What Will People In Bihar Remember The Three Time Chief Minister Nitish Kumar For?

Most exit polls predict that the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may face a difficult time this election unlike his previous terms. Here is people of Bihar may remember him for.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. (Image: PTI)

New Delhi: The Exit Poll predicts that the three-time Cheif Minister Nitish Kumar may face a tough ride this election and people may want to see a younger Tejashwi in charge of the state. Kumar in a recent rally also announced his retirement and termed the current state assembly elections his last. But while the people may want change in the state,  Nitish Kumar will be remembered for several developmental measures. A 2015 report by Mint says that Kumar took several steps that improved the functioning of welfare schemes, such as issuing coupons to the beneficiaries which held to curb embezzlement by ration sellers. According to the economist, Jean Dreze, he helped in cutting leakages in the public distribution system from 75 to 90% during the 2000s to less than 25% in 2011-12. He also helped in increasing industrial job creation. In his first term, Kumar focussed on the law and order situation in the state. According to a report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) between 2005 and 2019, there was a 9.5% drop in murders. But unlike the first term, he was unable to maintain the situation in the next two terms. In a report by Scroll, Professor DM Diwakar of the AN Sinha Institute of Social Sciences in Patna said that though law and order in his first tenure were better than the previous years but he unable to maintain it in the next terms. Bihar also will remember him for his 2016 order to ban liquor has been hailed as a positive measure. In a report by Times of India Kumar claimed in February this year that the state was able to recover from initial revenue loss which amounted to Rs1000 crore and ae now able to divert the funds for family requirement. But media reports said that the ban also opened up avenues for other criminal activities such as liquor smuggling.