World Bank lauds Bihar's high growth rate

A senior officer of World Bank today praised the high growth rate achieved by Bihar which indicates that an "encouraging" environment of progress has been created for faster economic development of the hitherto laggard state.

Bihar clocked highest growth rate of 16.71 per cent during 2011-12, as per Economic Survey presented in Parliament today. Bihar's growth rate was followed by Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra during the period, according to the report.

Omno Ruhl, Country Director of World Bank, who met Chief Minister Nitish Kumar here today talked about programmes run by the World Bank in the state and expressed satisfaction over there progress, an official statement said.

Kumar told the World Bank official that the state had earlier planned to link villages with a population of 500 and more with metallic road but now under Mukhyamantri Gram Sadak Yojna, village and localities with a population of 250 have been provided all weather metallic roads.

The CM said there are 8,400 panchayats in Bihar out of which in 250 places Panchayat building has been done with assistance from the World Bank.

He requested the Country Director of the World Bank that the apex financial institution show the same interest in constructing building of other panchayats too.

The Kosi project was also reviewed during the meeting and the state government said it intended to complete all roads and bridges construction under the project by September 2014.