PM addresses Viksit Bharat Viksit Bihar program in Bettiah, Bihar

New Delhi, Mar 06, 2024, PIB

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation multiple infrastructure projects related to rail, road and petroleum and natural gas worth around Rs 12,800 Crores in Bettiah, West Champaran district, Bihar today.Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that the land of Bettiah reignited the struggle for independence and infused new consciousness into the people. “This very land created Mahatma Gandhi out of Mohan Das ji”, the Prime Minister remarked, highlighting that there can be no better place than Bettiah, Champaran to take the resolve of Viksit Bihar and Viksit Bharat. The Prime Minister acknowledged the presence of people in the Viksit Bihar program from various Lok Sabha and Vidhan constituencies of the state and conveyed his best wishes for the development projects of today. “Land of Bihar has shown tremendous leadership for the country for centuries and also produced many great personalities for the nation”, the Prime Minister said, pointing out that India has prospered with the prosperity of Bihar and the development of the state is equally important to accomplish the goal of Viksit Bharat. Prime Minister Modi expressed delight that the development works related to Viksit Bihar have found new momentum with the formation of the double-engine government in the state and mentioned today’s projects including sectors of rail, road, ethanol plants, city gas supply and LPG gas among others. He emphasized maintaining this pace to accomplish the resolve of Viksit Bihar.The Prime Minister mentioned one of the acute problems of Bihar i.e. exodus of youth from the state due to poor law and order situation and dynasty politics. “Effort of Bihar’s double government is to provide jobs to the youth of the state in Bihar itself”, the Prime Minister said. He stated that the biggest beneficiaries of today’s projects will be the youth who are looking for employment. Mentioning the inauguration of six lane Cable Bridge on river Ganga parallel to Digha-Sonepur Rail-cum-Road Bridge at Patna on Ganga River, the Prime Minister said work is going on over a dozen bridges in Bihar with the allocation of Rs 22,000 crore, including 5 bridges on river Ganga. “These bridges and broad roads pave the path of development”, the Prime Minister said. He also said that modern infrastructure creates new avenues of employment. Prime Minister Modi noted that all the rail lines being laid or trains being flagged off in the country are completely Made in India, thereby creating employment for citizens. He stated that the modern rail engine manufacturing factories in Bihar have been initiated by the present government itself. The Prime Minister touched upon the Digital India initiative and said that many developed nations do not have such digital facilities as he credited the youth of India for the fast adoption of digital services. “Modi has given the guarantee to stand by the youth of India on every step”, PM Modi said, “Today, I am giving this guarantee to the youth of Bihar.” He further added that Modi’s guarantee means the guarantee of fulfillment of guarantee.The Prime Minister highlighted the government’s emphasis on making every house in India a Surya Ghar where electricity can be produced through solar plants on the terraces and the extra electricity generated can be sold back to the government creating extra income for citizens. The Prime Minister also warned the people about the evils of dynastic politics and remembered the ideals of Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur, Jai Prakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi. The Prime Minister highlighted the government’s efforts to tackle the issues faced by the poor, women, youth and farmers as he mentioned the free ration scheme, Ayushman Bharat scheme, pucca houses, toilets, electricity, gas and tapped water connection, creation of AIIMSs, IITs, IIMs and other medical colleges in record numbers, making farmers into urjadata and urvarakdata, and setting up of ethanol plants to make use of byproducts by sugarcane and paddy farmers. Recently, the Prime Minister informed that the purchase price of sugarcane has been increased to Rs 340 per quintal and the world’s largest grain storage scheme has been launched where thousands of warehouses will be built in the country and Bihar. Touching upon PM Kisan Samman Nidhi for financial assistance worth thousands of crores to farmers, Shri Modi  informed that farmers from Bettiah have been provided Rs 800 crores under the scheme so far. The Prime Minister also mentioned the fertilizer factory in Barauni that remained closed for a long time and it was Modi who had guaranteed to get it up and running again. “Today this fertilizer factory is providing its services and creating employment. That's why people say - Modi's guarantee means the guarantee of fulfillment of guarantee”, he added. The Prime Minister noted the happiness of the people of Bihar on the Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya Dham. He said that today India is acknowledging its heritage and culture. The Prime Minister noted the presence of the nature-loving Tharu tribe in the area. He asked everyone to take inspiration from the Tharu Community “Today, India is developing while protecting nature, taking inspiration from tribes like Tharu. That is why I say that to build a developed India, everyone's efforts, everyone's inspiration and everyone's learning are needed”, he said.In conclusion, PM Modi reiterated the importance of India becoming the third largest economy, bringing people out of poverty, jobs for the youth, pucca houses for the poor, solar panels for 1 crore households, 3 crore Lakhpati Didis and running modern trains like Vande Bharat. Governor of Bihar, Shri R V Arlekar, Chief Minister of Bihar, Shri Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Ministers of Bihar, Shri Samrat Chaudhary and Shri Vijay Kumar Sinha, Union Minister of State, Shri Nityanand Rai and Member of Parliament, Shri Sanjay Jaiswal were present on the occasion among others. Background The Prime Minister inaugurated 109 km long Indian Oil’s Muzaffarpur - Motihari LPG Pipeline that will provide access to cleaner cooking fuel in the state of Bihar and neighbouring country Nepal. The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation Indian Oil’s LPG Bottling Plant & storage terminal at Motihari. The new pipeline terminal would also act as a strategic supply point for the export of petroleum products to Nepal.  It would serve 8 districts of North Bihar i.e. East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalganj, Siwan, Muzaffarpur, Sheohar, Sitamarhi and Madhubani. The new Bottling Plant at Motihari will also make the supply chain smoother in feeding markets attached to Motihari Plant.The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of City Gas Distribution project in East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalganj, Siwan and Deoria and Grain-based Ethanol Projects at HBL's Sugauli & Lauriya.The Prime Minister inaugurated road projects including two laning of Piprakothi - Motihari - Raxaul section of NH - 28A with paved shoulder; two laning of  Sheohar-Sitamarhi-Section of  NH-104. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of projects including the construction of six lane Cable Bridge on river Ganga parallel to Digha-Sonepur Rail-cum-Road Bridge at Patna on Ganga River; four laning of Bakarpur Hat- Manikpur section of NH-19 Bypass.The Prime Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various railway projects. The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation, doubling of 62 km rail line from Bapudham Motihari - Piprahan and Narkatiaganj-Gaunaha Gauge Conversion among others. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for doubling and electrification of 96 km long Gorakhpur Cantt – Valmiki Nagar rail line and redevelopment of Bettiah railway station. The Prime Minister also flagged off two new train services between Narkatiaganj - Gaunaha and Raxaul -Jogbani