Focus on infrastructure push, jobs in Maoist-free districts: Govt

Patna: During a review meeting of the state’s four Left-wing Maoist-affected L&T districts, the departments concerned were asked to make the process of environmental and forest clearances for road and mobile tower construction extremely simple and transparent so that projects can be completed within deadlines.The meeting was reviewed by chief secretary Pratyaya Amrit with a focus on the progress of security and development initiatives in Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui and Lakhisarai. Amrit stressed that local youth and local contractors should be given priority by providing appropriate relaxations in the rules. He directed officials to ensure that every welfare scheme of the govt reaches the last person in these Maoist-free areas without any hindrance. During the meeting, officials said Bihar is now Maoist-free and noted that no violent attack on police has been reported since 2020. They added that 256 Maoists were arrested during intensive operations carried out between Jan 2025 and March 2026.Reviewing road and telecom connectivity, the meeting was informed that out of 153 roads measuring 1,980.8 km sanctioned under the Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas (RCPLWEA) scheme, construction of 132 roads covering 1,825.12 km and 74 bridges has been completed. Officials said pending forest clearance issues are being addressed to further improve telecommunication connectivity in the affected districts.On education, the officials said that Eklavya Model Residential Schools are operational in West Champaran and Jamui. Stress was laid on securing affiliation with the Bihar School Examination Board to ensure smooth functioning of these institutions.In the area of financial inclusion, officials said 782 bank branches are functioning across the four districts, accounting for 10% of the total bank branches in Bihar. To expand banking access further, the state govt is providing rent-free space in panchayat sarkar bhawans for opening new bank branches.The review also highlighted improvements in healthcare delivery after the end of Maoist’s influence. Health services are now reaching former shadow zones without disruption. Full immunisation coverage has risen to 94% in Aurangabad, 91% in Jamui, 90% in Gaya and 85% in Lakhisarai. The number and quality of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have also increased significantly.On tourism and employment, the chief secretary directed that necessary infrastructure be developed in the Chhakarbandha hill area of Gaya and the Bhimbandh hill region spread across Munger, Lakhisarai and Jamui to promote tourism. He also asked officials to encourage local youth to participate in competitive examinations for govt jobs and to promote sports culture under the “Medal Lao, Naukri Pao” scheme to improve employment opportunities.