Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launches development works worth over Rs 13,480 crore in Madhubani, Bihar marking National Panchayati Raj Day

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated, laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation multiple development projects worth over Rs 13,480 crore in Madhubani, Bihar today on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day. The Prime Minister appealed to everyone at the event to observe silence and pray for the departed souls in the Pahalgam attacks on 22 April 2025. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, he said that on the occasion of Panchayati Raj Day, the entire nation is connected with Mithila and Bihar. He remarked that projects worth thousands of crores of rupees, aimed at Bihar’s development, have been inaugurated and foundations laid for, emphasising that these initiatives in electricity, railways, and infrastructure will create new employment opportunities in Bihar. He paid tributes to the great poet and national icon, Ramdhari Singh Dinkar Ji, on his death anniversary.

Remarking that Bihar is the land where Mahatma Gandhi expanded the mantra of Satyagraha, Shri Modi highlighted Mahatma Gandhi’s firm belief that India’s rapid development is only possible when its villages are strong. He emphasized that the concept of Panchayati Raj was rooted in this sentiment. “Over the past decade, continuous steps have been taken to empower Panchayats. Technology has played a significant role in strengthening Panchayats, with over 2 lakh Gram Panchayats connected to the internet in the last decade”, he added. Shri Modi pointed out that more than 5.5 lakh Common Service Centers have been established in villages, underlining that the digitalization of Panchayats has brought additional benefits, such as easy access to documents like birth and death certificates, and landholding certificates. He remarked that while the nation received a new Parliament building after decades of independence, 30,000 new Panchayat Bhawans have also been constructed across the country. He also highlighted that ensuring adequate funds for Panchayats has been a priority for the government. “Over the past decade, Panchayats have received more than ₹2 lakh crore, all of which has been utilized for the development of villages”, he said.

Highlighting that one of the major issues faced by Gram Panchayats has been related to land disputes, the Prime Minister mentioned the frequent disagreements over which land is residential, agricultural, Panchayat-owned, or government-owned. He emphasized that to address this issue, the digitization of land records is being undertaken, which has helped resolve unnecessary disputes effectively.

Shri Modi underscored that Panchayats have strengthened social participation, remarking that Bihar was the first state in the country to provide 50% reservation for women in Panchayats. He emphasized that today, a significant number of women from economically weaker sections, Dalits, Mahadalits, backward, and extremely backward communities are serving as public representatives in Bihar, describing it as true social justice and genuine social participation. He underlined that democracy thrives and becomes stronger with greater participation. Reflecting this vision, Shri Modi noted that a law providing 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies has also been enacted. He remarked that this will benefit women across all states, giving our sisters and daughters greater representation.

Emphasising that the government is working in mission mode to increase women’s income and create new opportunities for employment and self-employment, Shri Modi highlighted the transformative impact of the ‘Jeevika Didi’ program in Bihar, which has changed the lives of many women. He remarked that today, self-help groups of women in Bihar have been provided financial assistance of approximately ₹1,000 crore, noting that this will further strengthen the economic empowerment of women and contribute to the goal of creating 3 crore Lakhpati Didis across the country. He highlighted that the rural economy has gained new momentum over the past decade. He pointed out that villages have seen the construction of houses for the poor, roads, gas connections, water connections, and toilets, bringing lakhs of crores of rupees to rural areas. The Prime Minister remarked that new employment opportunities have been created, benefiting laborers, farmers, vehicle operators, and shopkeepers, providing them with new avenues for income. He emphasized that this has particularly benefited communities that have been deprived for generations. He cited the example of the PM Awas Yojana, which aims to ensure that no family in the country remains homeless and that everyone has a permanent roof over their heads. He noted that over the past decade, more than 4 crore permanent houses have been constructed under this scheme. He highlighted that in Bihar alone, 57 lakh poor families have received permanent houses. He remarked that these houses have been provided to families from economically weaker sections, Dalits, and backward and extremely backward communities like Pasmanda families. Shri Modi announced that in the coming years, 3 crore more permanent houses will be provided to the poor. He noted that today, approximately 1.5 lakh families in Bihar are moving into their new permanent homes. He said that across the country, 15 lakh poor families have been issued approval letters for the construction of new houses, including 3.5 lakh beneficiaries from Bihar. He highlighted that today, financial assistance has been sent to approximately 10 lakh poor families for their permanent houses, including 80,000 rural families and 1 lakh urban families from Bihar.

