Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth over ₹5,200 crore in Siwan, Bihar.

Boosting railway infrastructure in the region, Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the new Vaishali–Deoria railway line project worth over ₹400 crore and flagged off a new train service on this route.

Additionally, in a major boost to connectivity in North Bihar, the prime minister also flagged off the Vande Bharat Express between Patliputra and Gorakhpur via Muzaffarpur and Bettiah.

Prime Minister Modi also inaugurated six Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) under the Namami Gange project worth over ₹1,800 crore, catering to the needs of people in the region.

Prime Minister Modi also laid the foundation stone for water supply, sanitation and STPs worth over ₹3,000 crore in various towns across Bihar aiming to provide clean and safe drinking water to the citizens of these towns.

In a major boost to power infrastructure in the region, PM laid the foundation stone for 500 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity in Bihar. Standalone BESS are being installed at 15 grid substations of the state including Muzaffarpur, Motihari, Bettiah, Siwan among others. It will save the distribution companies from buying electricity at expensive rates by feeding the already stored electricity back to the grid, directly benefiting the consumers.

Speaking on his recent visit abroad, PM Modi said he had discussions with leaders of some of the world’s most developed nations. "All of them are deeply impressed by India’s rapid progress. They see India emerging as the world’s third-largest economic power," he said.

The prime minister said that while the country has long heard slogans about eradicating poverty, the NDA government has demonstrated that poverty can indeed be reduced. “In the past decade, a record 25 crore Indians have overcome poverty,” highlighted PM Modi, pointing out that globally renowned institutions like the World Bank have praised India’s achievement. Previously, the Prime Minister stated, more than half of Bihar’s population fell into the category of extreme poverty. However, in the last ten years, nearly four crore people in Bihar have overcome poverty.

“Over the past 11 years, our government has remained committed to removing every obstacle from the path of the poor. As a result, visible and impactful outcomes are now emerging,” said PM Modi. He remarked that over the last decade, more than 4 crore poor families across the country have received pucca houses under government initiatives and an additional 3 crore homes are set to be constructed in the coming years.

PM Modi emphasised that this development has significantly benefited the poor, Dalits, Mahadalits, backward classes, and extremely backward families in Bihar. Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, more than 57 lakh pucca houses have been built in the state alone. In Siwan district, the Prime Minister pointed out, over 1.10 lakh homes have already been constructed for the poor and affirmed that this work is ongoing without interruption. He stated that housing instalments were disbursed today for over 50,000 families in Bihar. PM Modi expressed particular satisfaction that a majority of these houses are registered in the names of mothers and sisters. He noted with pride that women who traditionally never had property in their names are now becoming proud homeowners.