Eastern India Boost: PM Modi Unveils Major Projects in Bihar, West Bengal

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a significant tour of Eastern India, with plans to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for development projects collectively valued at over Rs 12,000 crore (approximately USD 1.4 billion) across Bihar and West Bengal. This multi-sectoral development push highlights the government’s focus on infrastructure, connectivity, and socio-economic growth in key regions, particularly in Bihar, which is gearing up for assembly elections later this year.

On Friday, July 18, Prime Minister Modi will commence his engagements in Motihari, Bihar, where projects worth over Rs 7,200 crore are slated for unveiling. The initiatives in Bihar span various sectors, including rail, road, rural development, fisheries, electronics, and information technology. Among the notable railway projects are the automatic signaling system on the Samastipur-Bachhwara rail line and the doubling of the Darbhanga-Thalwara and Samastipur-Rambhadrapur rail lines, valued at over Rs 580 crore. Additionally, foundation stones will be laid for further rail expansions, including the Darbhanga-Narkatiaganj doubling project worth approximately Rs 4,080 crore, and new infrastructure for Vande Bharat train maintenance at Patliputra.

Road connectivity will see a boost with the inauguration of the four-lane Parariya to Mohania section of NH-319, costing over Rs 820 crore, and the foundation stone for the four-laning of the Ara bypass of NH-319. In the digital sector, new Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) facilities will be inaugurated in Darbhanga and Patna, aiming to foster IT/ITES/ESDM industries and support startups. The Prime Minister will also flag off four new Amrit Bharat trains, enhancing connectivity to major cities like New Delhi and Lucknow. Furthermore, support for rural development includes the release of funds for Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) and the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) beneficiaries.

Later in the day, Prime Minister Modi will proceed to Durgapur in West Bengal to inaugurate projects worth over Rs 5,000 crore. These initiatives will focus on the oil and gas, power, road, and rail sectors. Key projects include the laying of the foundation stone for Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd. (BPCL) City Gas Distribution (CGD) projects in Bankura and Purulia districts, valued at around Rs 1,950 crore. The Durgapur to Kolkata section of the Durgapur-Haldia Natural Gas Pipeline, part of the ‘Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga’ project and worth over Rs 1,190 crore, will also be dedicated to the nation. Efforts towards cleaner energy will be reinforced with the inauguration of Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) systems at Durgapur Steel Thermal Power Station and Raghunathpur Thermal Power Station, a project worth over Rs 1,457 crore.

This extensive series of inaugurations and foundation stone layings underscores the government’s sustained focus on accelerating development and upgrading critical infrastructure across these strategically important eastern states.