"Free electricity, jobs to one crore youth in next five years": Bihar CM Nitish Kumar in Motihari

East Champaran (Bihar) [India], July 18 : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday announced that people of the state will be provided with free electricity. He also informed that the State government has approved Rs 50,000 crore for 430 new schemes that would provide benefits to the people.
Nitish Kumar promised that the state government would provide jobs to one crore youth in the coming five years.
"During the previous government's tenure, there was no electricity. There was electricity for only eight hours, even in Patna. We managed all of it. Consumers used to pay a significant amount of money for their electricity bills. We have decided that electricity will be provided for free. We will hold a cabinet meeting and will decide on the same today itself," Kumar said while addressing the gathering in Motihari in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"We have already given 10 lakh government jobs to youth and are working to provide more. In the coming five years, we will decide on providing jobs to one crore youth," he added.
The Bihar Chief Minsister announced the state government's decision to increase the pension amount for the differently abled, senior citizens, and widows to Rs 1,100.
"The pension amount given to differently abled, senior citizens and widows was only Rs 400. However, we have decided to increase the amount to Rs 1,100. This will benefit over 1.11 crore people," Kumar said.
Apprising the gathering about announcements made for Bihar in the upcoming 2025 Union Budget, he said that the government will establish a Makhana Board that would improve the overall marketing of the crop, including its production and processing.
"We have been surveying several regions in the state. We are trying to rectify the shortcomings. We have approved Rs 50,000 crore for 430 new schemes, and we are working on them. Announcements have been made for the establishment of the Makhana Board, inauguration of the Airport and financial aid for the Western Kosi River in the Budget of 2025 in February," Kumar said.
Criticising the previous governments for "not doing any work", the Bihar CM said that the NDA government, since 2005, has been committed to fast-paced development in the state, while focusing on the education and health sectors.
"Before the BJP-JDU formed the government in November 2005, the previous government didn't do any work. Every region is being developed at a fast pace. We have paid attention to education and health. The road infrastructure, including bridges, has been developed in Bihar," Kumar said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary stated that over 60 lakh houses have been constructed in Bihar under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
"Over 60 lakh homes were built in Bihar under PM Awas Yojna in 11 years of the tenure of PM Modi," he added.
Ahead of the public function PM Narendra Modi flagged off four new Amrit Bharat trains between Rajendra Nagar Terminal (Patna) to New Delhi, Bapudham Motihari to Delhi (Anand Vihar Terminal), Darbhanga to Lucknow (Gomti Nagar) and Malda Town to Lucknow (Gomti Nagar) via Bhagalpur.
Earlier PM flanked by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Kumar Sinha and Samrat Chaudhary held a roadshow in an open jeep.
The assembly elections in Bihar are expected to be held later this year, in October or November. However, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not announced an official date.
While the NDA, comprising the BJP, JD(U), and LJP, will once again seek to continue its stint in Bihar, the INDIA bloc, comprising the RJD, Congress, and left parties, will aim to unseat Nitish Kumar.
In the current Bihar Assembly, comprising 243 members, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) consists of 131 members, with the BJP having 80 MLAs, JD(U) having 45, HAM(S) having 4, and the support of 2 Independent Candidates.
The Opposition's INDIA Bloc comprises 111 members, with the RJD leading with 77 MLAs, followed by Congress with 19, CPI(ML) with 11, CPI(M) with 2, and CPI with 2.