Patna: Bihar’s chief secretary, Pratyay Amrit, on Tuesday chaired a high-level interaction with a 16-member study team from the National Defence College (NDC), outlining the state’s development trajectory and its implications for national security and strategic studies.
The delegation, drawn from the 66th NDC course and led by Pawanpal Singh, included officers from the Indian Army and Indian Air Force, along with international participants from Oman, South Africa, the United States and Uzbekistan. Senior officials from Bihar’s departments of rural development, livelihoods, energy, industry, health, social welfare, agriculture, home affairs and the cabinet secretariat were present.
Welcoming the visitors on behalf of the chief minister, Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit invoked Bihar’s cultural heritage and said the state had made “substantial strides” over the past 15–20 years despite structural challenges. He said sustained economic growth, improved infrastructure and social sector reforms had strengthened governance and public confidence.
The Chief Secretary described Bihar as an agrarian state that had prioritised productivity and livelihoods, while also positioning women’s empowerment as a cornerstone of policy. He cited the all-women police battalion and rising female participation across sectors, and pointed to the JEEViKA programme as a model that informed the national livelihood mission. Near-universal household electrification, expanded road and highway networks and targeted subsidies for the poor were also highlighted.
On investment and jobs, the chief secretary said Bihar was entering a new industrial phase, with major private investment commitments and an explicit push to curb distress migration. He said more than 10 lakh government and non-government jobs had been created in recent years, with an ambitious target for the next five.
The meeting featured detailed presentations by the chief executive officer of JEEViKA, followed by briefings from the energy and health departments on sectoral achievements. Delegates questioned officials on implementation, outcomes and future priorities.
Concluding the meeting, Major General Singh said the discussions reflected “positive change” on the ground and thanked the state for the detailed engagement. The interaction closed with a vote of thanks from Arvind Kumar Verma, special secretary in the cabinet secretariat department.
