Nitish govt has failed to utilise central funds: BJP

Bihar BJP President Nityanand Rai today criticised the Nitish Kumar government for its failure to spend funds, especially the central funds.
"Development is hampered in Bihar due to the negligence of the state government which has been unable to spend funds properly especially the Central funds," Rai told reporters here.
"On the one hand the central government has been releasing funds for various development activities, while on the other the state government has not been able to spend it ... We will not allow the neglect of central funds," said Rai, who is a Lok Sabha member from Ujiarpur.
Referring to the CAG report of 2015-16, he said that the report, which was tabled in the state legislature in March this year, is an eye opener as it says that the state government could not spend a single penny of the 182 developmental schemes and the government had to surrender the funds.

It could spend Rs 32000 crore out of Rs 67,000 crore for various schemes, he said adding that the state government surrendered Rs 35,000 crore of the budget.
"It is completely unjust and cheating the people if the government, that talks about development cannot spend funds. Such a government has no right to remain in power," BJP president said.

Stating that Centre had released Rs 94,906 crore for Bihar in the three years since 2015-16 apart from the state government's share in central taxes, BJP leader said.
"From today, BJP leaders and workers will visit every village of the state (Bihar) to tell the people about the achievements of Narendra Modi government in the past three years. We will also tell people about the failures of the state government. This exercise will continue till June 15," he said.

The Narendra Modi government will complete its third year in office tomorrow.
Rai, who spoke about the schemes and measures launched by the Modi government in the past three years, claimed that Bihar had been hugely benefiited by the Mudra Yojana but refused to provide the numbers of people from Bihar who availed loans under it.
Demonetisation, a major achievement of the government, hit black money and benami properties, he said adding that it also provided a slew of social security schemes under Atal Pension Yojana, PM Jivan Jyoti Bima Yojana, PM Suraksha Bima Yojana.
Apart from providing LPG connection to poor families under Ujjwala Yojana, the Centre has set the target of electrifying all villages by 2018.

"In Bihar only 319 villages are yet to be electrified. And this has happened because of Prime Minister Modi's resolve in this regard," he added.