Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for delivering "good governance" in the state, laying the foundation stone for an AIIMS in Darbhanga and launching projects exceeding Rs 12,000 crore.
In his address, the Prime Minister commended Kumar, calling him “lokpriya mukhyamantri” (popular chief minister), and credited him with establishing a model of "sushasan" (good governance), which Modi said has uplifted Bihar from an era of "jungle raj".
“Nitish babu has set up a model of sushasan (good governance),” Modi said, adding, “No praise is too high for him (jitni saraahna ki jaae kam hai) for his contribution in pulling Bihar out of the era of jungle raj. Now, under the NDA's double engine government, the state is making rapid, all-round progress.”
He criticised past governments led by the Congress-RJD alliance for deceiving the public with “false (jhoothe) promises” and failing to deliver progress.
Chief Minister Kumar expressed gratitude for AIIMS Darbhanga, recalling how he initially requested the super-specialty hospital with the late BJP leader Arun Jaitley.
Modi also referenced ongoing assembly polls in Jharkhand, expressing optimism that the people of the tribal state would vote in significant numbers.
Modi contrasted his administration’s approach to healthcare with that of previous Congress regimes, noting that under his government, India now boasts over two dozen AIIMS compared to just one in Delhi under past governments.
“Today, we have more than two dozen AIIMS across the country. Healthcare is being made available to people of weaker sections through 1.5 lakh 'Aaryogya mandirs',”
The Prime Minister also highlighted the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which has reportedly benefited over four crore citizens.
Further emphasising his government’s healthcare initiatives, Modi discussed measures to increase the availability of doctors, including expanding medical education opportunities by adding 75,000 new seats and offering courses in Hindi and other regional languages.
He also mentioned recent steps to promote Bihar’s cultural heritage, including adding Maithili to the Constitution’s Eighth Schedule and recognising Pali as a classical language.
The Prime Minister acknowledged Bihar’s agricultural contributions, specifically the export potential of freshwater fish and foxnuts (makhana) from the Mithila region.
He paid homage to the late folk singer Sharda Sinha, who hailed from Supaul, and Kameshwar Singh, a prominent philanthropist and former ruler of Darbhanga, whose legacy is celebrated as far as Modi’s constituency in Varanasi.
Modi concluded by highlighting the benefits AIIMS Darbhanga would bring, saying it would offer quality healthcare not only for Bihar but also for nearby West Bengal and Nepal, reducing the need for patients to travel to distant cities like Mumbai and Delhi.
Meanwhile, Congress leader and AICC media panelist Prem Chandra Mishra criticised the delayed foundation-laying ceremony, remarking, “It has taken eight years for the Centre to wake up from its sleep and lay the foundation stone for AIIMS Darbhanga after an in-principle approval. We hope the construction will take place at a more respectable speed.”
Modi also addressed the recurring issue of floods in the Kosi-Mithila region, assuring that his government is undertaking “honest” (imaandaar) efforts to address the problem, which includes discussions with Nepal and a detailed Rs 11,000 crore plan to mitigate the annual calamity.
The event was attended by Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Union ministers Chirag Paswan and Nityanand Rai, and Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha.
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