By IANS
Patna : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will visit Bihar on July 17 to take stock of the major investment projects in the state and review its progress in the agricultural sector.
"We have received a confirmation from the Prime Minister's Office about his visit," chief secretary A.K. Choudhary said Saturday.
The Nitish Kumar-led government is hoping for central assistance to overcome the lack of irrigation facilities in the state. The shortage of electricity and high cost of diesel are the other problems being faced by farmers in Bihar.
In January last year, Manmohan Singh had championed the cause of Bihar at an Indian diaspora meet in Hyderabad. He appealed to the people of Indian origin in Mauritius, most of whom hail from Bihar, to help in the state's development.
The meeting also assumes significance in view of the last meeting of the National Development Council on May 29, which adopted a resolution to reorient agricultural development strategies.
Recently, Manmohan Singh has shown keen interest in speeding up Bihar's development and has directed the Planning Commission to make a special effort. The state was also asked to prepare a road map for long-term development of the power, road and healthcare sectors.
President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam had pointed out agricultural development as one of the ten-point missions for turnaround of Bihar in the next decade.
The central government has identified the eastern region as that part of the country from where the next big agriculture growth push will come during the 11th Five Year Plan period between 2007 and 2012.