Pranab may visit Bihar after August 15: Nitish

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said the new President Pranab Mukherjee had accepted his invitation and might undertake a visit to the state after August 15.

Talking to reporters in Patna on his arrival from New Delhi, Kumar said, "I handed him over an invitation which Pranab Mukherjee accepted. He is likely to visit Bihar to launch the state's own project --'Agriculture roadmap for Bihar' possibly after August 15."

Kumar said he also met union health and family welfare minister with whom he discussed the disease of brain fever among children in Muzaffarpur and Gaya in Bihar.

He alleged that the Centre was not making available to the state vaccines to tackle brain fever and encephalitis.

"Our state health department officials have contacted the health officials in New Delhi and we will send a team to New Delhi for the purpose soon," Kumar said.

An ordinance has come to start medical teaching in the AIIMS in Patna from this year, he said adding a separate bill was also to come in Parliament soon. "I also discussed with Azad about giving recognition to other medical colleges."

Azad may visit Bihar in August, Kumar said. To a question, he said Jaswant Singh was the National Democratic Alliance candidate for vice president and he wanted to express his gratitude to Janata Dal-United central leadership for supporting him.

"Jaswant Singh is a fit candidate for the post of vice president and NDA was united for his victory," Kumar said he also met Jaswant Singh in New Delhi on Thursday morning.

On the increase in prices of petroleum products, he said its impact in the state would be ascertained. "We will do everything to provide relief to the people."