Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the inauguration and foundation stone-laying ceremony of various development projects, in Begusarai, Sunday, Feb 17, 2019. (Source: PTI Photo) Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the inauguration and foundation stone-laying ceremony of various development projects, in Begusarai, Sunday, Feb 17, 2019. (Source: PTI Photo)

Prime Minister Modi, who was on a visit to Bihar and Jharkhand Sunday to inaugurate a slew of development projects, paid his tributes to the soldiers martyred in the terror attack in Pulwama. Expressing grief and outrage over the attack, the PM said, “I condole the bereaved families. And to the large number of people who have gathered here, I would like to say the fire that is raging in your bosoms, is in my heart as well.”

Addressing the people in Bihar’s Barauni, the PM paid tributes to two of the slain jawans who hailed from the state. “I salute and pay my tributes to Sanjay Kumar Sinha and Ratan Kumar Thakur,” the prime minister said.

The two jawans, who belonged to Patna and Bhagalpur, were among the 40 CRPF personnel killed in the attack on Thursday.

In Jharkhand, the prime minister paid homage to Vijay Soreng, the CRPF personnel from the state who was killed in the attack and said that the Centre would look after the families of the slain jawans.

“I pay my tributes to the brave son of the country, Vijay Soren. I bow to his family in Gumla. His children are facing this situation very bravely right now.”

Prime Minister Prime Minister Narendra Modi , Jharkhand Governor Draupadi Murmu and Chief Minister Raghubar Das during foundation laying stone ceremony of three medical colleges during a public meeting, in Hazaribagh, Sunday. (PTI Photo)

The prime minister launched development projects worth more than Rs 33,000 crore in Bihar and laid the foundation of a slew of projects in the health, education, water supply and sanitation sectors worth over Rs 3,306 crore in Jharkhand.

Accompanied by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, the prime minister laid the foundation stone of the Patna Metro Rail Project. He also laid the foundation stone for medical colleges at Chhapra and Purnea and the upgradation of the government medical colleges at Bhagalpur and Gaya.

In his 30-minute speech, which he began with a few lines in the local dialect ‘Angika’, PM Modi explained how each of these projects will bring all-round development in the lives of people.

Talking about the NDA government’s focus on development, the prime minister said that their strategy was two-pronged — one was development of infrastructure and the other uplift of deprived sections of society. He said all this has been possible because you had elected a strong and stable government which can take quick decisions, work on them and translate them into reality on the ground.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with school students during a public meeting, in Hazaribagh on Sunday. Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das is also seen. (Source: PTI Photo) Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with school students during a public meeting, in Hazaribagh on Sunday. Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das is also seen. (Source: PTI Photo)

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said Begusarai-Barauni area had been developed as an industrial hub under the guidance of Bihar’s first Chief Minister Shri Krishna Sinha and it was heartening to see that renewed efforts were being made to restore and further develop its pre-eminence in the economic life of the state.

At the Barauni programme, the dignitaries present included Governor Lalji Tandon, Union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Ram Vilas Paswan, Ram Kripal Yadav and Giriraj Singh.

In Jharkhand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated three medical colleges in Hazaribagh, Dumka and Palamu and laid the foundation of four 500-bedded hospitals in Hazaribagh, Dumka, Palamu and Jamshedpur.

Four rural water supply schemes in Ramgarh and Hazaribagh were inaugurated and the foundation stones of six more rural water supply schemes in these two districts, and an urban water supply scheme in Hazaribagh were laid.

The prime minister inaugurated the Sahibganj Sewerage Treatment Plant, and the Madhusudan Ghat, under the Namami Gange initiative. He also inaugurated a newly constructed building at the Women’s Engineering College in Ramgarh district through a remote.

The Prime Minister also declared Jharkhand open defecation free and said that over 30 lakh toilets have been constructed in the state.

He also announced that the farmers will be given smartphones so that they can have access to direct information on weather and government schemes, in a bid to eliminate middlemen.

With PTI inputs

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