“The past decade has been a decade of infrastructure development for India”, said the Prime Minister, highlighting that this modern infrastructure is strengthening the foundation of a developed India. He noted that for the first time, over 12 crore rural families have received tap water connections in their homes, underlining that more than 2.5 crore households have been electrified, and those who never imagined cooking on gas stoves have now received gas cylinders. “Even in challenging regions like Ladakh and Siachen, where providing basic facilities is difficult, 4G and 5G mobile connections have now been established, reflecting the nation’s current priorities”, he pointed out. The Prime Minister highlighted advancements in healthcare, noting that institutions like AIIMS were once limited to major cities like Delhi. He announced that AIIMS is now being established in Darbhanga, and the number of medical colleges in the country has nearly doubled in the past decade and mentioned the construction of a new medical college in Jhanjharpur. He emphasized that to ensure quality healthcare in villages, over 1.5 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been established across the country, including more than 10,000 in Bihar. He remarked that Jan Aushadhi Kendras have become a significant relief for the poor and middle class, offering medicines at an 80% discount. He noted that Bihar now has over 800 Jan Aushadhi Kendras, saving its people ₹2,000 crore in medical expenses. The Prime Minister highlighted that under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, lakhs of families in Bihar have received free treatment, resulting in savings of thousands of crores of rupees for these families.

“India is rapidly advancing its connectivity through infrastructure like railways, roads, and airports”, highlighted Shri Modi, noting that metro projects are underway in Patna, and over two dozen cities across the country are now connected with metro facilities. He announced the launch of the ‘Namo Bharat Rapid Rail’ service between Patna and Jaynagar, which will significantly reduce travel time between the two locations, and emphasized that this development will benefit lakhs of people from Samastipur, Darbhanga, Madhubani, and Begusarai.

The Prime Minister also mentioned the inauguration and launch of multiple new railway lines in Bihar, highlighting the commencement of the modern Amrit Bharat train service between Saharsa and Mumbai, which will greatly benefit the labor families. He remarked that the government is modernizing several railway stations in Bihar, including Madhubani and Jhanjharpur. He emphasized that air connectivity in Mithila and Bihar has improved significantly with Darbhanga Airport, and the expansion of Patna Airport is underway. “These development projects are creating new employment opportunities in Bihar”, he added.

“Farmers are the backbone of the rural economy, the stronger this backbone, the stronger the villages, and consequently, the nation”, said Shri Modi. He highlighted the persistent challenges of floods in the Mithila and Kosi regions, noting that the government is set to invest ₹11,000 crore to mitigate the impact of floods in Bihar. He said that this investment will facilitate the construction of dams on rivers such as Bagmati, Dhar, Budhi Gandak, and Kosi, adding that canals will be developed, ensuring irrigation arrangements through river water. “This initiative will not only reduce flood-related issues but will also ensure adequate water supply reaches every farmer’s field”, he added.

“Makhana, a cultural staple of Mithila, has now gained global recognition as a superfood”, highlighted Shri Modi, mentioning that makhana has been granted a GI tag, officially certifying it as a product of this region. He added that the Makhana Research Centre has been accorded national status. He also highlighted the Budget announcement of the Makhana Board, which is expected to transform the fortunes of makhana farmers, emphasising that Bihar’s makhana will now reach international markets as a superfood. He noted that the National Institute of Food Technology and Management is being established in Bihar, which will support the youth in setting up small enterprises related to food processing. He further emphasized that Bihar is making consistent progress in fisheries along with agriculture, highlighting that fishermen now have access to the benefits of the Kisan Credit Card, providing advantages to numerous families involved in fisheries. He remarked that under the PM Matsya Sampada Yojana, projects worth hundreds of crores have been executed in Bihar.

