Kalam opens Bihar summit

President APJ Abdul Kalam on Friday inaugurated the three-day Global Bihar Meet with a clarion call to turn Bihar into a developed state by 2015.

President APJ Abdul Kalam on Friday inaugurated the three-day Global Bihar Meet with a clarion call to turn Bihar into a developed state by 2015.

Saying that Bihar has the potential to develop, he said it could also leave many states behind and emerge as a top state in all sectors of the economy. “For success in all projects we need creative leadership, which means exercising the vision to change the traditional role from the commander to the coach, manager to mentor, from director to delegator and from one who demands respect to one who facilitates self-respect,” Kalam said and expressed confidence in the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Kalam laid down ten missions for the state’s development, including those elaborated during a special session of the state Assembly last year.

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Addressing the delegates, most of those who don’t reside in Bihar, the President said the time had come for them to give back something to their state. “Come forward with an open mind to participate in building a resurgent Bihar,” he said.

Kalam reiterated that Bihar’s core competence was in its fertile fields and abundant water. He said the state can turn itself into a food supplier of the nation and reminded that infrastructure development was a must. He made it clear that, apart from building 3,500 km of all weather rural roads, it needed to upgrade its national and state highways to international standards. “Without infrastructure you cannot hope to attract tourists and Bihar has immense potential in tourism.”

The Chief Minister assured that he was abiding by the ‘Ten Commandments’ laid down for the state’s development. Kumar said though it was not an investors’ meet, it would certainly pave way for the investors as well.