Patna, Mar 24 (PTI) Bihar’s deputy chief minister Vijay Kumar Sinha congratulated Nitish Kumar for his re-election as JD(U) national president and praised the development works carried out by his government in the state.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was elected JD (U) president unopposed on Tuesday with no other candidate filing nomination for the party’s top post.
He has been serving as the party’s president since Lalan Singh resigned from the post in December 2023. Kumar (75) was elected to the Rajya Sabha in elections held recently.
“Best wishes to Nitish Kumar ji on becoming the national president of JD(U) again. This is a manifestation of his 21 years of developmental works as the head of the NDA government,” Sinha said at a press conference to highlight the progress made by his department during the first 100 days of the new NDA government.
The deputy chief minister, who also holds the Urban Development and Housing portfolio, claimed that under the leadership of Nitish Kumar, Bihar has gained respect globally, while the law and order situation has improved.
“Nitish Kumar’s efforts have led to a rise in the respect of Bihar, brought peace to the state, and endeavoured to stop crime and corruption here. His dedication towards people’s welfare will definitely encourage every Bihari,” Sinha said.
He slammed opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal for their latest remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While Gandhi alleged that India’s foreign policy has become “Modi’s personal foreign policy” which is being considered as a “universal joke”, the AAP national convener has claimed that the PM may not be able to continue in the post after 2026.
The Bihar deputy chief minister described the remarks of the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha as “childish” and “irresponsible”.
He also claimed that Kejriwal’s “astrological calculations” will fail because Narendra Modi is blessed with people’s love and trust.
About the functioning of his department, which was held by Nitin Nabin before he became the BJP president, Sinha said that it has taken strict action against encroachment, illegal hoardings and parking.
“We are now allowing only registered hoardings and posters, and removing those displayed illegally. This will create a new source of revenue. An estimated revenue exceeding Rs 1,000 crore is expected due to this initiative,” the deputy chief minister said.
The minister also said that his department would now streamline the functioning of the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal in the state.
“A committee has been formed to transparently investigate complaints regarding inconsistencies in the procurement from GeM portal. We are working on the principle of ‘zero tolerance’ towards corruption,” he said.
Sinha informed reporters that the government has decided to resort to digital means for the departmental tendering process. “We have also created an environment to develop a new system for increasing revenue by making the collection system digital,” Sinha added.
The minister highlighted the state government’s emphasis on checking the sale of meat by unlicensed vendors, especially in open places near schools and religious places.
“We have taken steps to stop the sale of meat by those who sell without a license. Special monitoring will be done in religious places, schools, and crowded areas to ensure proper public health and cleanliness,” he said.
Principal Secretary of the Urban Development and Housing department Vinay Kumar informed the press conference that the remaining projects of the Smart City programme will all be completed by October this year.
“In the entire state, across four smart cities, a total of 11 projects are incomplete. All projects will be completed by October,” he said.
About the Patna Metro project, the principal secretary highlighted that the Khemnichak-Malahi Pakari stretch of the Patna Metro will be completed within a month, while work on all corridors will be over by 2030. PTI SUK NSD
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