Bihar can achieve 20% growth: CM

PATNA: With enough cooperation from the Centre, Bihar can scale greater heights and could even achieve a growth of 20 per cent in GDP, said chief minister Nitish Kumar. According to Nitish this laggard state could soon be a developed state, only if the Centre could contribute to the state's kitty as per the expectation of his government.

"In any case, it's our committment and mission to make Bihar a developed state by 2015 whether we get help from the Centre or not," Nitish said. The chief minister was speaking at a function to felicitate him for being conferred the 'Business Reformer of the Year Award', organised by the business and trade community of Bihar on Monday.

The event was organised by the Bihar Chamber of Commerce (BCC) and representatives of various bodies of the state.

Addressing the BCC members, Nitish warned that attempts could be made to undo all the good work done by his government in the development of the state, which has created a good image of the state within and outside the country.

"A major achievement of my government, which stirred the conscience of the nation, is the CSO findings projecting Bihar's GDP at 11.3%," Nitish said. Nitish spoke about the real estate boom in the state, which according to him was an indicator of the state's growth.

"In any case, the Business Reformer award would be meaningless if no investment comes to Bihar," the chief minister said. He said with elections due he wouldn't like to decieve the people of Bihar who have pinned so much hope on him.

"I am sure no one will like to go back to the dark days of Bihar where one lived under constant terror and was compelled to retire home soon after the sunset," he said. BCC chairman P K Agarwal said that many more business and trade organisations wanted to honour the CM but due to paucity of time representatives of only 20 bodies could attend the function.

A documentary of the award ceremony held in Mumbai on December 20 was shown to the gathering. The organisaitons that felicitated Nitish included Chamber of Commerce & Industries of Bhagalpur, Ara, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Chapra, Begusarai, Jehanabad, Hajipur, Lakhisarai, Madhubani, Danapur, Katihar, Nalanda, Fatuha, Chemist & Druggist Assocaition, Khadyan Vyasayi Sangh, New Market Dukandar Samiti and Hathwa Market Vyasayi Sangh.
Times Of India