Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today blamed successive Central governments for "neglecting" Bihar which slid into morass of economic backwardness since Independence before the NDA government took upon it to undertake development,the results of which are showing. "Bihar has been rendered great injustice historically throwing the state in the morass of economic backwardness from which the state and its people are trying to steer out on development path," Kumar said at the valedictory function of three-day Global Summit on Changing Bihar. There was no investment made in Bihar during the British colonial rule and even after Independence by successive Central governments,Kumar said,adding that if the state found itself backward then the "blame should squarely rest" on the Central governments and its policies. Citing an example of the flaws of the Centre's economic policies for Bihar,Kumar recalled that the state and adjoining parts of Uttar Pradesh used to produce 25 per cent of the country's sugar output around the time of Independence,but the same has shrunk to only two per cent at present. There were a number of sugar mills thriving in the state and employing large number of people in Bihar,but due to the successive Central government's "discriminatory" policies,the sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were closed down even as the sugar industry found its moorings in the Western parts of the country,he said. Kumar also tore into the inclusive growth mantra of the UPA government and said prevalence of backwardness and under-development in some parts and islands of development in other parts in other parts did not reflect success of the inclusive growth agenda. Observing that Bihar's interests have been "consistently ignored and injustice meted out it by the Central government," he said the spirit of the people have not been dampened by the adverse situation,that included bifurcation of Bihar. Singling out agriculture as the backbone of the state economy,Kumar said the state government has decided to launch its 10-year agriculture roadmap from April 1 under which Rs 1.5 lakh crore will be invested over the period for increase of farm yield,storage,marketing and related activities. "Bihar has taken upon itself to launch a second green revolution in the country," he said. Referring to the observations made by some economists that the over-two digit growth rate in Bihar over the past 5-6 years have been translated in the increase in per capita income of the people,Kumar said that his government has been trying hard to ensure that the fruits of development did reach to the last person in the state. Kumar showcased an improvement in the law and order situation and overall image make over to make a case for the state's drive on the road of recovery and said that the arrival of a large number of tourists from across the country and abroad spoke volumes of positive changes in Bihar.
