On ‘Pragati Yatra’, Nitish announces projects, holds review meeting

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar begins Pragati Yatra, facing criticism from opposition, showcasing development projects across six districts.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar embarked on the first phase of his ‘Pragati (progress) Yatra’ from Valmikinagar in West Champaran district on Monday (December 23, 2024). He announced several development projects, and will hold review meetings with officials.

Earlier said to be unwell, Mr. Kumar, along with Cabinet Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and other leaders, is now set to showcase the State’s development over 20 years of his government. In West Champaran district, Mr. Kumar inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for several development projects.

Elaborate arrangements have been put in place for Mr. Kumar’s yatra, with 500 police personnel, and 150 officials and magistrates deployed to ensure safety and security.

Mr. Kumar will cover six districts till December 28, and kickstart the second leg of the yatra from Gopalganj on January 4. Mr. Kumar is scheduled to visit the neighbouring East Champaran district on December 24; the adjoining districts of Sheohar and Sitamarhi on December 26; Muzaffarpur on December 27; and Vaishali on December 28, before returning to Patna. The CM has no itinerary planned for Christmas on December 25.

Mr. Kumar was to embark on a ‘Mahila Samvad (dialogue with women) Yatra’ from December 15 but following a jibe on the yatra’s name from Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad, and his younger son and Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Tejashwi Yadav, the name was changed to Pragati Yatra. Mr. Prasad had said Mr. Kumar was going on the Mahila Samvad Yatra to “ogle at women”. Mr. Yadav had criticised the alleged expenditure of ₹225 crore from the State exchequer on the yatra, terming it a “sheer waste of public money”.

When the yatra’s name was changed, Mr. Yadav, while speaking to journalists in Madhepura on December 17, remained critical. “Due to his habit, character, conduct and fickleness, Nitish Kumar-ji has changed the name of the same yatra in a fortnight. This shows how mentally disturbed and unstable he has become,” he said.  

“The yatra is being undertaken by a tired Chief Minister and retired officials to extort money from district-level officers by threatening them with transfer,” Mr. Yadav, currently in the midst of his Karyakarta Samvad [dialogue with party workers] Yatra across Bihar, said.