Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has promised to install solar street lights in every village.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has come out with data on jobs to counter the opposition parties' charge that the state has a very high unemployment rate. Addressing a virtual rally titled 'Nischay Samvad' in Patna, Kumar said that the RJD in its 15 years tenure provided jobs to only 95,000 people while the successive Janata Dal (United) governments employed over six lakh people.
Besides jobs, Nitish said that he has provided electricity to every household and ended the 'lalten yug'. The Chief Minister said that in the next five years if he returns to power, the government will install solar street lights in every village.
"We have brought electricity to every house. If we are given a chance again, every village will get solar street lights. You can switch off your bulbs but the entire village will stay illuminated the entire night. It will be done by state govt," the Bihar CM said.
"They (RJD) were in power for 15 years. Bihar and Jharkhand were one for 10 of these. Between 1990 to 2005, only 95,000 people were given jobs," he retorted to the opposition's charge of unemployment.
"In our administration, over 6 lakhs jobs were given. Besides this many others were enrolled in other services," he opined.
The opposition parties are attacking Nitish Kumar over the rate of unemployment in the state. The RJD has even promised to provide 10 lakh jobs if the grand alliance forms the next government in Bihar. RJD leader and opposition's CM candidate, Tejashwi Yadav, has promised to sanction 10 lakh government jobs in "the first cabinet meeting itself".
The Congress, also a constituent of the grand alliance, has dared Nitish Kumar to issue a white paper on financial progress and how many jobs his government created in the last 15 years.
The Bihar Assembly election is the first major poll held in the country amid the pandemic. Polling in the first phase ended on Wednesday with 54.26 per cent turnout. The polls were held in 71 seats spread across 16 districts amid tight security and strict COVID-19 protocols in place. Polling in the second phase will take place on November 3. The third phase will be held on November 7. The results will be declared on November 10.
While Nitish is seeking a fourth consecutive win, it is a do or die battle for RJD. The RJD is led by jailed party chief Lalu Prasad's son Tejashwi.
