PATNA: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, speaking at the first 'Non-Resident Bihari Sammelan', organized at Gyan Bhavan on behalf of the BJP NRI Manch on Saturday made an emotional appeal to Bihar-born NRIs working abroad to contribute to the development of the state.
He advised them to adopt schools and set up hospitals or take up missions for development under the moral responsibility of being the son of the soil. "Join the Bihar Foundation, which is working in many countries. You can register online," he said.
"Going out of state or country for earning more shouldn't be defined as an exodus of talent or migration from the state," he added.
"A large number of people from developed states like Punjab, Gujarat and other states also go to England, America, Canada and other countries for better earning. Does that mean those states are not developed or have created employment opportunities?" he asked.
Quoting figures of Global Migration, he said that there are 1.75 crore Indians working in other countries of the world.
According to an RBI survey, in 2018, $78.6 billion dollars were sent by NRIs to India. More on the contribution to economies of states, he said, "In 2016-17, immigrants contributed 19 per cent of the economy of Kerala and 17 per cent in Maharashtra and 1.3 per cent in Bihar."
Outlining the performances of state government in Bihar under NDA rule, he said that after the death of Shri Krishna Babu in 1961, the development in Bihar remained stagnated for 40 years. "But after the state came under the NDA rule, we started witnessing development works. The average growth rate of Bihar was close to 5 per cent during RJD's tenure of 15 years but rose to 10 per cent under our government," he claimed.
He also claimed that Bihar in the last three years was ranked among the top three countries with the highest growth rate.
Other prominent BJP leaders who attended the meet were Union minister of state for health and family welfare Ashwani Chaubey, Minister Giriraj Singh and health minister Mangal Pandey among others.