Purnea: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bihar’s Purnea district on Monday to launch development projects worth ₹36,000 crore and address a public rally, months before the Assembly elections.
The Prime Minister will inaugurate a newly built airport terminal in the north Bihar town, fulfilling a long-standing demand for improved air connectivity. Another key highlight will be the launch of the National Makhana Board, earlier announced in the Union Budget, to boost production and marketing of the nutrient-rich crop.
Makhana, or foxnut, is cultivated extensively in Bihar, which contributes nearly 90% of India’s total production. Modi has often hailed makhana as a “super food” in his speeches.
Senior BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said the Prime Minister has consistently prioritized Bihar’s development. “In his 11 years, Modi has gifted the state projects worth about ₹1.5 lakh crore. Tomorrow will be another bonanza. Bihar is reaping the benefits of a double-engine government,” he said after reviewing preparations in Purnea.
Authorities have stepped up security, with vehicle movement on highways in the district suspended for 24 hours from midnight Sunday.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav carried out a surprise inspection of Purnea Government Medical College and Hospital, sharing an eight-minute video highlighting poor conditions. He alleged that despite a new building costing hundreds of crores, the hospital lacks an ICU, trauma centre, and essential staff. Patients, including children, were seen lying in open areas vulnerable to infections.
“Even the so-called functional wards lack basic amenities like separate toilets for men and women. Patients are forced to use dirty bedsheets or bring their own,” Yadav said. He urged the Prime Minister to visit the hospital during his trip and see “the failures of the double-engine government,” adding that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar should also face the reality behind his development claims.
