170 national projects driving state’s development: Deputy CM

Patna: Bihar is developing at a fast pace with the 170 national projects worth Rs 6.58 lakh crore and 60 among them worth Rs1.28 lakh crore already completed and dedicated to the public, said deputy CM Samrat Choudhary here on Monday.Briefing reporters following the recent meeting of chief secretaries of the states with PM Narendra Modi in Delhi to discuss progress of the central govt projects in states, Samrat, said 110 projects worth Rs5.30 lakh crore were in progress in Bihar, including roads and highways, railways, power, and urban development being resolved through the PRAGATI system under the planning and development department.The deputy CM said PM Modi reviewed projects worth more than Rs85 lakh crore.

The PM instructed the officials to expedite their implementation. As a result, national infrastructure projects are also rapidly taking shape in Bihar, he said.The roads and highways sector accounts for the largest number of 72 projects, followed by 38 in the railway sector. “Significant investments are also being made in the power, oil and gas, telecommunications, urban infrastructure, and waterways sectors.

The deputy CM said 41 major projects in Bihar were under review through the PM’s PRAGATI system. “These projects involve a total investment of Rs2.13 lakh crore. Of these, 12 projects worth Rs51,833 crore, have been completed, while the remaining 29 worth Rs1.62 lakh crore were progressing rapidly,” he said.Choudhary said most of the issues related to law and order, power, water, fuel, and construction have been resolved.

Highlighting the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor, rail-cum-road bridges, and power projects as major achievements for Bihar, he said these projects are giving a new impetus to job creation and economic activities in the state. “Bihar is no longer limited to merely approving projects but has become a state focused on rapid execution.

The state govt is continuously providing land availability, law and order support, and administrative assistance for the projects.

Continuous monitoring is being done at both the central and state levels to resolve the remaining challenges in a time-bound manner. Overall, Bihar is now emerging as a major hub for connectivity, logistics, and infrastructure in eastern India,” he said.Choudhary said a total of 266 issues related to the projects were identified, of which 255 had been resolved. “This has given Bihar an issue resolution rate of approximately 96%. Of the 156 issues related to PRAGATI projects, 149 have been resolved, and only 11 issues are currently pending, which are being actively addressed. The highest number of issues, 167, were related to land acquisition. In addition, 32 issues related to forest and environmental clearances and 23 issues related to right of way/right of use were identified,” he said.