Bihar Land Reforms and Revenue Minister Ram Surat Rai announced that townships named after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will be established in districts of Bihar.
Speaking on the last day of the Monsoon Session of Bihar Assembly, Rai said: “In Bihar, a large number of people do not have houses. Hence, funds have been allocated for them under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. Then we learnt that a large number of people do not have land to construct houses. Hence, we have decided to allot land for them in Bihar and then give the funds for the construction of houses.”
The land allotment process will begin after the monsoon from Banka district.
“The townships will first be built at Rajaun in Banka district where land has been identified for the purpose. The beneficiaries will get funds from the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. Later on, we will have similar ‘Modi Nagars’ and ‘Nitish Nagars’ in other districts,” he told reporters.
BJP leader Rai said the initiative, including its catchy name, was “my own brainchild” and that he did not need permission for the naming of townships after “revered leaders”.
Ex-chief minister Rabri Devi responded to the announcement, saying: “Earlier, the double-engine government had given charge to all MPs to develop model villages in the state. What happened to that policy? How many model villages have they developed? This government only brings policies, but never implements them on the ground. The new policy will face a similar fate.”
Meanwhile, Alok Mehta, the RJD’s national general secretary, said: “The BJP, be it at the Centre or in the states it rules, has been on a renaming spree. It changes names of places and repackages schemes which have been there for long.”
“It is well known that similar housing schemes have been in place in the past. By rebranding it in the manner described by the minister, attempts will be made to sell the idea that the NDA government has come out with something innovative,” Mehta added.
In another development, Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Dharmendra Pradhan has reportedly asked his party leaders not to speak against the Janta Dal (United) and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
News agency IANS mentioned an insider from the BJP as saying that the BJP and JD-U’s political relationship soured during Agnipath agitation, when Sanjay Jaiswal, the BJP state chief, and others such as Deputy Chief Minister Renu Devi accused Nitish Kumar’s government of failing to firmly deal with the violence.
The top leadership of the BJP sent Pradhan to Patna to meet with Nitish Kumar after the tussle
After their meeting, Pradhan announced that Nitish Kumar would continue to serve as chief minister until 2025.
