'Modi Nagar And Nitish Nagar': Townships Named After PM, CM To Come Up In Bihar

Bihar minister Ram Surat Rai said work would begin on developing 'Modi Nagar' and 'Nitish Nagar' after the monsoon season.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar

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Bihar minister Ram Surat Rai on Thursday said townships named after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would come up in several districts of the state. In these townships, shelter will be provided to the homeless, PTI quoted Rai as saying.

Speaking outside the Assembly, Rai, Minister for Revenue and Land Reforms, said work would begin on developing "Modi Nagar" and "Nitish Nagar" after the monsoon season.

"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.

Calling PM Modi and Nitish Kumar "revered leaders", Rai, who belongs to the BJP, said the scheme was his own brainchild. "I saw no need for any permission to name townships after our revered leaders," PTI quoted Rai as saying.

RJD national general secretary Alok Mehta, who was present when Rai was sharing the information with reporters, said the BJP was on a renaming spree.

"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," he said.

"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 further said.