Nitish welcomes PM Modi's Bihar package, demands its implemention

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday for the first time welcomed the Prime Minister's Bihar package of Rs 1.25 lakh crore and the additional investment of Rs 40,000 crore, and demanded their sincere implementation for development of the state.

"I welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi's package for Bihar of Rs 1.25 lakh crore with additional investment of Rs 40,000 crore for running projects...From here onwards I would like sincere implementation of the package," he said in the legislative Assembly today while replying to the debate on the Governor's address to the joint sitting of the Bihar Assembly.

Kumar had earlier trashed the Bihar package which the Prime Minister had announced at an official function in Ara (Bhojpur district) on September 18 and had described it as "repackaging of old schemes" during election rallies.

The Chief Minister also urged Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary to constitute a joint committee of the members of the two Houses for monitoring implementation of the package and utilisation of the committed funds against specific projects.

"I leave it to you (Speaker) to constitute a joint committee of members of House of Bihar legislature or the legislative assembly only for monitoring of the implementation of the Prime Minister's Bihar package," he said.

"The choice is yours," the Chief Minister said looking in the direction of the Speaker.

Kumar stressed that no politics should be played in the state's development and said the construction of National Highway (NH), electricity generation through Ultra Mega Power Projects (UMPP) and other schemes would go a long way in fulfilling the state's aspiration for infrastructure.

Imploring the NDA government at the Centre for implementation of the package, he said that it should not only remain on paper, but must be seen on ground.