Saturday, January 21 2006 17:13 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Launching 'Sarkar Apke Dwar' (Government at your doorstep) programme aimed at accelerating development in Naxal hit districts of Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today (Jan 21, 2006) asked the ultras to eschew violence and cooperate with his government to give fresh impetus to development.

We have had enough of violence and bloodletting I urge you shun violence and join hands with the government to carry forward our development programmes. The government is willing to provide you employment, Kumar said, while addressing a gathering after launching the scheme at Sikaria in naxalite-affected Jehanabad district where Communist Party of India (CPI) (Maoist) rebels had carried out daring +operation jailbreak+ on November 13.

Kumar, who also laid the foundation of a market yard, a computer centre and a minor irrigation project at Sikaria under the scheme which aimed at sanitising the naxalite affected districts and then saturating them with development said naxalism had hindered development.

"We have come here to address these problems. Our motto is to accelerate the pace of development and provide employment to all", he said.

Kumar said though the Centre had selected only 23 districts under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme, his Government had decided to launch a similar programme in rest of the 15 districts from February 15 to ensure guaranteed employment to one member of every rural household at least 100 days in a year.

He said in the event of youths not getting employment they would be given an unemployment allowance.