Replying to the question of Ramdeo Verma of the CPI (M) in the state assembly the deputy chief minister denied that the state had been deprived of the central assistance. He said the Centre had sanctioned Rs 54.57 crore for providing basic facilities to the urban poor of the pilgrim town of Bodh Gaya in the current financial year. He said that Rs 36.18 crore was sanctioned for solid waste management in 2006-07.

The Centre is to allot about Rs 4,000 crore for the development of Patna and Bodh Gaya between 2006 and 2012. This is the largest ever allocation made from the Centre for the development of urban areas of Bihar.

Modi said that the detailed project report (DPR) for overhauling of drainage in Patna and Bodh Gaya would be sent to the Centre by next June. Modi conceded that the strict norms of the JNNURM and technical objections raised by the central government officials were the main factors for the delay in preparing the DPR. He said that the company which was assigned the task to prepare DPR made a flawed report. This forced the state government to approach another firm.

Surprisingly, Modi’s cabinet colleague Choubey on Wednesday told a Patna daily that the state government could not submit the DPR on time because the Centre failed to provide consultants for the purpose. He also said that the state government was not responsible for delaying the submission of the DPR as it is being prepared by the consultants selected after floating global tender.

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