Bihar govt to focus on development: Governor

Patna, Feb 22 (PTI) Bihar Governor Devanand Konwar todaysaid the Nitish Kumar government was committed to pursuepolicies which would encourage development in the state.

After slogan-shouting by chief opposition RJD for a briefperiod, Konwar, while addressing a joint session of the twohouses of the state legislature during the budget session,unveiled priorities of the Nitish Kumar led government for thenext five years.

"With its pledge to continue development with justice,the state government is irrevocably committed to pursuepolicies which would encourage development," he said.

The state government is firm in its resolve for ensuringgood governance with thrust on road, water, electricity,health, education and agriculture.

Noting that corruption is a major obstacle in the pathof development and progress, Konwar said his government wouldnot tolerate corruption at any level.

The state government had enacted a new legislation whichprovides for confiscation of properties amassed by publicservants through corrupt means, the Governor said, adding thatbetween 2006 and 2010, 498 public servants were sent behindthe bar in a total of 394 trap cases.

Altogether public servants were convicted in about 25cases, he said.

Earlier, RJD MLAs created unruly scenes in the Housedemanding that the state government take steps for gettingvacated the house of ''Rashtrakavi'' Ramdhari Singh Dinkarallegedly occupied by the relatives of Deputy Chief MinisterSushil Modi in Rajendra Nagar here.

In the field of health, the state government has plannedto set up more medical colleges and hospitals, besides raisingmulti-speciality hospitals and ensuring health services roundthe clock at all the Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Konwarsaid.

He also outlined the priorities of the state governmentin energy sector for strengthening the transmission system,setting up new thermal plants, besides implementation of theinvestment proposals worth over Rs 40,000 crore.