Patna: Bihar Governor Devanand Konwar on Friday outlined the Nitish Kumar government`s agenda to transform Bihar into a developed and corruption free state by 2015.
Addressing a joint-session of the two Houses of the state legislature, the first after the NDA pulled off a landslide victory, Konwar expressed confidence that the newly
constituted Assembly would be successful in building a new Bihar.
Thanking people for voting on the agenda of development and rising above caste and religious considerations, Konwar said he had full confidence that his government would work with full responsibility in the coming days.
He demanded that the Centre accord special status to Bihar to facilitate large investments and open up job avenues.
"We need to continue collective efforts for securing the special state category," he said.
On the issue of maintenance of law and order, Konwar said that the number of police personnel would be increased and the police establishment modernised.
Noting that the average growth rate of the state had reached 16.6 percent during 2008-09 despite recession, floods and drought, Konwar said, "We have to further accelerate the
growth rate and increase the public outlay by 20 percent in the next five years."
Referring to steps for weeding out corruption, he said under the Special Court Act, 17 applications have been filed in the competent tribunal seeking to procure sanction for
confiscating properties of public servants which were accumulated beyond their known sources of income.
Anti-corruption drive would be further stepped up, he said.
"Besides, the government has its intentions to confiscate buildings built with resources earned through corruption and run much-needed government schools," the Governor added.
PTI
