<div align="justify">More than a week after forming Government in the State with the help of BJP-led NDA, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday tried to extract his pound of flesh when he asked the Centre to be liberal in granting funds to Bihar.<div align="justify"><br />Taking a jibe at Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, albeit in a lighter vein, Nitish said the Union Minister had assured to give Rs 50 crore to strengthen subordinate judiciary which would be insufficient.<br /><br />“Bihar is a big State with 38 districts and 101 sub-divisions. When I took over as CM in November 2005, the Budget of the State was around Rs 25,000 crore, including the Plan and Non-plan expenditure. Today, Bihar’s Budget has increased to over Rs 1.4 lakh crore. So a dole of merely Rs 50 crore won’t serve any purpose,” Nitish told the gathering while looking at Ravi Shankar Prasad on the dais.<br /><br />The Chief Minister was speaking at a function organised to launch ‘Tele Law: Mainstreaming Legal Aid Through Common Service Centre Scheme’ here on Sunday.<br /><br />Stating that large amount of fund was required to strengthen the judiciary, Nitish said his Government had already sanctioned Rs 169 crore for the expansion project of the Patna High Court. “Now that a new Government has been established in Bihar with your (BJP) support, then it should reflect (your assistance) so. Hence I told you to be liberal in allocating funds to Bihar,” reiterated Nitish while inaugurating the legal aid scheme.<br /><br />As per the scheme, a common man can have access to legal aid services with the help of para-legal volunteers at the Common Service Centre (CSC). The CSC will be equipped with computer and internet facility.<br /><br />The Supreme Court Judge Dipak Mishra, Chief Justice of Patna High Court Rajendra Menon, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi and others were present on the occasion.<br /><br />Nitish’s jibe at Union Law Minister came soonafter Prasad said that he would increase the fund allocation from Rs 50 crore to Rs 60 crore provided a utility certificate was submitted on time.<br /></div></div>
<div align="justify">More than a week after forming Government in the State with the help of BJP-led NDA, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday tried to extract his pound of flesh when he asked the Centre to be liberal in granting funds to Bihar.<div align="justify"><br />Taking a jibe at Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, albeit in a lighter vein, Nitish said the Union Minister had assured to give Rs 50 crore to strengthen subordinate judiciary which would be insufficient.<br /><br />“Bihar is a big State with 38 districts and 101 sub-divisions. When I took over as CM in November 2005, the Budget of the State was around Rs 25,000 crore, including the Plan and Non-plan expenditure. Today, Bihar’s Budget has increased to over Rs 1.4 lakh crore. So a dole of merely Rs 50 crore won’t serve any purpose,” Nitish told the gathering while looking at Ravi Shankar Prasad on the dais.<br /><br />The Chief Minister was speaking at a function organised to launch ‘Tele Law: Mainstreaming Legal Aid Through Common Service Centre Scheme’ here on Sunday.<br /><br />Stating that large amount of fund was required to strengthen the judiciary, Nitish said his Government had already sanctioned Rs 169 crore for the expansion project of the Patna High Court. “Now that a new Government has been established in Bihar with your (BJP) support, then it should reflect (your assistance) so. Hence I told you to be liberal in allocating funds to Bihar,” reiterated Nitish while inaugurating the legal aid scheme.<br /><br />As per the scheme, a common man can have access to legal aid services with the help of para-legal volunteers at the Common Service Centre (CSC). The CSC will be equipped with computer and internet facility.<br /><br />The Supreme Court Judge Dipak Mishra, Chief Justice of Patna High Court Rajendra Menon, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi and others were present on the occasion.<br /><br />Nitish’s jibe at Union Law Minister came soonafter Prasad said that he would increase the fund allocation from Rs 50 crore to Rs 60 crore provided a utility certificate was submitted on time.<br /></div></div>
