PM Modi gives Bihar metro to bring laggard state on development path

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched and laid the foundation stone of a slew of projects for Bihar from Barauni worth more than `33,000 crore. These included the long-awaited Patna Metro Rail Project, other railway, health, Ganga cleaning and oil and gas projects.

Modi said the Rs13,000 crore metro project is being developed in keeping with the future needs of the people. These will give a new identity to the state and enhance connectivity, especially in Patna and nearby areas.

Inaugurating these development projects, Modi said, they will significantly augment the availability of energy in the city, and the region. The projects will also boost fertiliser production, and significantly enhance medical, and sanitation facilities in the laggard state.

At a large gathering of people at Ulao aerodrome, 125 km from Patna, Modi said the country needed a strong and stable government like the one formed in 2014. Due to a stable government, development was taking place at greater speed and firm decisions were being made, he said, mentioning several pro-poor decisions taken by the Centre.

Six Union ministers from Bihar — Ramvilas Paswan, Ravishankar Prasad, Raj Kumar Singh, Ramkripal Yadav, Giriraj Singh and Ashwini Kumar Chaubey — were present.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar promised that the state government would provide land for the proposed Metro rail project announced by Modi.

The speakers condemned the Pulwama terror attack, saying Bihar, too, had lost two jawans. They hoped a decisive action by the PM would soon pacify the anger of the masses.

Addressing the gathering, the PM said, “We are undergoing deep sorrow and anguish over the Pulwama attack. Two brave sons of Bihar have also sacrificed their lives for the nation. Our thoughts are with the bereaved families. Their sacrifices won’t go in vain. If we are able to fulfil the dreams of (treading on the road of becoming) a developed nation, it is because of the sacrifices of our brave soldiers.”

“The nation is in deep anguish against the cowardly terror attack in Pulwama. I condole the bereaved families. And, to the large number of people who have gathered here, I would say we are fully-prepared for a decisive battle against the scourge of terrorism. Our government is committed to taking this fight to its logical conclusion,” Modi said.

Lauding the bravehearts, who laid down their lives in line of duty, he said the nation stands by them in this hour of grief and mourning. “Jo aag aap logon ke dil me lagi hai, wohi aag mere bhi dil me lagi hai (the fire that is raging in your bosoms, is in my heart as well),” he said. The PM also paid tributes to socialist leader Karpoori Thakur on his death anniversary and recalled the contribution of the first CM of Bihar, Sri Krishna Sinha, saying Sinha had laid the foundation of industrial development and developed Barauni as an industrial hub by facilitating establishment of Barauni refinery and fertiliser plant.