Expressing deep sorrow over the brutal killing of innocent civilians by terrorists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, Shri Modi remarked that the entire nation is distressed and stands in solidarity with the grieving families. He assured that every effort is being made by the government to ensure the speedy recovery of those undergoing treatment. He highlighted the profound loss suffered by families, where some lost their sons, brothers, or life partners, noting that the victims came from diverse linguistic and regional backgrounds—some spoke Bengali, Kannada, Marathi, Odia, Gujarati, and some were from Bihar. Underlining that from Kargil to Kanyakumari, the grief and outrage over this attack are shared equally across the nation, Shri Modi remarked that this attack was not just on unarmed tourists but was a brazen assault on the soul of India. “The terrorists responsible for this attack, along with those who conspired it, will face punishment beyond their imagination”, he declared in unequivocal terms, asserting that the time has come to eliminate the remaining strongholds of terrorism. “The willpower of 140 crore Indians will now break the backbone of the perpetrators of terror”, he stressed.

The Prime Minister declared from the soil of Bihar that India will identify, track, and punish every terrorist, their handlers, and their backers, emphasising that India will pursue them to the ends of the earth. “India’s spirit will never be broken by terrorism and terrorism will not go unpunished. Every effort will be made to ensure justice is served and the entire nation is firm in this resolve against terrorism”, he stressed. He further stated that everyone who believes in humanity stands with India during these times. He expressed his gratitude to the people and leaders of various countries who have supported India in these moments.

“Peace and security are the most critical prerequisites for rapid development”, said Shri Modi, remarking that a developed Bihar is essential for a developed India. He concluded by highlighting that efforts are being made to ensure development in Bihar and to extend the benefits of progress to every section and every region of the state. He expressed gratitude to everyone for joining the program on the occasion of Panchayati Raj Day.

The Governor of Bihar, Shri Arif Mohammed Khan, Chief Minister of Bihar, Shri Nitish Kumar, Union Ministers Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Shri Jitan Ram Manji, Shri Giriraj Singh, Shri Chirag Paswan, Shri Nityanand Rai, Shri Ram Nath Thakur, Dr. Raj Bhushan Choudhary were present among other dignitaries at the event.

Background 

Prime Minister participated in the National Panchayati Raj Day programme in Madhubani, Bihar. He also presented National Panchayat Awards, recognizing and incentivizing best-performing Panchayats on the occasion.

Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of an LPG bottling plant with rail unloading facility at Hathua in Gopalganj District of Bihar worth around Rs 340 crore. This will help in streamlining the supply chain and improving efficiency of bulk LPG transportation.

Boosting power infrastructure in the region, Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for projects worth over Rs 1,170 crore and also inaugurated multiple projects worth over Rs 5,030 crore in the power sector in Bihar under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme.

In line with his commitment to boost rail connectivity across the nation, Prime Minister flagged off Amrit Bharat express between Saharsa and Mumbai, Namo Bharat Rapid rail between Jaynagar and Patna and trains between Pipra and Saharsa and Saharsa and Samastipur. He also inaugurated the Supaul Pipra rail line, Hasanpur Bithan Rail line and two 2-lane Rail over bridges at Chapra and Bagaha. He dedicated to the nation the Khagaria-Alauli Rail line. These projects will improve connectivity and lead to overall socio-economic development of the region.

Prime Minister distributed benefits of around Rs 930 crore under Community Investment Fund to over 2 lakh SHGs from Bihar under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY- NRLM).

Prime Minister handed over sanction letters to 15 lakh new beneficiaries of PMAY-Gramin and released instalments to 10 lakh PMAY-G beneficiaries from across the country. He also handed over keys to some beneficiaries marking the Grih Pravesh of 1 lakh PMAY-G and 54,000 PMAY-U houses in Bihar.

***

MJPS/SR