On Saturday, the Congress party launched a sharp attack on the BJP, questioning the whereabouts of funds allocated for Patna’s Smart City project and the Namami Gange initiative. They also demanded to know why Patna University has been denied central university status.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh directed several pointed questions at Prime Minister Narendra Modi in anticipation of his rally in Pataliputra. He asked, "Where have Patna’s Smart City and Namami Gange funds disappeared? Will the Bihta airport ever be built? Why has the BJP failed to prevent yet another paper leak? Why has Patna University been denied central university status?”
Ramesh highlighted the severe waterlogging and flooding that Patna experienced in 2019 and 2020, pointing out that the funds received under the Smart City and Namami Gange projects have been "grossly underutilized." Despite the approval of six sewage treatment plants (STPs) and five new sewerage networks, only four out of the eleven sanctioned projects have been completed.
Citing a CAG report, Ramesh noted, "None of the six STPs and their networks are completed in their entirety, even as the executing agency, Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation, was sanctioned almost the entire cost of the projects, amounting to Rs 3,288.69 crore.”
He also addressed the stalled construction of the Bihta airport, originally slated to start in 2017 and finish by 2019. Despite the state government transferring the necessary land to the center by 2018, only a boundary wall has been built so far. "Can the prime minister explain why Bihar has been neglected under the UDAN scheme? Will the Bihta airport ever be built?” he asked.
Ramesh raised concerns about the frequent examination paper leaks, highlighting a recent NEET-UG question paper leak in Patna. "Under the Modi sarkar, paper leaks have become a regular occurrence. Neighboring Uttar Pradesh has witnessed more than 40 paper leaks under BJP rule, and Gujarat has emerged as the paper leak capital," he said. Each incident takes a significant emotional toll on countless young aspirants who prepare diligently for these exams. “Why have paper leaks been so rampant under the Modi sarkar? Is the BJP doing anything to ensure that aspirants never have to face such injustice again?” Ramesh questioned.
He also criticized the Prime Minister for denying central university status to Patna University, a long-standing demand of Bihar’s residents. This status could dramatically improve access to quality higher education for students from modest backgrounds. "Many poor families are not able to afford to send their children out of state for education. Central university status for Patna University would change the lives of thousands of students. Why, then, has Prime Minister Modi so callously ignored the plight of Bihar’s youth?” Ramesh asked, urging the prime minister to break his "silence" on these critical issues.
In summary, the Congress party has called on Prime Minister Modi to address these pressing concerns, questioning the allocation and utilization of funds, the neglect of infrastructure projects, and the rampant issue of examination paper leaks. They demand accountability and solutions to improve the lives of Bihar’s citizens.
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