Patna, Mar 6 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday laid the foundation for a series of developmental projects worth Rs 12,800 crore in Bihar's West Champaran. The projects pertained to various fields including roads, railway, natural gas and petroleum sector.

PM Modi inaugurated the 109-km long Muzzaffarpur-Motihari gas pipeline and also flagged off 2 new train services between Narkatiaganj-Gaunaha and Raxaul-Jogbani.

Addressing the gathering during Viksit Bharat-Viksit Bihar programme in Bettiah, PM Modi also took potshots at the previous regimes for "promoting parivarvad and jungle raj", and said that the state was now headed to "old days of glory" under the double-engine government.

"There can be no better place than Bettiah, Champaran to take the resolve of Viksit Bihar and Viksit Bharat," said the Prime Minister, while laying the foundation for the redevelopment of Bettiah railway station.

He said that whenever Bihar saw prosperity, the country turned prosperous. Hence, "Viksit Bihar was a pre-requisite for realising the dream of Viksit Bharat".

"This very land created Mahatma Gandhi out of Mohan Das ji," PM Modi remarked, highlighting that there can be no better place than Champaran to take a pledge for Viksit Bihar and Viksit Bharat.

PM Modi, ruing about the exodus of youth from the state, stated that the projects will lay a solid foundation for the generation of employment opportunities for Bihar's youth.

Highlighting the role of multiple bridges in shaping the growth and progress of Bihar, he said that work is going on more than a dozen bridges, with allocation of Rs 22,000 crore, including five on river Ganga.

PM Modi also told the gathering about the Centre's emphasis and focus on turning every house in the country a 'Surya Ghar' and how this will enable households to generate free electricity while also helping generate money by selling the surplus power.

The big road projects launched on Wednesday included the construction of six-lane Cable bridge on river Ganga, two laning of Piprakothi-Motihari-Raxaul section of NH-28A, two laning of Sheohar-Sitamarhi-Section of NH-104, four laning of Bakarpur Hat-Manikpur section of NH-19 Bypass.

The rail projects included doubling of 62-km rail line from Bapudham Motihari-Piprahan and Narkatiaganj-Gaunaha gauge conversion, doubling and electrification of 96-km-long Gorakhpur Cantt-Valmiki Nagar rail line and redevelopment of Bettiah railway station.