Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary during the inauguration and foundation stone laying ceremony of various developmental projects, in Motihari, Bihar.
Credit: PMO
Patna: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he would like eastern India to grow faster in keeping pace with the rapid global progress.
“Just like the eastern countries are advancing globally, it is the era of eastern states....I would like to see Motihari in the east develop as Mumbai in the west, Gaya in Bihar as developed as Gurugram and Patna should have industrial growth as in Pune,” said Modi, adding “If eastern India has to advance, Bihar has to be transformed into a developed State.”
The Prime Minister, who doled out sops worth Rs 7200 crore for the state, including three Amrit Bharat Express trains, besides road projects and other projects related to Electronics and Information Technology Department, said Bihar remained backward due to Centre’s apathy.
“During the 10 years of UPA regime, Bihar got Rs 2 lakh crore from the Centre. On the other hand, during my 10 years of rule, Bihar received around Rs 9 lakh crore which helped the state move on the fast track of development,” said Modi, while addressing a rally in Motihari on Friday.
“Motihari has its own historical significance in the freedom struggle from where Mahatma Gandhi shot into fame after his ‘indigo movement’ against the British in 1917. This place will now give new direction to Bihar as well as India,” said the PM dwelling at length on how Motihari has got 3 lakh new houses under PM Awas Yojna while entire Bihar has got 60 lakh such houses.
“Nearly 60 lakh houses constructed in Bihar alone surpasses the total population of Norway, New Zealand and Singapore,” averred the PM, thanking Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar too for the rapid progress in the State.
Modi particularly praised Nitish for increasing the monthly pension of senior citizens, widowed mothers and differently-abled persons from Rs 400 to Rs 1100, besides promising one crore jobs in the five years and job reservation for the women born in Bihar. “Ek naya Bihar, phis se banaye NDA sarkar,” Modi coined a new slogan for the ensuing polls which, if translated, means “In New Bihar, bring again the NDA government.”
This was perceived to be Modi's yet another poll rally in Bihar which will have an Assembly election in October and November this year for which the Election Commission will announce poll dates in September, once the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters’ list is over by then.