Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reached Bihar’s Purnea, and was welcomed there with a large garland of Makhana. The PM first inaugurated the new terminal building of the Purnea airport, held a roadshow and then arrived on the stage to address people.

Here, he was welcomed by the leaders of NDA through a garland of Makhana.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by Union Minister of Civil Aviation of India Ram Mohan Naidu, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, and Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Kumar Sinha and Samrat Choudhary. The PM also laid the foundation stone and inaugurated multiple development projects worth around Rs 36,000 crore in Purnea.

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PM to dedicate National Makhana Board to Bihar

Prime Minister Modi also said the National Makhana Board in Bihar is aimed at promoting production and new technology development, strengthen post-harvest management, promote value addition and processing and facilitate market, export and brand development in Makhana, thereby benefiting the Makhana farmers of Bihar and the country.

Bihar alone is responsible for approximately 90 per cent of the country’s total Makhana production. Districts such as Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, Saharsa, Katihar, Purnea, Supaul, Kishanganj, and Araria, serve as primary hubs due to their favourable climatic conditions and fertile soil.

The establishment of the Makhana Board in Bihar will give a major boost to the Makhana production in the State and the country and strengthen the presence of Bihar on the global map in this sector.

PM Modi’s ‘never heard of Makhana’ jibe at opposition

Addressing a public meeting in Bihar’s Purnea, PM Modi said that previous government neglected Makhana and its farmers. He said the opposition leaders who are coming to the state, must have not heard about Makhana ever before he came into the picture.

“I can confidently say that those who now come here on tours probably hadn’t even heard of Makhana before my arrival. It is our government that has given importance to Makhana. I had promised the people of Bihar the establishment of a National Makhana Board. The central government has just issued a notification for the formation of this board…” he said.