NDA calls for debate in Laloo’s Bihar

As elections draw near, the NDA in Bihar is trying to get the RJD locked in a development debate, against its campaign of secularism and int...

As elections draw near, the NDA in Bihar is trying to get the RJD locked in a development debate, against its campaign of secularism and integrity of the nation.

Calling RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav for a debate, NDA campaign convenor and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today released what he called the ‘‘deplorable performance of Bihar government,’’ in the fields of power, irrigation and urban infrastructure.

At 60 KWH, Bihar has the least per capita consumption of electricity in the country. Quoting Planning Commission reports, the Union Minister said that in the eighth and ninth plans, the state government used only 28 and 19 per cent of the total plan outlays though the state is going through power crisis.

Similarly, the minister said, the state has failed to utilise the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme completely in the past five years. The minister said the state has not sought assistance in the past three years from HUDCO either.