Bihar CM Samrat Chaudhary launched a massive ration card distribution drive in Patna, stressing his commitment to welfare, state development, and job creation to boost Bihar's economy and reduce migration by 2030.
Bihar CM Distributes Ration Cards to BPL Families
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary on Thursday distributed ration cards to BPL families and new PDS licences to shopkeepers at Gyan Bhawan in Patna. While distributing the cards, he congratulated recipients but vowed to fight for the bigger goal of achieving PM Narendra Modi and former Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's visions of Viksit Bharat and Samriddha Bihar, respectively.
"I congratulate and thank everyone. My goal is much bigger. I will be happy when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of a developed India and Nitish Kumar’s vision of a prosperous Bihar are fulfilled," CM Chaudhary said as per a press release. "We must take a pledge that no poor person in Bihar should ever sleep hungry. Every poor person should have a ration card," the CM urged all present on the occasion.
"If India has to become a developed nation by 2047, we must work towards that goal. So far, 2 crore 9 lakh ration cards have been issued across Bihar. With a ration card, you will no longer have to worry about food. The government will provide you with ration, and your food-related worries will be taken care of," he added.
Expanding Welfare and Healthcare Access
Claiming that the Bihar government had 24 lakh people in this scheme, the Chief Minister stressed that even after this, many families do not have ration cards. He further urged them to apply for one. "Your ration card will be issued within 30 days, and you will receive all the benefits through it," he said.
Adding, CM Chaudhary also focused on other works that the BJP-JDU government has achieved over the years in Bihar, including enrolment of crores of people in the Ayushman Bharat Scheme. "We made a policy in 2024 to connect everyone with Ayushman Bharat cards so that they could receive healthcare benefits. The Central Government initially gave approval for around 6.5 crore people, and another 2.75 crore people were added," he said.
Electoral Success and Development Initiatives
Speaking on the winning formula of elections, CM Chaudhary said, "We provide 125 units of free electricity to 1.92 crore people in villages. People ask how Modi Ji and Nitish Ji keep winning elections. This is the formula. Some people come up with new formulas and consider themselves very smart. But the public is the real master. It decides whom to bring onto the stage and whom to remove from it."
Stating that Bihar celebrates Panchayat Development Day on the last Sunday of every month, the Chief Minister requested everyone to support this campaign. "Our target is one crore people, but we have achieved only one-fourth of it so far. We need to organise camps and run this campaign actively. I also request the District Magistrates to contribute and help us achieve this target," he said.
"We are observing Seva Sankalp and Kayakalp Diwas. Along with these, focus on two important things: Seva Sankalp and Panchayat Development Day. Before March 31, we have to improve the villages of Bihar. Kayakalp means improving the entire village. Schools and Anganwadi centres must be improved. Community buildings and Chhath ghats should also be constructed," he added.
Roadmap for Industrial Growth and Migration Control
Focusing on how to retain the migrant outflow from the state, the CM said that many people from Bihar go outside the state for labour work. But under the One Nation, One Ration Card scheme, and through the NDA government’s efforts, the people in power have fulfilled people’s basic needs. But maybe that is not enough to keep the people in the state; therefore, the chief minister outlined the roadmap for his government over the next five years.
"We have to focus on welfare work, employment and government jobs. We aim to provide government jobs and employment opportunities to one crore people. We need to develop the industrial sector. Around 4.5 lakh people go outside Bihar for labour work. By 2030, we want to build a strong economy where people can work in good industries, but they should not have to leave Bihar for labour work," he said.
"Under the National Food Security Act, we have to ensure that ration reaches every household. We will achieve a food procurement target of 50 lakh metric tonnes. At present, Bihar has achieved food procurement of around 34-35 lakh metric tonnes. We have to increase it further," he added.
Making sure that elderly people are well taken care of, CM Chaudhary said that his government will make sure that people in the same way, like those above 80 years of age who wanted to sell their land, could get the registration process completed at their homes; we will have people above 75 years of age receive rations at their homes. "Earlier, this facility was available only to people above 80 years of age. This will be implemented from next year," he added.
At the end, the CM thanked PM Modi and former CM Nitish Kumar. "I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for providing free food grains. This scheme started during the COVID-19 pandemic. I also thank Nitish Ji for implementing this system. Both are great leaders," he concluded.
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