Patna, January 19: (ABN) Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today participated in the Samvad program organized under the Samriddhi Yatra at Hitanarayan High School, Chandauli in Sitamarhi district. Addressing the Samvad program, the Chief Minister said that you all know that the first NDA government was formed in Bihar on November 24, 2005, since then the rule of law has been established in the state and we have been continuously working on development projects. What was the condition of Bihar before 2005? It was very bad. People did not come out of their homes after evening. There was a lot of conflict in the society, every day there was a conflict between Hindus and Muslims. The education system was in a very bad state. Very few children used to study. There was no complete arrangement for treatment. Roads were very less and the condition of the roads that existed was bad. Power supply was very less. We have been working on development projects in Bihar since the beginning. Now there is no environment of any kind of fear and terror. There is an atmosphere of love, brotherhood, and peace in the entire state. To end the Hindu-Muslim conflict, in the year 2006, the boundary of the graveyards was started, and a large number of graveyards have been fenced. Now there is no dispute or trouble. After 2016, the fencing of more than 60-year-old Hindu temples has been done, due to which incidents like theft, etc. do not happen.

The Chief Minister said that first of all, special attention was given to the fields of education and health. We have opened a large number of new schools and restored contract teachers. A scheme of uniforms and cycles has been run for boys and girls studying in government schools. Since 2023, 2 lakh 58 thousand government teachers have been restored through the Bihar Public Service Commission. From 2006, 3 lakh 68 thousand contract teachers have been restored, out of which 28 thousand 976 have become government teachers through the Bihar Public Service Commission. After that, the government decided that contract teachers do not need to take the BPSC exam, they should be made government teachers by taking a simple exam. It was decided to give them 5 opportunities. Four exams have been conducted so far, in which 2 lakh 66 thousand contract teachers have passed. Now only 73 thousand are left, who will be given one more opportunity. The total number of government teachers has now reached 5 lakh 24 thousand.

The Chief Minister said that there has been a lot of improvement in health services. Earlier, the health system was very bad, only 39 patients used to come for treatment at Primary Health Centers every month, i.e., 1 or 2 patients used to come daily. After 2006, arrangements have been made for free medicines and treatment in hospitals. Now, on average, 11 thousand 600 patients come to the Primary Health Center every month. Earlier, there were only 6 medical colleges in Bihar, whose number has now increased to 12, and new medical colleges are being built in the remaining 27 districts, which will be completed soon. Patna Medical College and Hospital are being made 5 thousand 400 bedded and other 5 old medical colleges are being made 2.5 thousand bedded, as well as IGIMS is being made 3 thousand bedded.

The Chief Minister said that a large number of roads and bridges have been built in the state. The goal of reaching Patna within 6 hours from the farthest areas of the state was achieved in 2016. Now, a large number of roads, bridges, rail overbridges, bypasses, and elevated roads have been built in the state, due to which it has become possible to reach Patna from the farthest areas in almost 5 hours. Since 2008, work has been done by making an Agriculture Road Map, due to which there has been very good progress in the field of agriculture. From 2008 to 2012, the first, from 2012 to 2017, the second, and from 2017 to 2023, the third Agriculture Road Map was implemented, due to which there has been a significant increase in the production of grains, fruits, vegetables, milk, eggs, meat, and fish. There has been a two-and-a-half-fold increase in fish production, due to which Bihar has become self-sufficient in fish production. Along with this, there has also been an increase in the income of farmers. Currently, work is being done rapidly on the schemes under the fourth Agriculture Road Map (from 2024 to 2029).

In 2015, under the Seven Resolves, (1) Economic Solution - Youth Employment (2) Secure Employment Women Empowerment (3) Electricity in every house, (4) Tap water in every house, (5) Toilet in every house (6) Connecting villages to pucca roads and (7) Increasing opportunities, work has been done. In 2018, electricity has been reached to every house by the government. Now, almost all domestic consumers are being given free electricity. Solar panels will be installed on the roofs of the houses of all willing people by the government. After 2020, under the Seven Resolves-2, (1) Youth Power - Bihar's Development, (2) Empowered Women - Capable Women, (3) Water for every field, (4) Clean Village - Prosperous Village (solar street lights), (5) Clean City Developed City, (6) Easy Contact, (7) Medical facility for all (telemedicine and child heart scheme) a lot of work has been done on all. Whatever work is left under Seven Resolves-2 will be completed soon. Under Seven Resolves-2, it has been decided to provide 10 lakh jobs and 10 lakh employment opportunities to the youth. So far, 10 lakh youth have been given government jobs and 40 lakh have been given employment. In total, 50 lakh youth have been given jobs and employment. The goal is to provide jobs and employment to 1 crore youth in the next five years.

The government has supported the development of all sections of society since its inception. Work has been done for Hindus, Muslims, upper castes, backward, extremely backward, Dalits, or Mahadalits. We have also done a lot of work for the Muslim community. Madrasas have been given government recognition, and their teachers are being given salaries equal to other government teachers.

The Chief Minister said that the pension amount for all elderly, disabled, and widows has been increased from Rs 400 to Rs 1100, benefiting 1 crore 14 lakh people. In 2023, a caste-based census was conducted, in which information was also collected about the economic condition of the people. It revealed 94 lakh poor families, including upper castes, backward, extremely backward, Dalits, Mahadalits, and Muslim communities. A employment assistance of Rs 2 lakh was started for these families and this assistance was to be given to all in five years. Now we have decided to give money to all these 94 lakh poor families on a priority basis by connecting them with employment schemes. If needed, more than Rs 2 lakh will also be provided.

The Chief Minister said that in 2006, 50 percent reservation for women was implemented in Panchayati Raj institutions and in 2007 in municipal bodies. So far, four elections have been held. Since 2013, we have implemented 35 percent reservation in the police. Now, the number of women in the Bihar police is the highest in the country. Since 2016, 35 percent reservation has been given to women in all government jobs. Earlier, the number of self-help groups in Bihar was very less. In 2006, a self-help group was formed in the state by taking a loan from the World Bank, which was named Jeevika. Now, the number of self-help groups has become almost 11 lakh, the number of Jeevika didis has become 1 crore 40 lakh. Since 2024, self-help groups are being formed in urban areas, whose number has become 41 thousand so far, in which there are about 4 lakh 34 thousand Jeevika didis, its formation is ongoing.

The Chief Minister said that during my Pragati Yatra in December 2024 and January-February 2025, I visited all the districts to review the development works and to remove the shortcomings that were left, 430 new schemes have been approved. Work has started on these schemes in all districts. All these projects will be completed soon. Bihar is getting full cooperation from the central government. In the budget of July 2024, it was announced to give a large amount to Bihar in the form of special financial assistance for roads, industry, health, tourism, and flood control. In the budget of February 2025, announcements have been made for the establishment of a food park, airport, and financial assistance for the western Kosi canal, etc. In 2018, the Khelo India Youth Games were organized in some states of the country, in 2025, the Khelo India Youth Games were organized in Bihar, which is a matter of pride. I salute Mr. Narendra Modi for all this. Mr. Narendra Modi has come to Bihar many times and has laid the foundation stone and inaugurated development projects. Work is being done rapidly on all these projects now.

The Chief Minister said that the government has worked in every field, whether it is education, health,