Modi to kick off NDA’s campaign for Bihar Assembly polls

Patna

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a rally at Chakkar Maidan in Muzaffarpur tomorrow and kick off NDA’s campaign for the Bihar Assembly elections due later this year, Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said today.

“Pradhan Mantri Modi ki Muzaffarpur rally se chunav ka agaaz hoga (Prime Minister Modi’s rally tomorrow at Muzaffarpur will kick off NDA’s campaign for Bihar Assembly polls),” the Union Minister said.

Singh, who was supervising preparations for the PM’s Muzaffarpur rally tomorrow, said the turnout at the rally would be a historic one.

The Prime Minister’s rally at Chakkar Maidan tomorrow will be bigger than any other rallies held in Muzaffarpur since Independence, he said adding, a huge turnout was expected at the event.

In a jibe at political rivals, Singh said some people have already started feeling dizzy at the mere thought about the impact of tomorrow’s rally.

“Kai logon ko Chakkar Maidan ke naam se chakkar aa raha hai (Many are feeling dizzy at the mere name of Chakkar Maidan),” the senior BJP leader from Bihar said.

The PM’s rally would also showcase unity of the NDA in the run up to the Bihar Assembly polls as all top leaders of BJP and coalition partners like Ramvilas Paswan (LJP), Upendra Kushwaha (RLSP) and Jitan Ram Manjhi (HAM, Secular) would attend the rally with leaders and workers of their respective parties, Singh said. (More) PTI KDK DKB

Elaborating on the Prime Minister’s engagement during his day-long visit to Bihar tomorrow, the Union Agriculture Minister said Modi would attend an official function at the Veterinary College Ground in Sheikhpur where he would launch a slew of programmes of five ministries comprising the Railways, Power, HRD, IT and Communications and Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Singh said Modi would inaugurate the newly-constructed campus of IIT-Patna at Bihta and flag off two pairs of trains between Patna and Mumbai.

He would launch the Deen Dayal Gram Jyoti Yojana for integrated power project in Bihar at an estimated cost of Rs 76,000 crore of which the Centre would contribute Rs 63,000 crore, Singh said adding, the project would help improve power and water supply to the villages of Bihar, besides construction of dedicated separate feeder for irrigation of farmland on the lines of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

Modi would also launch the Jagdishpur-Haldia gas pipeline project at an estimated cost of Rs 10,000 crore, which would enable cooking gas consumers in Bihar to refill gas through pipeline once the project gets completed in four-five years, the Union Minister said.

During his second official engagement of the day at the Sri Krishna Memorial Hall in the state capital, the Prime Minister would attend the 87th foundation day functions of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR).

“It was the Prime Minister’s desire that the functions related to the ICAR should be held outside Delhi in the states too and accordingly the 87th foundation day of the ICAR will be held in Patna over two days from tomorrow,” Singh said describing the event as historical for agricultural research and development.

He said that about 2,500 agriculture scientists from across the country would take part in the ICAR’s 87th foundation day events during which they would deliberate on research and development in agriculture sector, particularly in the context of the Prime Minister’s vision to make East India a launching pad for second green revolution.

After completing his engagements in Patna, the Prime Minister would leave for Muzaffarpur by helicopter to address the ‘Parivartan Rally’ at Chakkar Maidan in the afternoon tomorrow, he added.

PM to launch two trains in poll-bound Bihar tomorrow

New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate two trains and commission a 38km-long new line in poll-bound Bihar tomorrow.

Accompanied by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, he will flag off Rajgir-Biharsharif-Daniawan-Fatuha passenger train and Patna-Mumbai AC Suvidha Express at Veterinary College ground in Patna.

Prabhu, who is already in Bihar, said the state was important due to its large population and railways needed to improve its services.

“In Bihar. Reviewing all projects, ways of improving services to help our commuters. Bihar important state with large population. We must improve here,” he tweeted.

Prabhu has allocated Rs 446 cr for passenger amenities and facilities in Bihar in this year’s Rail Budget.

Expediting projects, railway is likely to commission Patna-Ganga and Munger-Ganga bridges in the current fiscal as money has been sanctioned.

A total outlay of Rs 2,393 crore, a 144 per cent jump over last year, has been allocated to Bihar in the Rail Budget 2015-16.

Elections are due in the state later this year.

PTI