Nitish Kumar announces development projects and schemes for the next five years on Independence day

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday announced a slew of development projects and schemed regarding the “seven resolves” adopted by his government for the next five years and said that rule of law prevailed in the state.

In his speech on 70th Independence Day, Kumar announced the launch of Student Credit Card scheme from 2 October . The scheme promises Rs four lakh interest free loan to students for pursuing higher education.

He also announced the launch of a scheme to provide an allowance of Rs 1,000 per month to youths in the age group of 20 to 25 for two years to help them search job.

The CM announced start of centres in all 534 blocks in the state for imparting language training and computer knowledge to youths to prepare them with better employment prospects.

Another major promise was launch of start up capital of Rs 5,000 crore to help young entrepreneurs start their ventures.

Kumar said free Wi-fi facility would be made available in all state universities and colleges from February 2017.

These announcements are part of his “seven resolves” which he had expressed on the eve of state Assembly election last year. The resolves have been adopted by the grand secular alliance government of JD(U), RJD and Congress in the state as “policy of governance” for the next five years.

Kumar said rule of law prevailed in the state and appealed to the people to maintain peace and communal harmony.

Expressing concern over misuse of social media triggering violence, he said, “I urge everybody to ignore provocative messages sent deliberately to foment unrest in the society… We should not become victims of such designs.”

Violence erupted in Saran district last week over a youth sending some objectionable message on social media.

While the state level function was held at the historic Gandhi Maidan where the chief minister took salute from marching contingents, the occasion was celebrated enthusiastically elsewhere too.

Later, the CM visited Chilbilli Mahadalit Tola to hoist the tricolour in a village inhabited by mahadalits, poorest among dalits, at Phulwarisharif block of Patna district.

Governor Ramnath Kovind unfurled national flag at Raj Bhavan and extended warm greetings to the people on the day.

RJD President Lalu Prasad, accompanied by wife Rabri Devi and Health Minister Tej Pratap Yadav, hoisted the tricolour at his 10 Circular Road residence in the presence of a large number of party functionaries and citizens.