Nitish shifting the capital to Nalanda

Patna: During the 6th century BC, the then king of the Magadh empire shifted his capital from Rajgir to Patliputra Patna. Today, several people believe that chief minister Nitish Kumar is reverting that decision. All roads are leading back to Nalanda, the home district of the chief minister.

“Everything, right from medical college, universities, technical colleges, power projects, factories and even the airport, is moving towards Nalanda,” said a senior politician. Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly Abdul Bari Siddiqui had his tongue firmly in his cheek. “I will not mind if the state capital is shifted back to Rajgir,” he quipped.

Within an aerial radius of 50km of Rajgir, several mega projects are coming up. Some may be delayed but most of them are sure to finally make it through. The Barh super thermal power plant, estimated to cost over Rs 20,000 crore, is expected to start production in 2013. The Harnaut coach maintenance factory, a project initiated by Nitish, is the only railway venture in the state that would be operational by December this year.

The Nalanda International University has over 450 acres of acquired land and an equal amount to be further acquired. Several countries have already pledged funds for the project.

The Rajgir ordnance factory is currently in limbo. Started with gusto during George Fernandes’s tenure as defence minister, so much has been invested in the project that it is proving difficult for the defence ministry to back out.

The project, perceived in the late-1990s, was estimated to cost Rs 7,500 crore. However, the final cost incurred due to delays will be much higher, more than Rs 20,000 crore.

Apart from these mega projects, there are a number of other things coming up — the second largest training camp for paramilitary forces in India, the state’s only adventure sports venue, a medical college, engineering colleges and an IT institute.

“If all the projects come up in another decade, around Rs 75,000 crore would have been pumped into the entire area. It would trigger a large number of private investments. There will be a huge concentration of professionals earning five-digit and even six-digit salaries living in this area. Rajgir will have as much money per square inch as that in Bangalore. The profile of the entire zone is going to change — from a potato-growing area to a centre of factories, knowledge hubs and industrialisation. It already has great potential for tourism,” said an economist, stressing that it is a great place to invest.

JD (U) MLA from Nalanda Assembly segment and chief whip of the party, Shrawan Kumar, rattles off the number of projects coming up in the area. “A person coming to Nalanda after a gap of five years will not recognise the place. Villages have been connected with three roads, dilapidated buildings have been renovated and transformed into imposing buildings and when all the projects come up, a little less than one lakh people will be employed,” he said. Kumar, however, insisted that the projects would not only help the people of Nalanda. “All these projects will help the entire state,” he insisted, refusing to comment on the question if the state capital should be shifted back to Rajgir.

Recently, the government offered land for the new airport in Bihar in Silaw, which is again in Nalanda. Kumar stressed it was only because land was not available in Patna. But even if Rajgir is not made into a state capital, it will earn the same envy, which Delhi has for Gurgaon.