PATNA: CM Nitish Kumar on Wednesday began his Seva Yatra in Sheikhpura district and visited the upgraded school at Ramraipur and the middle school at Kutaut, where he met members of several self-help groups (SHGs) mainly engaged in onion production and marketing. He also visited a primary health centre.

The CM, who was accompanied by HRD minister P K Shahi, made inquiries about the formation and functioning of SHGs and detected some discrepancies in their constitution. The SHG members also complained of problem in getting loan from banks. Nitish asked the principal secretary, rural development, Santosh Mathew, to conduct an inquiry into the functioning of the SHGs and the role of banks.

At Ahiyapur, the CM met milk producers and was told that 68 milk cooperative bodies were functional in the district. He suggested making such bodies at the village level too. He inspected the working of Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACSs) and found irregularities in cash books, which were not certified by the authorities concerned. The CM directed Development Commissioner A K Sinha to call a meeting of all the officials of cooperative department and ensure that the PACS staff are well-trained.

At Barbigha, the CM unveiled the statue of Bhama Sah. The Vaishya community had been demanding installation of Sah's statue for the last 16 years. Near Sheikhpura circuit house, he inspected the water supply project, where he was told that its capacity was three lakh gallons but water was supplied in the morning and evening for four hours only.