Patna (Bihar) [India], October 12 : Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Monday said in a press conference that the state had been connected more strongly to the country's development stream during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 12 years in power at the Centre. 
He listed gains in housing, health, women's empowerment, bridges, airports and flood control, and said work on a flood-control plan for Bihar's rivers was under way.
Referring to Modi's swearing-in as Gujarat Chief Minister on October 7, 2001. Choudhary said that over 25 years the Prime Minister had put "nation first, citizen first" ahead of the post he held.
Choudhary said, "October 7 reminds us that the public's trust is the greatest strength in a democracy, and that the journey of public service moves forward through constant dialogue, accountability and commitment to the national interest." 
Choudhary said Modi accepted the responsibility of leading the nation in 2014 as a "Pradhan Sevak" and not as a right to power.
"Every decision of governance is driven by national interest and the broad vision of public welfare," he said.
In his account, the "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas" slogan reflects the idea that no section of society should be left behind in the development journey.
On housing and basic amenities, Choudhary said that more pucca houses had been built between 2014 and 2026 than in the entire period from Independence to 2014.
"From 2014 to 2026, 55 lakh houses have been built, in cities and villages both. For 2026-27, funds for about 11.25 lakh more pucca houses have been allocated," he said.
He added that more than 7 crore people had been brought into the banking system under the Jan Dhan scheme, over 1.5 crore households had got toilets under the Swachh Bharat Mission, and 1.21 crore families had received LPG connections under the Ujjwala scheme in 12 years. He said electricity reached every household in Bihar by 2018.
On food security, he said about 80 crore people nationwide, including 8.57 crore in Bihar, were getting free grain under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. "This reduced their kitchen expenses and let them spend on their children's education and health," he said.
On health, Choudhary said Bihar had 13 medical colleges earlier and now has 31 in 2026-27, and that MBBS seats had risen from 1,310 to 4,710. "This will give the state more doctors and specialists in the coming years," he said.
He added that more than 90 per cent of families getting free ration were also covered by Ayushman Bharat, with treatment up to ₹5 lakh. He said super-speciality hospitals were coming up in Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur, and that a new AIIMS in Darbhanga, with building work worth about ₹2,000 crore, would serve north Bihar.
Turning to women's empowerment, he said the Prime Minister's "Lakhpati Didi" campaign had been expanded and its target raised to 4 crore women. "More than 50 lakh women in Bihar have already become Lakhpati Didis," he said.
He recalled that the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana was launched by the Prime Minister himself, with funds sent directly to the bank accounts of about 1.81 crore women.
He also cited the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which reserves one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and assemblies for women, and the 10 per cent EWS quota. "Today, no one earning below ₹8 lakh is left outside reservation," he said.
On central funding, Choudhary said Bihar received ₹2.67 lakh crore in ten years of UPA rule up to 2013-14, against about ₹13 lakh crore in 12 years under Modi. "This amount went directly to the Bihar government," he said.
He said the Kosi rail bridge, the JP Setu between Sonpur and Patna, and the Munger rail-cum-road bridge, all started during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure, were stalled until they were revived after Modi became Prime Minister.
He said Mokama got Bihar's first six-lane bridge and a double-line rail bridge, and that a super-structure had eased congestion on Gandhi Setu.
According to him, eight more bridges are under construction, including projects at Buxar, Sonpur, Sherpur-Dighwara, Bhagalpur, Kahalgaon-Kataiya and Begusarai-Surajgarha. The Katihar-Sahibganj bridge and a new bridge beside Gandhi Setu are due to be completed next year, he said.
He said the Centre had also supported Nalanda University and the Nalanda corridor, the Vishnupad temple and a corridor at Bodh Gaya. He said about ₹11,500 crore had been provided for the Kosi-Mechi link, and about ₹1,200 crore for a new terminal at Patna airport. Work on a new terminal at Muzaffarpur has begun, he said. The Darbhanga airport is expected to be completed by November, and commercial activity has started at Purnea. He said several other airports in Bihar were being taken forward under UDAN 6.0.
Choudhary thanked the Prime Minister on behalf of the Council of Ministers and the state government. "The resolve of Viksit Bharat 2047 will be fulfilled only when Bihar becomes a strong partner in it and an important engine of development," he said.
On the issue of flash floods Bihar faces every year, the Chief Minister said work was underway on a long-term solution.
About Union Home Minister Amit Shah's earlier statements on a water commission and a separate ministry. "Definitely. Work is on. The DPR for building high-level dams is almost complete, and work on DPRs for the Kosi, Gandak and Ganga has started. They will be completed at the earliest," he said.