Patna: The completion of one month in power of the NDA in Bihar has been described by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as "a good beginning" during which the government has reached a stage of take off, but the opposition RJD and Congress disagreed and hoped little from them.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said: "though one month is little time for the new government to do much, it's a good beginning. The new government has reached a stage of take off to take Bihar to the path of development and growth."

Best part of the story is that in the past 30 days of the NDA coming to power the people are feeling "relieved" in the new environment and craving for development work, CM's Public Relations Officer Anil Chaudhary said quoting him.

After reviewing work of their departments all the ministers are working over-time to deliver goods, the CM said reassuring the people to bring Bihar back on the path of development.

Road Construction and Tourism Minister Nand Kishore Yadav, who is also State NDA Convenor, said the good point of the new government was that unlike in the past when the power was confined to 1 Anne Marg, from where RJD supremo Lalu Prasad ran the government by proxy, Nitish Kumar has given free hand to his ministers. As a result all the ministers are working over-time to live to the expectation of the CM, he added.

But, the opposition RJD and Congress differed.

RJD National Spokesman and a former minister Shivanand Tiwari said on Sunday lathicharge on the agitating teachers on Saturday summed up the "achievements" of the government in one month.

Congress legislature party leader in the Assembly Ashok Kumar said "notwithstanding drum beating by the CM about development works, nothing is visible on the ground".

Nitish Kumar cited foundation laying of extension centre of Birla Institute of Technology (BIT) in Patna and his fruitful talks with Union Human Resources Development Minister Arjun Singh for setting up an IIT type institute in Bihar as start of development work.

Talking about his PWD department, Nand Kishore Yadav said he has directed to fill all the potholes and craters of the national highways in the state by January end to make them motorable. Likewise, many proposals in the field of power, health, science and technology have been approved and work set to start.

RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari said though 30 days is a short time to assess performance of a new government. But, the way hapless teachers were beaten by police yesterday here while they were agitating in support of their demands for increasing their honorariums, on the day the government completed its one month augured ill for the State, he said.

Mr. Tiwari referred to killing of five persons of a minority community in East Champaran and spate of kidnapping and other crimes in the State Capital and elsewhere to puncture Nitish Kumar's promise to make Bihar crime-free in three months.

"It seems the feudal forces who were forced by the previous RJD regime to live in hiding have come overground and with the patronage of the new government oppressing the poor and downtrodden," he said fearing return of pre-1990 era in Bihar.

Congress legislature party leader and former minister in Rabri Devi Government Ashok Kumar said, "no good work of the Nitish Kumar Government is still visible on the grounds."

All the development schemes proposed by the Nitish Kumar ministry seem lying only on paper, and the development works started during President's Rule also appears to have been shelved, he lamented. -- PTI

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