Launching a slew of youth-centric initiatives worth Rs 62,000 crore in poll-bound Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday blamed previous governments led by the RJD and Congress for “ruining the education system” in the state, which he said, led to largescale migration.
In an address through video conferencing from Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, the Prime Minister said, “Two to two-and-a-half decades ago, the education system in Bihar was in a shambles. Schools barely opened, appointments were not made. This is the truth.”
He said people were forced to send their children away from Bihar to cities in other states, marking the beginning of the migration of youth from Bihar. “Which parent doesn’t want their child to study here and grow here? But due to lack of opportunities, millions of children had to leave Bihar and go to Varanasi, Delhi, and Mumbai. This was the real beginning of migration,” he said.
Comparing the RJD’s tenure to a tree whose roots were infested with insects, Modi said that reviving it was a “Herculean task”, even as he lauded the current NDA government led by Nitish Kumar.
“Fortunately, the people of Bihar entrusted Nitish ji with the responsibility of governance, and we have all seen how the NDA team worked together to restore the systems that were once broken,” said the Prime Minister, mentioning the increase in Budget for education under the current regime.
Taking a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over the legacy of socialist leader Karpoori Thakur, Modi said, “I urge the people of Bihar to stay alert. The title of ‘Jan Nayak’ befits Karpoori Thakur alone. These days, people are trying to even steal that title. The people of Bihar must ensure that the honour given to Karpoori Thakur by the public is not stolen.”
Highlighting the state’s demographic potential, he said, “Bihar is one of the states with the highest proportion of youth in the population. When the capability of Bihar’s youth increases, the strength of the nation also increases.” He underlined the NDA government’s commitment to empower youth through education, skilling and employment.
During the event, the Prime Minister unveiled the Bihar Student Credit Card scheme in a renewed format, offering interest-free education loans, alongside the disbursement of Rs 450 crore in scholarships to 25 lakh students of Classes 9 and 10 through DBT. He also inaugurated the Bihar Youth Commission, the Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Skill University, and the new campus of NIT Patna in Bihta.
In addition, under the PM-USHA scheme, new academic and research facilities were launched in four Bihar universities — Patna University, Bhupendra Narayan Mandal University (Madhepura), Jai Prakash University (Chapra), and Nalanda Open University (Patna). The Prime Minister also distributed appointment letters for government jobs to 3,942 youths.
Highlighting his government’s goal to strengthen the link between skilling and industry, Modi said, “Today we have launched the PM SETU scheme worth Rs 60,000 crore, which will enable our ITIs to connect directly and robustly with industries.” He also said that 1,200 new skill labs have been set up in Navodaya and Eklavya Model schools across the country.
Lauding the modernisation of Bihar’s educational infrastructure under the current government, he said, “The NDA’s double-engine government is committed to modernising educational institutions in Bihar. ”
Highlighting Bihar’s strides in employment generation, the Prime Minister said, “In the last two decades, Bihar has connected 50 lakh youth with employment. In the last few years alone, 10 lakh permanent government jobs have been given, including 2.5 lakh teacher appointments.” He said the state government now aims to double that figure in the next five years.
He said that India’s economy has also transformed. “Before 2014, India was labelled as part of the ‘Fragile Five’ economies. Today, we are moving towards becoming a top-three economy.”
He attributed the change to focus on manufacturing, exports and skilling, pointing out the role of ITIs. “Our ITIs are not just training institutes, they are the workshops of Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” he said.
Modi said the new PM-Vikas Bharat Rozgar Yojana aims to provide jobs to 3.5 crore youths in the private sector, while the MUDRA scheme has helped millions start their own businesses. He referred to the GST savings festival currently underway and acknowledged the interest of the youth in buying vehicles due to tax benefits. “I’ve been told that many youngsters in Bihar are planning to buy scooters and bikes this Dhanteras,” he said.
In his speech, Modi said, “There may be alternatives to many things, but there is no alternative to skill, innovation and hard work. And India’s youth possess all of these. The strength of our youth will become the strength of a developed India.”
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who participated in the programme from the ‘Sankalp’ centre in Patna, expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister and highlighted Bihar’s commitment to youth development. He emphasised that the government has already delivered 10 lakh jobs and 40 lakh employment opportunities, and now aims to provide 1 crore jobs in the next five years.
He recalled that the state launched youth-centric schemes such as the Student Credit Card, Self-Help Allowance Scheme, and the Kushal Yuva Programme under its Saat Nischay (Seven Resolves) in 2015 and expanded them in 2020. “Our work for education, skill development and employment of youth has been consistent from the beginning,” he said.
Taking a swipe at previous regimes, Kumar said, “Earlier governments did no work. The situation was very bad. Since the NDA took charge…, we have worked continuously for Bihar’s development. Rule of law has been established, and development has taken place in all sectors — education, health, roads, power.” He thanked the Centre for approving 19 new Kendriya Vidyalayas in Bihar, saying, “These institutions will immensely benefit the youth of Bihar.”