CM Nitish Kumar invokes Bapu in Purnia, launches projects worth Rs 385 crore

PATNA: Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Friday inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 473 projects worth Rs385.2 crore during a programme at Tikapatti under Rupauli block of Purnia district. These projects would be implemented in different villages under Rupauli block.
Addressing a public meeting on the occasion, the CM highlighted the importance of Tikapatti where Mahatma Gandhi had visited in 1925, 1927 and 1934.“I have come here to know and understand more about Bapu,” he said.
Nitish said the Tikapatti-based District Institute of Education Training (DIET) would now be named after Mahatma Gandhi. He also announced to establish a life-size statue of Bapu at local ‘Gandhi Sadan’, which was built by the state government after Independence in memory of the Mahatma’s visit to the village.
The CM said a big community hall would be constructed with better facilities for organizing events in the memory of Bapu. He said, besides the existing Babu library, one more institute in his memory would be set up at Tikapatti so that people could get more information about the Gandhi.
Nitish also inquired from officers and local people about the Tikapatti-based ‘Swaraj Ashram’ and the ‘Buniyadi Vidyalaya’ opened by Gandhi during his visit to the village on April 10, 1934, months after the disastrous Bihar earthquake on January 15, 1934.
The CM also laid a wreath on the memorial of freedom fighter and well-known revolutionary Surya Narayan Mandal, who belonged to Tikapatti. “It was Mandal who had donated five acres of land to Gandhi for ‘Swaraj Ashram’,” an official accompanying the CM told TOI over phone.
Nitish said the Buniyadi Vidyalaya there would be linked with a project of the Patna-based Development Management Institute (DMI) for its revival on the very pattern of other such schools in East and West Champaran districts. The state government has asked DMI to revive the Buniyadi schools opened by Gandhi during his Champaran Satyagrah.
The CM also announced to upgrade the local additional primary health centre to a 30-bed community health centre.
Responding to the local demand for a separate block, Nitish said the state government has constituted a committee headed by deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi to look into the demands for new blocks and sub-divisions. “The committee will also look into your demands,” he said.
CM inspects Madhepura roads: The CM also conducted spot inspection of NH-106 and 107 in Madhepura district and held a meeting with officials to review progress of different roads in Madhepura district. He asked the officers to expedite the work of land acquisition for roads and complete different road projects within stipulated periods. He also asked them to ensure quality in road construction works.