, but the state has introduced free treatment in public hospitals since 2006.
He noted that Bihar earlier had only six medical colleges, but the number has now increased to 12, with several more under construction in different districts.
Nitish Kumar also spoke about the expansion of Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), which he said now has 5,403 beds, along with improvements at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS).
Referring to infrastructure development, he said that the government has constructed a large network of roads and bridges across the state, significantly reducing travel time to Patna. According to him, people from most districts can now reach the state capital within about five hours.
He also claimed that fish production in Bihar has increased two-and-a-half times, while agricultural growth has been boosted through the Fourth Agricultural Road Map.
Highlighting the government’s flagship programmes, Nitish Kumar referred to the "Saat Nischay Yojana" launched in 2015, followed by "Saat Nischay 2.0" in 2020, with work now progressing under its third phase. He also mentioned initiatives such as free electricity and several schemes aimed at women's empowerment.
During his visit, the Chief Minister inaugurated and inspected the administrative building of a newly constructed police station in Araria. He also launched and laid foundation stones for several development projects through remote inauguration, reviewed progress under district-level schemes and inspected stalls showcasing various government initiatives.
Nitish Kumar also inaugurated the strengthening and renovation project of the Araria centre under the Kosi Milk Project in Purnea and interacted with milk suppliers.
In addition, he inaugurated a GNM hostel and interacted with students of the Jananayak Karpuri Thakur Hostel in Araria, along with students from other welfare department hostels.