Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Purnia on Sunday, where he was received by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and both deputy chief ministers at Chunapur military airstrip. Soon after, he inaugurated the long-awaited Purnia Airport and announced development projects worth nearly ₹40,000 crore for the people of Bihar.
Fulfilling a promise made a decade ago, Modi inaugurated the Purnia Airport, which has now become the fourth operational airport in Bihar after Patna, Gaya, and Darbhanga. Officials said the facility is also the largest in eastern India after Kolkata. The airport witnessed its first flight to Ahmedabad, marking a significant step in boosting connectivity for the Koshi and Seemanchal regions.
At the event, CM Nitish Kumar thanked the Prime Minister, calling the inauguration a historic day for Purnia. Earlier, local artist Kishore Kumar Rai presented Modi with a portrait crafted from makhana and puran leaves.
The Prime Minister launched multiple key projects, including the establishment of a Makhana Board, flagged off four trains, and handed over new homes to underprivileged women under a housing scheme. Addressing the gathering in Maithili, he apologized for his delayed arrival due to prior commitments in Kolkata. Modi emphasized that the new projects would strengthen Bihar’s identity and development, while also attacking the Congress-RJD alliance, saying they posed a threat to Bihar’s respect and recognition.
