State PCS - Bihar (BPSC)

• 02 May 2025

Development Projects Inaugurated in Bihar

Why in News? 

The Prime Minister of India inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various development projects in Madhubani, Bihar.

Key Points 

• Rail Connectivity and Projects:  
  • The Prime Minister launched several important projects to boost rail connectivity.  
    • Amrit Bharat Express between Saharsa and Mumbai , Namo Bharat Rapid Train between Jaynagar and Patna and trains between Pipra, Saharsa and Samastipur were flagged off. Along with this, new railway lines and bridges were inaugurated in Bihar.  
  • This will provide better transportation facilities in various parts of the state and promote socio-economic development. 
• Power Projects:  
  • The foundation stone of projects worth Rs 1,170 crore was laid to strengthen the power infrastructure in Bihar.
  • Several projects worth more than Rs 5,030 crore were also inaugurated under the Restructured Distribution Area Scheme.  
    • This will improve power supply in rural and urban areas and give a new direction to development. 
• Prime Minister Housing Scheme:  
  • Under this scheme , more than one lakh beneficiaries took home the house warming ceremony and keys were handed over to more than 54,000 beneficiaries. 
• Assistance to Self Help Groups:  
  • Under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), assistance amount of about Rs 930 crore was distributed to more than two lakh self-help groups of Bihar under the Community Investment Fund. 

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) 

• Launch: To achieve the objective of “Housing for All” , the erstwhile rural housing scheme Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) was restructured into Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme from 1 April 2016 . 
• Concerned Ministry: Ministry of Rural Development.  
• Objective: To provide assistance to rural people living  below poverty line (BPL) for construction of housing units and upgradation of existing unusable kutcha houses by providing full subsidy. 
• Beneficiaries: Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, freed bonded labourers and persons belonging to non-SC/ST categories , widows or next of kin of defence personnel killed in war, ex-servicemen and retired members of paramilitary forces, persons with disabilities and minorities.  
• Selection of Beneficiaries: Through three-step verification like  Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 , Gram Sabha and Geo-tagging . 
• Cost Sharing: The Centre and the States share the cost in the ratio of 60:40 in case of plain areas and 90:10 in case of North Eastern States, two Himalayan States and the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir .  
  • In case of other Union Territories including Union Territory of Ladakh, the Centre bears 100% of the cost . 

 Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U) 

• Launch: Launched on 25 June 2015, the scheme aimed to provide housing for all in urban areas by the year 2022.  
• Concerned Ministry: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs  
• Status: A total of 118.64 lakh houses have been sanctioned and more than 88.02 lakh houses have been completed/delivered to the beneficiaries. 
• features:  
  • To address the urban housing shortage among the urban poor including slum dwellers by ensuring pucca houses to the eligible urban poor. 
  • The Mission covers the entire urban area, including statutory towns , notified planning areas, development authorities, special area development authorities , industrial development authorities or authorities entrusted with the function of urban planning and regulation under State legislation.  
  • The Mission promotes women empowerment by providing ownership of houses in the name of women members or in joint names.