Nitish Kumar Pragati Yatra: 15 journeys in 19 years. This would probably be a record for any Chief Minister in the country. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has been in power since 2005, has gone on 14 trips so far and is currently on his fifteenth trip i.e. Pragati Yatra. What is the thinking behind these visits of Nitish Kumar? Is there any political benefit from this?

What was the purpose?

There is an unbreakable relationship between political journey and Nitish Kumar. Nitish Kumar, who has been in power since 2005, has so far made 14 visits to Bihar under different names and the 15th is going on. Sometimes about providing justice and sometimes about development. Sometimes to thank the public, sometimes to instill confidence and sometimes in the name of Nischay Yatra. The objective is to communicate directly with people. Understanding the reality of development plans on the ground and taking people’s feedback and then using them in making plans.

How often do you go on a trip?

• Nitish Kumar started his first journey in the name of Nyay Yatra in July 2005.
• Before the Lok Sabha elections, Nitish Kumar took out Vikas Yatra in January 2009.
• Started the Thanksgiving Yatra from June 2009 after winning the landslide victory in the Lok Sabha elections.
• In December 2009, he took out a migration trip, in which he used to go to the district and stay there.
• Took out Vishwas Yatra from April 2010 before going to 2010 assembly elections.
• After achieving a landslide victory in the assembly elections, he took out Seva Yatra at the end of 2011.
• From September 2012, Nitish Kumar set out on Adhikar Yatra demanding special status for Bihar.
• Started Sankalp Yatra before 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
• Started Sampark Yatra from November 2014.
• After forming the government in 2015, Nitish Kumar implemented 7 decisions.
• To get feedback on this, I set out on a journey from November 2016 onwards.
• Started Samiksha Yatra from December 2017, in which development works were reviewed.
• Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Yatra was organized in December 2019.
• In December 2021, Nitish set out on a social reform journey.
• Before this Lok Sabha elections, set out on Samadhan Yatra from 28 January 2023.
• Now he has set out on Pragati Yatra before the 2025 assembly.

However, from time to time the opposition has been criticizing these visits. Especially in the name of high expenditure, but this time even Tejashwi Yadav himself could not stop himself and has gone out on a Jan Sampark Yatra. That means no one is able to stop themselves from traveling in Bihar whether it is the government or the opposition.