Patna, Bihar’s winter legislative session entered its fourth day on Thursday with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar delivering a robust defence of his government’s record and an optimistic outlook for the state’s economic trajectory over the next five years.
Speaking during the debate on the Governor’s address, Mr Kumar told the assembly that a combination of central and state initiatives would propel Bihar towards “significant development” in the coming half-decade. “Developing Bihar has always been our primary objective. We think about it day and night and work accordingly,” he said.
Infrastructure and connectivity featured prominently in the chief minister’s address. He claimed the state had achieved its target of ensuring that any corner of Bihar is reachable from Patna within six hours, a figure now effectively reduced to five hours in many cases. Five new expressways are planned to further improve accessibility.
On the agricultural front, Mr Kumar pointed to successive “agriculture road maps” launched since 2008, asserting that production of grains, fruits, vegetables, eggs, meat and fish had risen sharply. He declared Bihar self-sufficient in fish production and noted a substantial increase in farmers’ incomes.
Healthcare and education also received emphasis. The state, he said, was rapidly expanding medical college infrastructure while primary health centres now see an average daily footfall of 11,600 patients, up from just 29 per month before 2006. In education, more than 520,000 government teachers have been appointed, with controlled recruitment processes continuing.
Mr Kumar highlighted welfare measures including near-free electricity for domestic consumers (with solar installations planned), universal tap-water connections, sanitation coverage, and a pledge to provide employment or livelihood opportunities to 10 million youth over the next five years. Women’s reservation in government jobs stands at 35 per cent, with Bihar boasting the highest proportion of female police personnel in the country.
In a lighter but politically charged moment, the chief minister asked members to raise their hands in appreciation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s contributions to Bihar. When opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) legislators remained seated, Mr Kumar remarked: “Why don’t you do it? He works for everyone, in every way.”
Separately, Narendra Narayan Yadav of the Janata Dal (United) was unanimously elected Deputy Speaker for the second consecutive term — a rarity in the state’s legislative history. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary proposed Mr Yadav’s name, seconded by Water Resources Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary.
The assembly also noted the presentation on Wednesday of a second supplementary budget totalling ₹91,717 crore for the current fiscal year, including ₹21,000 crore for the Chief Minister’s Women Employment Scheme and ₹6,462 crore to subsidise electricity supply up to 125 units free for households.
With the National Democratic Alliance holding a comfortable majority and Tejashwi Yadav formally recognised as Leader of the Opposition, the session is expected to focus on legislative business and the government’s development agenda before concluding next week.
