Bihar Polls: PM Modi Appeals To Bihari Sentiments, Invokes 'Chhathi Maiya' While Launching Projects Worth Rs 541 Crores

Chhath is the biggest festival of Bihar in which devotees offer 'Arghya' to the rising sun god. Lakhs of devotees who keep 36-hour-fast, throng banks of the Ganga river and other water bodies across the state.

(PTI Photo)

New Delhi: Ahead of the state assembly elections, Bihar received seven urban infrastructure projects by Prime Minister Modi. During the inauguration of the multi-crore projects, he mentioned ‘Chhathi Maiya,’ the most significant goddess in Bihar, who is worshipped in the four day long festival of the state. He said that with the blessings of Chhati maiya, Bihar will be made free from sewage water, while laying the foundation for seven projects worth Rs 541 crore. It is to be noted that Chhath is the biggest festival of Bihar in which devotees offer 'Arghya' to the rising sun god. Lakhs of devotees who keep 36-hour-fast, throng banks of the Ganga river and other water bodies across the state. PM’s  speech in which he criticized previous governments for neglecting basic civic facilities, and hailed the trajectory of growth over past few years, could be considered synonymous to his poll speech. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi inaugurated various projects under 'Namami Gange' Yojana and 'AMRUT' Yojana in Bihar. Four schemes inaugurated today include sewerage treatment plants at Beur and Karam-Leechak in Patna city, as well as water-related projects in Siwan and Chhapra under the 'AMRUT' Yojana. Apart from this, foundation stones were laid today for water supply projects in Munger and Jamalpur and River Front Development Scheme under Namami Gange in Muzaffarpur. PM slams previous governments for collapse of infrastructure in Bihar: PM in his speech said that after independence, Bihar was led by visionary leaders who tried their best to remove the distortions which developed during the era of slavery. He added thereafter there was a lopsided development with changed priorities which resulted in urban infrastructure degradation and collapse of the rural infrastructure in the state. He said when selfishness overtakes governance and the vote bank politics come into play then the already marginalised and deprived would be the most affected. He said people of Bihar have endured this pain for decades when the basic needs like water and sewerage are not met. He said that People contract diseases by drinking dirty water under compulsion and a large part of his earnings goes to treatment. Under these circumstances, a very large section in Bihar had accepted debt, disease, helplessness, illiteracy as their fate. Hails  recent efforts: Hailing efforts under NDA government, he said Since 2014, almost complete control of infrastructure related schemes has been given to Gram Panchayats or local bodies. Now, from the planning to implementation, and the maintenance of the schemes, the local bodies are able to meet the local needs and this is the reason that there is a continuous improvement in the infrastructure of basic amenities like drinking water and sewer in the cities of Bihar.