PATNA: Bihar’s economy grew 16.59% at constant prices in 2008-09, chief minister Nitish Kumar said citing the latest Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) data, which does vindicate the turnaround story of the state.
“I am sure the latest data will cause many heartburns in the rival camp, who will be more disturbed and unhappy. In the past too, the sceptics were not willing to accept the previous CSO data on Bihar, but this one will come as a big surprise for them,†Mr Kumar said here on Friday while releasing the fifth and final report card of the NDA-led Nitish Kumar government, which will complete its tenure on November 24, 2010.
Normally, the report card should have come on November 24, the day he was sworn in as the chief minister in 2005 — but he had to advance the presentation of the final performance report keeping in view the ensuing assembly elections.
“Yes I must confess it was a hard journey when I took over the mantle of governance four-and-a-half years ago. Everything was in shambles but all that has changed for better. The change is discernible. We have succeeded in driving out fear from the heart and minds of the people.
Yes there would have been many other things which I would have liked to happen. But it is nice to remain dissatisfied because that urges you to perform more and more. I must, however, admit that the early morning sight of young girls cycling their way to schools in the rural hinterlands of Bihar is a very satisfying moment for me,†Mr Kumar remarked.
Dwelling on the myriad achievements of the NDA government, Mr Kumar talked about how CM Balika Cycle Yojna and CM Balika Poshak Yojna — which was launched for school girl students — has ushered in a silent revolution in Bihar.
“We launched 40 schemes with funds made available from our own kitty. We got over 49,000 criminals convicted till June this year. In four-and-a-half years, we laid 49,000 km of road. Our government even spent over Rs 800 crore on upgrading and strengthening the national highways, the amount is yet to be reimbursed by the Centre. The Rs 1600-crore Tajpur–Bakhtiarpur Ganga bridge project under the PPP mode will soon take off,†the CM said while listing some of the achievements of the state government.