Bihar's Oath Ceremony: Nitish Kumar's New Government, Herculean Task to Deliver Jobs for Bihar

India Today

The focus is on the expectations for Bihar's new government, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, following his tenth oath-taking ceremony. Analysts Sajjan Kumar and Amitabh Tiwari discuss the 'Herculean task' ahead, including job creation, industrialisation, educational reform, and reversing youth migration to make Bihar a top-five state. The conversation also covers the formation of the new cabinet and the distribution of portfolios, noting that Nitish Kumar is expected to retain the Home Ministry. Amitabh Tiwari states, 'The aspirational class of Bihar, the aspirational youth of Bihar, which is very highly talented and migrates to across the country, I would say even across the world...are now demanding or hoping that this new government of Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Modi delivers jobs to the state.' The bulletin underscores that this mandate is one of hope and continuity, with immense pressure on the government to meet the aspirations of Bihar's young demographic.

Transcript

00:00Let me take a few words now from both Amitabh Tiwari and Sajjan Kumar.

00:13Sajjan Kumar, lots can be said today when we look at the Council of Ministers, but this

00:20mandate of Nitesh Kumar is also about expectations.

00:24It's a burden of expectations that Nitesh Kumar should feel today because if it is about

00:31brand Narendra Modi and brand Nitesh Kumar coming together, that's the reason and that

00:36is the only explanation of this mandate.

00:40Nitesh will remember Nitesh Kumar as the saviour of Bihar, but now would he also be seen as

00:47the one who brought a paradigm shift to the Bihar in 21st century?

00:51That's the task, that's the Herculean task to Nitesh Kumar.

00:55Today, certainly, it's about the feel-good factor.

00:57It's spectacular.

00:59But will Bihar shine as per the aspirations of the young Biharis who are having, as we

01:05talked, the reference point across India and outside perhaps?

01:09This is the final decimation of the signifier of Jungle Raj.

01:14That can't be our reference.

01:15That can't be Nitesh Kumar reference.

01:17So, in the last mandate, farewell mandate, Nitesh Kumar's Herculean task is not to refer

01:23to Lalu's era as the benchmark, but rather to set the benchmark, which has to be emulated

01:28by his succession.

01:30You know, so certainly a spectacular event, a farewell mandate, but with lots of aspirations.

01:36And that is something Nitesh Kumar has to deliver.

01:39Yes, because Nitesh must deliver.

01:43Bihar has to usher in a new chapter.

01:46And he has to live up to the expectations of a new generation.

01:49The new generation, which at present appears to be despondent.

01:54They are frustrated.

01:55Nitesh has to give them hope.

01:58This is a mandate of hope.

01:59So, as much as it is a mandate of continuity, Amitabh Tiwari, that young Biharis also have

02:06faith in Nitesh Kumar.

02:08There is this sense that, you know, perhaps they have heard stories, you know, and met

02:12a number of them in coaching institutes and in other places.

02:16That fire in the belly that was there associated with Biharis, that seemed to be missing now.

02:22They seem to be satisfied with very little which is being offered to them.

02:25So, the huge mandate comes with huge responsibilities.

02:32The aspirational class of Bihar, the aspirational youth of Bihar, which is very highly talented

02:37and migrates to across the country, I would say even across the world, occupying top level

02:42positions in corporate sectors, in the private sector.

02:47They are now demanding or hoping that this new government of Nitesh Kumar and Prime Minister

02:53Modi delivers jobs to the state.

02:57The basic foundation has been laid down in the 20 years of Nitesh Kumar rule.

03:02The state now has almost parallel infrastructure, roads, electricity.

03:06And now the time has come to deliver on jobs, creation of jobs, deliverance of jobs, creation

03:13of an environment conducive to startups.

03:16This Jivika Didi transfer, we hope, gives rise to many small micro-businesses in Bihar.

03:26There is huge potential for the agro-processing industry.

03:29So, I think huge expectations from the people now that Nitesh and Modi, this Nemo Jodi,

03:36needs to deliver on jobs and satisfy the aspirational class of Bihar.

03:41And because if India needs to become a developed country by 2047, Bihar needs to deliver.

03:48And that's what people would hope for on this day.

03:51As Bihar needs to deliver, and Nitesh Kumar has to deliver for this generation of Biharis.

03:58Remember, in terms of its demographic, Bihar is one of the youngest states in the country.

04:03And the irony is that most young Biharis are working as laborers outside, or they are studying

04:08outside.

04:11They are working as laborers outside, or they are working as laborers outside, or they are

04:18from Bihar.

