PM Modi Slams Previous Governments, Lauds Current Progress

Digital Desk

Prime Minister Modi did not mince words as he blamed the previous administrations of the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) for a "devastated" education system that he said forced millions of children to leave Bihar for cities like Varanasi, Delhi, and Mumbai .

"This generation may not realise how devastated the education system in Bihar was two and a half decades ago. Schools were not open, nor were recruitments conducted," PM Modi stated . He vividly described the challenge of reviving the system, noting, "Reviving a tree whose roots are infested with insects is no small feat. RJD's misgovernance had reduced Bihar's education system to a similar condition" .

In contrast, he credited Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the NDA government for bringing the "deteriorating system back on track" . He highlighted that in the last two decades, the Bihar government has connected 50 lakh youth with employment, with about 10 lakh permanent government jobs created in the last few years alone . The Prime Minister also noted a significant increase in the education budget and the expansion of schools and higher education institutions across the state .

Massive Financial Outlay for Youth and Skill Development

The Prime Minister launched youth-focused initiatives worth over Rs.62,000 crore, with a special emphasis on Bihar .

A key national scheme, PM-SETU (Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs) , received an investment of Rs.60,000 crore. It aims to upgrade 1,000 government ITIs in a hub-and-spoke model and will be "government-owned but industry-managed" . In its first phase, the program will specifically focus on ITIs in Patna and Darbhanga .

For Bihar, several state-specific schemes were unveiled or revamped:

Mukhyamantri Nishchay Swayam Sahayata Bhatta Yojana: Nearly five lakh graduates will receive a monthly allowance of Rs.1,000 for two years, along with free skill training . Bihar Student Credit Card Scheme: Students can now avail of interest-free education loans of up to Rs.4 lakh. Already, over 3.92 lakh students have benefited from loans worth more than Rs.7,880 crore under this scheme .

Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Skill University: The Prime Minister inaugurated this new university, which is envisioned to impart industry-oriented courses and vocational education .

The event also saw the formal inauguration of the Bihar Yuva Ayog, a statutory commission for the state's youth . These initiatives, set against the backdrop of upcoming state assembly elections, are poised to significantly impact the discourse around education and employment in Bihar .