Purnia: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on a visit to Bihar, inaugurated the new airport at Purnia on Monday and unveiled development schemes worth Rs 40,000 crore, including the launch of four new trains. Chief minister Nitish Kumar joined him at the ceremony, where the prime minister combined pledges of economic growth with a fierce attack on the opposition.
PM Modi said that development in Bihar has often been criticised by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress. “Whenever Bihar progresses, they criticise it,” he remarked, before accusing opposition leaders Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and Rahul Gandhi of “travelling to save infiltrators.”
The prime minister stressed that prioritising the needs of backward regions and serving the poor was central to his government’s mission. “Development of Purnia and Seemanchal is necessary for the development of Bihar. Now this area is on the radar of development,” he said, pointing to initiatives such as the establishment of the National Makhana Board and the expansion of housing schemes.
He added that his government was committed to ensuring permanent housing for all: “Modi is not going to stop until every poor gets a permanent house. We are going to build 3,000 new houses.”
PM Modi also inspected a model of the new terminal at Purnia and highlighted the airport’s role in boosting connectivity, business and tourism in north Bihar. His remarks, however, underscored that the event was not just about infrastructure but also about drawing sharp political lines ahead of elections in the state.
