Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday got a pat from Kiran Bedi, too.

“Bihar’s development has become the talk of the country. The state government is doing a good job,” said the country’s first woman IPS officer, while stressing on skill development of youths to ensure the country’s inclusive growth.

Although her strong views on education and youths came across, Bedi preferred to evade questions on who she would like to see as Prime Minister in 2014 — Narendra Modi or Rahul Gandhi.

With a smile, she said: “Hum logon ke desh mein secret ballot ka pravdhan hai. Vote ko secret rakhna hamara mul adhikar hai, ise hamse koi chhin nahin sakta (We have a provision of secret ballot in the country. Keeping our vote secret is our basic right, no one can snatch away this right from us).”

If she did not divulge her favourite among the possible prime ministerial candidates, she did speak on the qualities she would like in her favourite Prime Minister — one who would distance himself from corruption.

“Hamein aisa Prime Minister chahiye jo hamare tijori ki chori na kare aur aam aadmi ka jisme vishwas ho (We want a Prime Minister who would not steal from our coffers and has won the trust of the common man),” she said, while praising Bihar’s development.

The former Tihar boss, now a member of Team Anna, was in Patna on Wednesday to announce a scholarship scheme for underprivileged college students.

Bedi’s non-government organisation (NGO) Navjyoti India Foundation has tied up with the Aryans Group of Colleges for the scheme.

According to a memorandum of understanding signed between the institutions, 50 students each from Bihar and Jharkhand would be given scholarships for courses with the Aryans Group of Colleges. Of three portions of the course fee, one part will be given to the batch — to be called Super 50 — under the scholarship scheme.

The remaining two portions will be borne by students and Bank of India who would give the batch an education loan under an agreement with Bedi’s NGO.

“Those who want to apply for the scholarship can contact 9876299888 and 9876599888 within July,” she said at the news meet organised to announce the scheme.

Bedi added: “Our country needs skilled manpower. Even if the skilled people of our country go to foreign countries, they will remain our investment. They would add to the foreign exchange. Unskilled people are unhealthy for inclusive development so more initiatives should be taken to improve the skills of people.”

On the education scenario in the country, she said these days people are not concerned about the quality of teachers but about “less important subjects” like infrastructure and school buildings. “Teachers are the foundation of a school. Even if a school has a big building but not good teachers, the education scenario cannot be improved.” Bedi favoured the use of gadgets by students.

She said: “This is the world of computers. Knowledge in computers is important otherwise people will face difficulty in their jobs. Community projects should also be included in schools’ curricula.

“Education cannot help build personality alone. Education makes the mind active, skills hand while the heart becomes active with social welfare. Education is not the only important thing in life — one should be good at heart too,” added Bedi, who became a Red Cross volunteer.