Think of Bihar before 2005 when casting vote, Nitish reminds people

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Minister Vijaya Kumar Chaudhary during a review meeting at Vikas Bhawan Auditorium, Nawada, on Monday.
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

With the Assembly election in Bihar due in October-November, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday (February 10, 2025) urged people of the State to think about “the condition of Bihar” before 2005 when they cast their vote.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal’s 15-year rule in Bihar had ended in 2005, when the Janata Dal (United) led by Mr. Kumar, along with its alliance partner BJP, formed the government. Mr. Kumar has been at the helm of affairs in the State since then.

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Addressing people in Nawada district, during the fourth phase of his Pragati Yatra, Mr. Kumar said since he assumed charge as Chief Minister on November 24, 2005, he had continuously worked to take Bihar forward. The JD(U) national president pointed out that before 2005, people were afraid to step out of their homes after dusk, and there were tensions between Hindus and Muslims, which he ended.

He reiterated that he had always worked with the Bharatiya Janata Party and made a mistake by aligning with the RJD twice. “Now, we will always be with the BJP and together we will develop Bihar and the country,” he said, urging people to remember the development work taken up in the State since 2005.

Accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and his Cabinet colleague Vijaya Kumar Chaudhary, he also held a review meeting at Vikas Bhawan Auditorium, Nawada, on developmental schemes implemented in the district. During the meeting, Nawada District Magistrate Ravi Prakash gave detailed information about the development works in the district.

He added, “You are all aware of the condition of Bihar before 2005. People could not get treatment in hospitals, the roads were poor, education was below par. Patients did not even get medicines in hospitals. The people of Bihar then gave us a chance to work for them and the condition of Bihar changed.”

Crediting his government for the law and order situation, Mr. Kumar said the atmosphere of fear had ended in Bihar and peace and brotherhood prevailed.

Listing out schemes launched by him, Mr. Kumar said children studying in government schools were given uniforms from 2006 while a scheme to provide cycles to girl students was started in 2009, and was expanded in 2010 to cover boys too.

“Before 2005, each Primary Health Centre (PHC) saw around 39 patients a month but after we introduced free medicines and better facilities, more than 11,000 patients visit a PHC every month. Earlier, there were only six government medical colleges in Bihar and now we have 12,” Mr. Kumar said.

He also mentioned the 50% reservation for women implemented in Panchayati Raj Institutions from 2006 and in municipal bodies from 2007, apart from providing 35% reservation to women in government jobs.

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The Chief Minister said between 2005 and 2020, 8 lakh people were given government jobs.

“We had set a target of providing government jobs to 10 lakh people in the year 2020, which has been increased to 12 lakh. So far, more than 9 lakh people have been given government jobs. Employment has been provided to 24 lakh people since we came to power. We do not discriminate against anyone. We have been working in the interest of all people and will continue to do so in the future too,” Mr. Kumar said.