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Journalism of Courage
The Planning Commission is upset with the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar for not doing enough to achieve all-round development of the state. The commission believes that the JDU-ruled regime needs to generate rural employment,promote industry and ensure nutritional care of the school children on a faster pace to match the national indicators.
Kumar may have to explain to the Commission when he meets its top brass to discuss Bihars Annual Plan for 2011-12 here tomorrow as to why his state was lagging behind national indicators. To begin with,the plan panel is upset that poverty level of the state is much higher than the national average in both urban and rural areas. A top Commission told The Indian Express that compared to the all India work average of 28.3 per cent and 25.7 per cent for rural and urban areas respectively,Bihars figures of 42.1 per cent and 34.6 per cent was worrying. It implies that the state will have to accord top priority to creating livelihood opportunities, he said.
The panel believes that Bihars Industrial Policy unveiled in 2006 was skewed towards dependence on providing fiscal incentives in the forms of subsidy and concessions for attracting investments. This is contrary to the policies being pursued by the Centre,which emphasizes for creation of enabling conditions and removal of impediments,which raise transaction costs, the official said pointing out that they would expect Kumar to outline steps his administration has taken to come up with a Comprehensive State Manufacturing Competitiveness Report to identify sectors,which have potential endowment in Bihar.
On the Mid-Day Meal scheme,Bihar has not incurred any expenditure in monitoring it,while districts like Bhojpur,Nalanda,East Champaran,Jamui and Rohtas have huge stock foodgrains lying unutilised. On the health front,Bihar has higher crude birth rate and infant mortality rate compared to the national average and the state was likely to miss the 11th Plan targets. The health scenario in Bihar could be gauged from the fact that 1,243 of 1,776 primary health care centres are without doctors, the official said.
