UPA's development politics hastened JD(U)-BJP split?

NEW DELHI: The Centre is moving with alacrity to clear two highway projects in Bihar, involving an investment of over 3,000 crore that had earlier been on the backburner, strengthening the perception that Congress is keen to woo Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, who snapped his party's 17-year alliance with BJP on Sunday.

Late last month, the Planning Commission gave its nod to four-lane the 95-km stretch on National Highway-82 that connects Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda and Biharsharif, at a cost of 1,500 crore. A similar project, an upgrade of a 127-km stretch of NH-83 involving a spending of around 2,000 crore, has also been put on the fast track with a pact being signed with Japan's development assistance agency in February 2013.

More traffic on these routes, which see an influx of foreign tourists, could boost the state's economy. But before the recent flurry of activity, the files had been gathering dust since 2010 although Japan had agreed to fund them.

"This will lead to improved road connectivity, and development of the region as a whole," said NK Singh, former revenue secretary and a Rajya Sabha MP from JD(U).


Mere Coincidence: Officials"The Nalanda University is coming up, and having improved infrastructure is very important for promoting the area as one for educational excellence," said NK Singh, former revenue secretary and a Rajya Sabha MP from JD(U).

Some officials sought to downplay the sudden action, saying the overlap between file movements and widening cracks in the 17-year-old coalition government in the state was fortuitous.

One senior official, however, conceded the Centre has been flirting with JD(U) for over a year and pointed out that road transport minister CP Joshi, who resigned on Sunday to take charge of party affairs in key states, including Bihar, had played an active role in wooing the Bihar CM.

"There are only a few people who get what they dream to do in life. Nitish Kumar is surely one of them and we envy him for that. We also thank him for successful implementation of central projects," Joshi had said last year on a visit to inaugurate a 1.8-km bridge linking Darbhanga to Supaul.

It was after this meeting between Joshi and Kumar that the fortunes of the two highway projects improved.

The Planning Commission's project appraisal and management division approved the NH-83 stretch in February 2012, shortly after Joshi's visit. An approval from this division was mandatory for the project to be put up before the Public Investment Board (PIB) and, subsequently, the Cabinet. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs only cleared the project earlier this year.

For the NH-82 project, the road ministry sent a proposal to the Planning Commission in March this year. The project is also going to be funded largely by Japanese assistance and will be executed by the state government.

Once the PIB gives the green signal, the Department of Economic Affairs will process the official development assistance request for the project with Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA). The state government is looking to invite bids for the project soon after.