Patna: Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday asserted that he was not a leader who rules from Patna, but prefers to go among the people to understand their problems related to development works, hence, the ongoing Samiksha Yatra.

"We do not rule from Patna. People have provided me an opportunity to serve them and we serve them. We go among them to understand their problems. The motive of the Samiksha Yatra is to know and understand the difficulties in the implementation of development works," Nitish said.

The chief minister was speaking at a public meeting at Law village under Tekari block in Gaya district as part of his ongoing tour of the state to inspect and review the implementation of development schemes. The picturesque village derives its name from saint Lavanya who practised austerities on the western bank of Morhar river.

His visit was held amid tight security after the attack on him and his convoy at a village in Buxar district on January 12, where he had gone to take stock of development as part of this tour. The crowd at Law was barricaded and segregated, the venue of the public meeting was secured with multi-layered security dragnet and more than usual deployment of police personnel.

Among the development schemes that Nitish is inspecting during this tour, the focus is on drinking water, electricity, toilets and pucca (metalled) lanes and drains for every household, all of which are part of his "seven resolves for a developed Bihar".

"Among the seven resolves these four are for every habitation or hamlet, be it in any town or village in the state. These are to be completed in four years," Nitish said and pointed out that such a huge task was not possible by big, centralised projects.

"During our reviews, we felt that even if we complete all the approved projects for supplying tap water to the people, only 22 per cent families will get drinking water. It was then that we decided that this work has to be completed in a decentralised manner ward by ward, which is now being done," he added. Nitish said every year, two or three wards will be provided the facilities pertaining to various schemes of the seven resolves as "it was not possible to provide them across Bihar in one year, even if we wish to do so."

He added that the top priority would be given to those places with a higher concentration of SCs and STs.

Nitish also inaugurated 56 development projects worth Rs 88 crore and laid the foundation stones for 169 schemes that would cost Rs 418 crore. He also presented dummy cheques to beneficiaries of student credit card and skill development scheme on the occasion.