Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Monday, October 12, outlined development initiatives undertaken in the state during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure at the Centre, highlighting progress in housing, healthcare, women's empowerment, transport infrastructure and flood management.
Addressing a press conference, Choudhary said Bihar had become more closely integrated with India's broader development agenda over the past 12 years. He also emphasised the importance of public welfare and described the government's approach as guided by the principle of putting the nation and its citizens first.
Referring to Modi's tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister, which began in 2001, Choudhary said the Prime Minister's political journey had been marked by a focus on public service.
Housing and Basic Amenities
Choudhary said around 55 lakh houses had been constructed in Bihar between 2014 and 2026 under housing initiatives covering urban and rural areas. He added that funding had been allocated for approximately 11.25 lakh additional houses for 2026-27.
He also cited the expansion of financial inclusion through the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, sanitation facilities under the Swachh Bharat Mission and LPG connections through the Ujjwala scheme.
According to the Chief Minister, more than seven crore people had been brought into the banking system, over 1.5 crore households had received toilets and 1.21 crore families had obtained LPG connections in Bihar during the period he discussed. He also said electricity had reached every household in the state by 2018.
Food Security and Healthcare Expansion
On food security, Choudhary said around 80 crore people across India, including 8.57 crore in Bihar, were receiving free food grains under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.
He said the scheme had helped eligible families reduce household food expenses and direct more resources towards education and healthcare.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the expansion of medical education in Bihar. He said the number of medical colleges had increased from 13 to 31, while MBBS seats had risen from 1,310 to 4,710.
Choudhary added that super-speciality hospital projects were progressing in Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur. He also referred to the proposed AIIMS facility in Darbhanga, saying construction-related work worth around Rs 2,000 crore would support healthcare services in north Bihar.
He said eligible beneficiaries were receiving health coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh under Ayushman Bharat.
Women's Empowerment and Employment
Choudhary highlighted initiatives intended to expand women's financial independence, including the Lakhpati Didi programme. He said more than 50 lakh women in Bihar had become Lakhpati Didis and noted that the national target for the initiative had been increased to four crore women.
He also referred to the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana, stating that funds had been transferred directly to the bank accounts of approximately 1.81 crore women.
The Chief Minister cited the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which provides for one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies, as another measure aimed at strengthening women's representation.
Central Funding and Infrastructure Projects
Choudhary compared central transfers to Bihar under successive governments, claiming the state received around Rs 2.67 lakh crore during the ten years of UPA rule up to 2013-14, compared with approximately Rs 13 lakh crore during the 12 years of the Modi government.
He also highlighted railway and road infrastructure projects, including the Kosi rail bridge, JP Setu between Sonpur and Patna, and the Munger rail-cum-road bridge. According to him, several projects initiated during the tenure of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had been revived or advanced under the subsequent government.
The Chief Minister cited the six-lane bridge at Mokama, improvements to Gandhi Setu and several bridges under construction across the state. Projects mentioned included bridges at Buxar, Sonpur, Sherpur-Dighwara, Bhagalpur, Kahalgaon-Kataiya and Begusarai-Surajgarha.
He said the Katihar-Sahibganj bridge and a new bridge alongside Gandhi Setu were expected to be completed the following year.
Airport and Tourism Development
Choudhary also pointed to investments in tourism and aviation infrastructure, including support for Nalanda University, the Nalanda corridor, the Vishnupad temple and a corridor at Bodh Gaya.
He said approximately Rs 11,500 crore had been provided for the Kosi-Mechi link project and around Rs 1,200 crore for a new terminal at Patna airport. He added that work on a new terminal at Muzaffarpur had begun, while the Darbhanga airport project was expected to be completed by November.
Commercial operations had also started at Purnea airport, he said, adding that additional airports were being developed under the UDAN regional connectivity scheme.
Flood Control Plan Under Preparation
Addressing Bihar's recurring flash floods, Choudhary said the government was working towards a long-term solution involving river management and high-level dams.
Responding to a question about a proposed water commission and a separate ministry, he said the detailed project report for high-level dams was nearly complete. Work on project reports for the Kosi, Gandak and Ganga rivers had also begun, he added.
The Chief Minister said Bihar's development would be important to achieving the national goal of Viksit Bharat 2047. His remarks focused on infrastructure expansion, welfare schemes and long-term measures to address the state's development challenges.
