RJD launches mass movement against NDA government: Raghuvansh

Rajgir, Jul 15 (UNI) Union Rural Development Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh today said his party has initiated a mass movement against Nitish Kumar-led NDA government through its workers' training camp in the state.

Lambasting the Nitish Kumar government, he said that a mass movement had been initiated through the camp which would be further extended in the remote areas of the state. ''Almost all sections of the society, including farmers, labourer, poor, teaching and non teaching groups were harassed in the present regime,'' he charged and accused the government for ignoring the problems of the people.

The common people would be apprised with facts related to the developmental aspects and the party activists would propagate message among the rural masses once the training camp was over, he noted.

Mr Singh alleged that the Nitish Kumar government was unable to utilise the developmental funds released by the Centre and disclosed that instead of spending the funds amounting to Rs 50 to 150 crore, released for implementing developmental schemes in the districts, the Nitish Kumar governent ''preferred to earn interest over it by depositing the same in the banks''.

Questioning on the efficiency of the state government, Mr Singh said the UPA government at the Centre was facing difficulties in sanctioning the additonal funds as Nitish Kumar government had failed to spend the released amount.

He said the Congress ruled states had already spent more than Rs 100 crore under Employment Gurantee Scheme while the NDA ruled states including Bihar had failed to utilise the funds under the scheme. Bihar had been sanctioned Rs 2,300 crore under the scheme, he said adding Rs 225 crore had been given for another 15 districts under the scheme for distributing job cards.

Mr Singh said allocations for Indira Awas Scheme had been enhanced from Rs 200 crore to 700 crore but the state government had failed to register progress under the scheme. The allocations in old age pension had also been increased to Rs 400 crore, he said and maintained that the step was taken for providing better living facilities to the old aged people.

Mr Singh also slammed the state government for not properly distributing the pensions.

He further alleged the state government was unable to utilise even half of the fund released under Rashtriya Sam Vikas Yojana. The centre had released Rs 45 crore for every district under the scheme.

Mr Singh stated that Rs 700 crore were released under backward region grant fund but Bihar government beacuse of its poor utilisation capacity was vertually deprived of it.

Mr Singh alleged Nitish Kumar government was making tall promises and was misleading the people in the name of development.

UNI