NITISH COMMITTED TO DEVELOPMENT OF BIHAR, SAYS MODI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi ( pictured) on Saturday praised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for his “commitment” to the state’s development, as the two leaders shared the stage for the first time after the JD(U) returned to the NDA fold. Modi, who attended the centenary celebrations of Patna University said the Centre and the state government will work together with a pledge to bring Bihar on par with the other prosperous states by 2022. “Nitishjiis committed to development of Bihar... and the central government has pledged to develop the country. Together the two will work together to ensure that Bihar is counted among the prosperous states by 2022 when the country celebrates 75 years of independence,” the PM said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday praised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for his “commitment” to the state’s development, as the two leaders shared the stage for the first time after the Janata Dal (United) returned to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) fold.
Modi, who attended the centenary celebrations of the Patna University (PU) here along with Kumar, said the Centre and the state government led by Kumar will work together with a pledge to bring Bihar on par with the other prosperous states by 2022.
“Nitishji is committed to the development of Bihar... and the central government has pledged to develop the country.
Together the two will work together to ensure that Bihar is counted among the prosperous states by 2022 when the country celebrates 75 years of independence,” the prime minister said. Modi said that Bihar has been blessed by Saraswati, the Goddess of learning. “But the time has come to propitiate Laxmi (Goddess of wealth and prosperity) as well and take the state to new heights of development,” he said.
Addressing the gathering, Kumar said that “it is a day of great honour” that the prime minister is present for Patna University’s centenary celebrations.
He also made a fervent plea to Modi “with folded hands that central status be granted to Patna University”.
However, Modi, during his address, said that measures like grant of central status were “a thing of the past” and his government has taken “a step forward” towards making 10 private universities and 10 government ones world class.
“I would like to say something about a demand that was raised here and met with loud cheers by the young crowd attending this ceremony. Issues like grant of central status have become a thing of the past. We are taking a step forward. “We will provide an assistance of ~10,000 crore to 10 private universities and an equal number of government ones for a period of five years. All these universities have to do is to demonstrate their potential to become world class,” he said, adding, “I exhort Patna University to seize this opportunity.”
Modi began his speech on a humorous note, saying “the chief minister said in his speech that I was the first Prime Minister to visit this university. It seems my predecessors have left quite a few tasks for me”.
Earlier, the prime minister was welcomed by Bihar Governor Satya Pal Malik and the chief minister among others at the Patna airport from where he drove straight to the Patna Science College campus.
This is the prime minister’s first full-fledged official tour to the state since the BJP became a part of the ruling coalition in Bihar in July this year after Kumar-led JD(U) snapped its alliance with Lalu Prasad’s RJD and the Congress.