Bihar pitches for 'Marine Drive' model
State minister seeks investment, Rs 10,000 crore from Centre
State minister seeks investment, Rs 10,000 crore from Centre
Indian Express, Dec.05, 2005
NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 3: Talking a language not heard in the state for years, the NDA government in Bihar today made an aggressive pitch for investment—both domestic and foreign—in the urban sector besides seeking a Rs 10,000-crore package from the Centre for its ambitious urbanisation agenda, which includes constructing a ''Marine Drive-like road'' skirting the Ganges and Metro rail in Patna.
Stating that Bihar would now be infused with a new kind of thinking, Urban Development Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey said they were open to investment of any kind in the urban sector. ''We want the private sector to come and are open to investment in integrated development of our cities,'' he said at a function where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh launched the Rs 1 lakh-crore National Urban Renewal Mission to improve urban infrastructure in major cities.
Choubey, thanking the prime minister for choosing Patna and Bodh Gaya for the project, sought that more towns of historical and social importance—Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Ara, Chapra, Biharsharif, Rajgi—be included in the project. He said attracting investment in townships and the transport sector was his government's priority.
Choubey said the national average of urbanisation is 27.8 per cent while Bihar stood second last at 11 per cent and added that they had sought Central help for completing works under the Ganga Action Plan to clean the river from Buxar to Bhagalpur and for setting up Sewage Treatment Plants in towns along the river.
Urban development secretary S.K. Singh said, ''We are very open and we will persuade whoever wants to invest. If anyone shows interest, we will give him land to develop a township. If the private sector is ready, we are ready.''
Stating that Bihar would now be infused with a new kind of thinking, Urban Development Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey said they were open to investment of any kind in the urban sector. ''We want the private sector to come and are open to investment in integrated development of our cities,'' he said at a function where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh launched the Rs 1 lakh-crore National Urban Renewal Mission to improve urban infrastructure in major cities.
Choubey, thanking the prime minister for choosing Patna and Bodh Gaya for the project, sought that more towns of historical and social importance—Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Ara, Chapra, Biharsharif, Rajgi—be included in the project. He said attracting investment in townships and the transport sector was his government's priority.
Choubey said the national average of urbanisation is 27.8 per cent while Bihar stood second last at 11 per cent and added that they had sought Central help for completing works under the Ganga Action Plan to clean the river from Buxar to Bhagalpur and for setting up Sewage Treatment Plants in towns along the river.
Urban development secretary S.K. Singh said, ''We are very open and we will persuade whoever wants to invest. If anyone shows interest, we will give him land to develop a township. If the private sector is ready, we are ready.''
Stating that Bihar would now be infused with a new kind of thinking, Urban Development Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey said they were open to investment of any kind in the urban sector. ''We want the private sector to come and are open to investment in integrated development of our cities,'' he said at a function where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh launched the Rs 1 lakh-crore National Urban Renewal Mission to improve urban infrastructure in major cities.
Choubey, thanking the prime minister for choosing Patna and Bodh Gaya for the project, sought that more towns of historical and social importance—Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Ara, Chapra, Biharsharif, Rajgi—be included in the project. He said attracting investment in townships and the transport sector was his government's priority.
Choubey said the national average of urbanisation is 27.8 per cent while Bihar stood second last at 11 per cent and added that they had sought Central help for completing works under the Ganga Action Plan to clean the river from Buxar to Bhagalpur and for setting up Sewage Treatment Plants in towns along the river.
Urban development secretary S.K. Singh said, ''We are very open and we will persuade whoever wants to invest. If anyone shows interest, we will give him land to develop a township. If the private sector is ready, we are ready.''
Stating that Bihar would now be infused with a new kind of thinking, Urban Development Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey said they were open to investment of any kind in the urban sector. ''We want the private sector to come and are open to investment in integrated development of our cities,'' he said at a function where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh launched the Rs 1 lakh-crore National Urban Renewal Mission to improve urban infrastructure in major cities.
Choubey, thanking the prime minister for choosing Patna and Bodh Gaya for the project, sought that more towns of historical and social importance—Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Ara, Chapra, Biharsharif, Rajgi—be included in the project. He said attracting investment in townships and the transport sector was his government's priority.
Choubey said the national average of urbanisation is 27.8 per cent while Bihar stood second last at 11 per cent and added that they had sought Central help for completing works under the Ganga Action Plan to clean the river from Buxar to Bhagalpur and for setting up Sewage Treatment Plants in towns along the river.
Urban development secretary S.K. Singh said, ''We are very open and we will persuade whoever wants to invest. If anyone shows interest, we will give him land to develop a township. If the private sector is ready, we are ready.''
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