Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today criticised the Centre for allegedly blocking huge investment proposals worth over Rs one lakh crore in thermal power and ethanol sectors.
“Fate of investment proposals worth over Rs one lakh crore in Bihar in the fields of thermal power and ethanol hangs in balance following non-cooperation from the Centre,” Mr. Kumar said at a programme here.
He said the State had received investment proposals of Rs 90,000 crore for setting up ethanol manufacturing units and Rs 20,000 for raising thermal power plants.
“The State government has sought clearance from the Centre for removing restrictions in manufacturing of ethanol from sugarcane juice, but no decision has been taken as yet,” he said.
Similarly, the Centre’s dilly-dallying attitude towards providing adequate coal linkages to Bihar for utilising the proposed investments to generate 2000 MW power was also blocked, he alleged at the programme organised by a business daily.
While the Centre has become a stumbling block in development of Bihar, the State government had accorded top priority to help develop basic infrastructure.
“We have to make roads, develop the State and fulfil basic needs of the people and the State,” he said and rubbished the charges of “jugglery” of figure in showing the State’s growth rate.
In 2010, the media had projected the State’s growth rate at 11 per cent and when the final figures were compiled it was at 16.59 per cent in 2008-09 itself, Kumar said.
“Officials of the State are not so clever to distort and forge statistics,” the Chief Minister said adding that Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee too had admitted that the State’s growth rate was pegged at 16 per cent during 2006-08.
