BETTIAH, Sept. 24 -- Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday took a swipe on RJD supremo Lalu Prasad during RJD rule in the state and sought to present his government's report card before NDA's rank and file vis-a-vis RJD era in Bihar and called upon the workers to brace for the assembly elections, promising one crore jobs and employment opportunities for youths. Speaking at Karyakarta Samvad Kayakram at auditorium in Bettiah, headquarters of West Champaran district, the CM said in sharp contrast to the previous regime, his government stressed on the need of women's empowerment and ensured 50 per cent reservation to women in the Panchayti Raj Institutions (PRIs) and urban local bodies (ULBs) way back in 2006. "After the four elections since 2006, the representation of women in public life has jumped 50 per cent mark at places," said CM Kumar, who is seen as the main beneficiary of women's votes due to a slew of affirmative actions for them. "...Was anything even done for them before? Somebody promoted his wife when he was removed (as CM)...," said Kumar attempting to draw the contrast in two regimes without once mentioning the name of Lalu Prasad, who started off as a Janata Dal leader, floated a new outfit in 1997 and later passed on the mantle to wife Rabri Devi who succeeded him as chief minister and occupied the post till 2005. Recalling the steps taken for the women empowerment, Nitish said that he provided 35 percent reservation to women in police and all other services of the state government. Resultantly, Bihar has become the women employer in police forces in the country. The number of Jeevika Didis over the years have swollen to 1.40 lakh and 3.85 lakh in urban area alone, he informed, recalling how his initiatives of forming Jeevika group has been emulated. During his day long visit in West Champaran and East Champaran district, CM Kumar laid the foundation stone worth Rs.1001.50 crore and inauguration of 237 schemes worth Rs.197 crore in West Champaran. In East Champaran, he laid the foundation stones of 17 schemes worth Rs.482.48 crore and inauguration of schemes of Rs.197 crore. He also interacted Jeevika Didis at Valmikinagar and Semera in West Champaran and East Champaran respectively and enquired about their businesses. On their part, Jeevika didis expressed their gratitude for making them self-reliant and implementing liquor prohibition in the state. "With earnings under the jeevika schemes, we have been helped a great deal...My monthly income is somewhere between Rs.20,000 and Rs.25,000 and have been able to help other Didis as well," Suman Devi, a Jeevika Didi, who runs Jeevika group called Rudra Nature, told HT, after her interaction with CM. Other Jeevika workers also were on cloud nine after meeting CM Kumar. "You may come up with new slogans and promises. But bhaiya (CM Nitish) has brought a change in our life," said a Jeevika Didi when asked about the Mai Behan Yojna for women of Bihar coined by RJD's Tejashwi Yadav. At Bettiah, reeling off statistics in his attempt to underscore the divide between pre and post 2025 era in Bihar further, Kumar asserted that "Saat Nischay" (7-Resolve) ensured improving various aspects of the state. "Between 2005 and 2020, over eight lakh youths were given government jobs to the youths. Against the set target of providing 10 lakh government jobs and generation of as many employment opportunities for youths in 2020, we have achieved the target of 10 government jobs, while a whopping 49 lakh employment avenues have been generated for youths so far, which is set to touch 50 lakh mark before elections," said chief minister, presenting his government's report card in presence of deputy CM and BJP leaders Smarat Choudhary, Sanjay Jaiswal, Rashmi Verma, JD-U's Vijay Choudhary and Sanjay Jha....