04:21Let me bring in Rohit now.

04:22Rohit, Patna's Gandhi Meidan has witnessed history.

04:25You were present when the oath-taking ceremony was happening.

04:29Is the cabinet going to meet today?

04:32And what will be the first big decision of Nitesh Kumar's new cabinet?

04:36Well, well, in all probability, what we are learning is that in the late afternoon or by

04:46evening, the first cabinet meeting of Nitesh Kumar will be taking place.

04:51And all the 26 people, in fact, MLA's who have been sworn as now ministers, they will be

04:56participating in that crucial cabinet meeting.

05:00Now, remains to be seen as to what will be there on the agenda, because remember, there are a lot of

05:05expectations from this new government, especially as regarding the youth, Mahila and youth factor,

05:12if we have to consider that.

05:14So, remains to be seen that what is on the card, what is on the table, and what kind of the first decision

05:21that the government may take in today's cabinet, we will be watching that very keenly.

05:27But yes, and also important is the fact that by tonight, we are learning that the portfolio

05:32distribution is also going to take place.

05:35So, in the next few hours, the cabinet meeting is coming up and also the distribution of key

05:41portfolios to all the ministers.

05:43Back to you.

05:45Yes, so the portfolio distribution will happen.

05:48And what about the Home Ministry?

05:51Rohit, a word on Home Ministry, a portfolio which Nitish has kept throughout his chief

05:55ministership.

05:57Is he ready to part ways with that, or will he be also the Home Minister?

06:06Well, see, there was never an issue as far as the Home Ministry is concerned, because the

06:11Home Ministry for the last 20 years has remained with Nitish Kumar.

06:14The BJP has never, in fact, wanted also the Home Ministry to come its way.

06:21And this time also, there were some reports that the BJP was demanding the Home Ministry.

06:26But all, if at all, the BJP was demanding, all those differences, if any, have been ironed

06:31out.

06:32And the Home Ministry continues to remain with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, which is considered

06:37the most important ministry, you can say, as far as the law and order, the policing is

06:42concerned.

06:44So, as we have seen in the last 20 years, the Home Ministry continues to remain with Chief

06:49Minister Nitish Kumar, in all probability.

06:52Back to you.

06:53The Home Ministry will remain with Nitish Kumar.

06:56So, let's try and wrap up this special broadcast with final comments from Sajjan and also from

07:03Amitabh Tibari.

07:04Sajjan, the ceremony is over.

07:07Now, it is about brass tasks.

07:10Nitish has to hit the ground running.

07:13I've been in touch with those who will be responsible for execution of this entire blueprint

07:19that Nitish has prepared.

07:20In fact, much before the Model Code of Conduct kicked in, he had told his team of bureaucrats

07:28that in this tenure, he has to ensure that Bihar becomes in the top five, reaches that

07:34ranking of top five states in the country.

07:37That's a Herculean task.

07:39You know, a state which has the highest multidimensional poverty.

07:43How do you explain that phenomenal growth?

07:45I mean, that's going to be very, very difficult for Nitish.

07:49Yes.

07:49So, when you think about the paradigm shift, there are markers which can be considered as

07:55the elements of that paradigm shift for Bihar.

07:57One, how you take cognizance of the flood which inundates half of Bihar for a couple of months

08:04and agriculture gets.

08:07Two, you also take into consideration the factors, customize the industrialization for Bihar which

08:14suits the region and geography and thereby you start a process which can be considered

08:19as a reverse migration.

08:21This is true.

08:21Three, also on the plank of education.

08:24We have Nalanda University.

08:26We have so many initiatives but still a bulk of still migration outside Bihar is because

08:32of education.

08:33So, educational institution has to be there, the pull factor.

08:36And four, identifying the clusters wherein the corporate India doesn't abandon Bihar because

08:42corporate India is virtually abandoning Bihar and Bihar development is all about schemes

08:47and infrastructure, right?

08:49So, how do you make Bihar an attractive destination for the corporate India?

08:54So, that is something wherein he has a Herculean task and as chief minister, he has to lay down

09:00the broader paradigms and the granular details can be executed by his trusted team, bureaucrats

09:08and the ministries.

09:09So, certainly he has to show the way and most importantly, now he has to think about the

09:14posterity, the next generation who will think, look at Nitish, history of Bihar and will certainly

09:22have a gratitude, not just that he saved Bihar from 1990s reference but also who showed

09:28a way which became a template for the future politicians and the governments of Bihar.

09:33So, a huge Herculean task and in one word, paradigm shift will be endorsed only when you start

09:41witnessing the process of reverse migration.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended