Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday marked International Cooperative Day by launching several key development initiatives in Bihar, with a total worth exceeding Rs 800 crore. His visit to the state saw the inauguration of new schemes and the foundation-laying of important infrastructure projects aimed at improving various sectors across the region.
Shah unveiled schemes worth Rs 111 crore from the cooperative department and Rs 421 crore from the Urban Development and Housing Department. Additionally, he laid the foundation for 133 police buildings, valued at Rs 181 crore, and announced the commencement of three national highway and road transport projects worth Rs 109 crore. A significant part of the event was the remote inauguration of a Makhana processing unit at the Fishermen's Cooperative Society in Darbhanga, aimed at promoting local agriculture and boosting the rural economy.
In a significant move to promote digital banking, Shah distributed micro ATMs to the 'bank mitras' of the Bihar State Cooperative Bank, as part of a state-level conference attended by representatives from primary agriculture cooperatives and other cooperative societies. This initiative is expected to bring banking services closer to rural areas and enhance financial inclusion.
The event was attended by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, as well as several Union and state ministers and senior officials. Shah’s visit highlighted the growing collaborative efforts between the central and state governments to develop infrastructure and strengthen the cooperative movement in Bihar.
Later in the day, Shah was set to address a public rally in Gopalganj district, before chairing a meeting with NDA leaders at the Chief Minister's residence in Patna.
During his address, Shah launched a scathing attack on the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leadership, specifically targeting former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav. Shah accused the Lalu-Rabri regime of fostering a "jungle raj" in the state, alleging that the RJD government had done little to develop the rural economy. He claimed that under the RJD, several sugar mills in Bihar had shut down, and the state had experienced high crime rates, including abductions and murders. Shah also pointed to the infamous fodder scam as a dark chapter of the RJD's rule.
"People in Bihar do not want a return to 'jungle raj,' gang wars, or the abduction industry," Shah said. "The NDA will once again secure a resounding victory in the upcoming assembly elections, forming the next government in Bihar."
Shah also took the opportunity to compare the financial support provided to Bihar by the BJP-led NDA government with that of the previous UPA regime. He claimed that during the UPA's tenure, Bihar had received only Rs 2.80 trillion, whereas the NDA government had allocated Rs 9.23 trillion to the state, emphasizing the significant difference in the current administration’s support for Bihar’s development.