Sahibgunj-Manihari Ganga bridge to help dev Santhal Pargana

Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today said economic development of the Santhal Paragana region will accelerate once the Sahibgunj-Manihari Ganga Bridge is completed.
Addressing a gathering after Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation of the Sahibganj-Manihari Ganga Bridge, Das said the project would bring prosperity to the Santhal Pargana region by connecting it with Bihar, Bengal and South-East Asian countries, an official release said quoting him.
"We are working with the mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas," Das said and reiterated his government's resolve of holistic development of tribals by generating employment opportunities for them and their integration with the state's mainstream, the release said.

Constitution of two special battalions from the Very Vulnerable Tribal group (VVTG) was a step in that direction and handing over of appointment letters to 956 of them by the Prime Minister was testimony to that commitment and resolve, the release quoting Das, said.
Highlighting the measures undertaken by his government for socio-economic empowerment, Das said "Sakhi mandals (SHGs), each comprising of 10-20 poor women have been constituted and financed with a revolving fund, and they are rewriting the nuances of socio-economic development in rural areas."
Offering one lakh smart phones to these groups for distribution among their members was another measure for their empowerment, which would also give a push to their digital inclusion, the Chief Minister said.

"Quality roads are life lines of the nation and the states," Das said adding "Commissioning of the 311 km Govindpur-Sahibganj road is a step in that direction, which will reduce travel time from Dhanbad to Sahibganj from 10-12 hours to five hours."
The road will usher in economic development in the regions connected through it and the 4-lane bridge on River Ganga, once completed, would further boost that, he said.
Powers have been devolved to panchayats and the government would construct a secretariat for each of the panchayats as well as their Internet connectivity, Das added.