Today, PM Narendra Modi has inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of seven urban infrastructure projects of worth Rs 541 crore in poll-bound Bihar. Nitish Kumar (Bihar Chief Minister), Sushil Kumar Modi (Deputy Cheif Minister), Ravi Shankar Prasad and Hardeep Singh Puri both are Union Ministers also attended the inauguration ceremony today.

In his address via video conference, Modi lauded the efforts of the state government, headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Without naming anyone, the prime minister also slammed earlier state governments, saying Bihar used to have tall and visionary leaders, but an era came when the focus shifted from governance. ‘Selfish interests’ took over governance and ‘vote-bank politics’ suppressed the system, Modi said, in an apparent reference to 15-year-long rule of Lalu Yadav’s RJD and Congress governments that preceded it.

The Centre is working overtime in coordination with the state government to boost infrastructure and development works, the prime minister said. Noting that over 20 Bihar towns are situated near Ganga, Modi said more than 50 projects of over Rs 6,000 crores had been approved in the state to keep the holy river clean.

PM Modi has inaugurated three petroleum projects and also launched a scheme for sustainable development of the fisheries sector in the poll-bound state. Assembly polls in Bihar are likely to be held in October-November.