Pvt firms failed workers from Bihar: Nitish

Bihar Chief minister Nitish Kumar Sunday accused private sector companies of failing to live up to their responsibility of taking care of people from the state engaged

Bihar Chief minister Nitish Kumar Sunday accused private sector companies of failing to live up to their responsibility of taking care of people from the state engaged in their factories.

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During a video conference with migrant workers, serving mandatory quarantine period at government facilities, the CM said, “Private companies, located outside the state, have failed to care of their workers despite their responsibility to do so.”

“People have suffered a lot. It is my wish to have adequate work for everyone here. I do not want people to go outside unless there is a compelling reason,” he said during his interaction with the quarantined workers, his third in as many days and his last.

Faced with a reverse migration on an unprecedented scale, Kumar sought to reassure returnees of employment. “Opportunities are in place for involving people returning in activities and work suited to their skill profile,” he said. “At least one thing is sure. Nobody dies of hunger in Bihar,” the CM said.

He said the textile industry in Munger and Bhagalpur, particularly silk production, has huge potential. “Silk produced here has a worldwide demand. It is time to get down to tap its export potential further and involve more people in ramping up capacities,” he said, asking officials to start working on it.

Kumar said industries which could be scaled up, including leather goods, shoes, furniture, bicycles, among others, had a pent-up domestic demand in addition to the locational advantage offered by the consumer state to act as a supplier of surplus production to adjoining states and areas.

“We must align our production capabilities with the market need, and efforts must be made to encourage entrepreneurs to set up factories for meeting the demand thrown up by market,” he said.