Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) supremo Jitan Ram Manjhi on Monday demanded the Nobel prize for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for transforming Bihar from a 'Bimaru' province into "India's fastest-growing state".Initiating a discussion on the appropriation bill in the assembly, Manjhi, also a former CM of Bihar, said, "Nitish Kumar deserves the Nobel prize. After 'Bihar Kesri' Sri Krishna Sinha, the first chief minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar is the only CM who has worked for the overall development of the state." "He transformed Bihar from a 'Bimaru' province to India's fastest-growing state. I demand the Nobel prize for Nitish Kumar," he said.
HAM is a constituent of the ruling Mahagathbandhan in Bihar."Bihar, under the leadership of Kumar, has achieved several milestones. He took steps in the field of education, health, infrastructure, societal upliftment of various sections, including women, and agriculture. "He has done a lot for the welfare of the people belonging to SC and ST communities and economically backward classes," said Manjhi. The HAM chief, however, also said that the state government needs to take more steps to improve the condition of the people belonging to extremely backward classes.
"The post of reservation commissioner, which no longer exists, needs to be restored so that the state government can think of creating more space for weaker sections of the society in government jobs," he said. Earlier, state Water Resources Minister Sanjay Kumar Jha also said that Kumar must be honoured with the Nobel Prize for making 1.3 crore 'Jeevika Didis' of Bihar self-sufficient. The state assembly passed the Bihar Appropriation Bill 2023 on Monday, authorising the government to draw funds from the Consolidated Fund for its functioning as well as implementation of its programmes and schemes.
The Bill, seeking withdrawal of Rs 2.66 lakh crore in the next financial year, was introduced by Bihar Finance Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary. It was later passed by voice vote amid walkout staged by the opposition. While participating in the discussion, Congress member Shakeel Ahmad Khan slammed the BJP-led central government and raised the issue of Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha. Opposition members entered the well of the house and demanded that Khan's comment be expunged from the proceedings. Later, BJP members staged a walkout.
