Major Development Package Announced for Bihar
Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced a comprehensive development package for Bihar during a state-level Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana program in Patna. The announcement included significant housing, agricultural, and women's empowerment initiatives with substantial financial allocations.
Housing Development Initiatives
The centerpiece of the announcement was the approval of 11,18,937 pucca houses for poor families in Bihar with an allocation of ₹13,427 crore. This brings the total housing approval over the past two years to 24,30,327 houses involving a total expenditure of ₹29,164 crore. Minister Chouhan emphasized that these houses represent dignity and security for poor families rather than mere structures, protecting them from seasonal hardships.
Agricultural Support Measures
A major agricultural announcement was the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana in Bihar, which will provide farmers protection against crop losses caused by floods, drought, excessive rainfall, and other natural calamities. The scheme will provide compensation to eligible farmers in the event of crop damage. Additionally, Bihar has made significant progress in creating Farmer IDs with 53,83,000 farmer identity cards already created, which will streamline the delivery of government schemes to eligible farmers.
Women's Economic Empowerment
The Minister emphasized women's economic empowerment through Self-Help Groups, noting that a large number of women have already become Lakhpati Didis. To support market access for women entrepreneurs, She-Marts will be established in every district to provide Jeevika Didi and women's Self-Help Groups with platforms to sell their products. This initiative aims to address not only production but also product development, packaging, and marketing needs.
Infrastructure and Coordination
Minister Chouhan highlighted the importance of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and rural connectivity, identifying roads, houses, and agriculture as three fundamental requirements for improving rural life. He credited better coordination between the Central and state governments for accelerating implementation of development programs in Bihar and emphasized that benefits are entitlements rather than charity.
The program was attended by Chief Minister Shri Samrat Choudhary, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Agriculture Minister Shri Vijay Kumar Sinha, Rural Development Minister Shri Shravan Kumar, and several other ministers and public representatives.