Madhesh Pradesh succeeding in infrastructure construction

Infrastructures have been constructed at a rapid pace in Madhes, which has lagged behind in infrastructure development till a few years ago. The people of the state are also happy with the expansion of physical infrastructure. In the four years since the formation of the state government, Madhesh Pradesh has made great strides in the areas of road expansion and upgrading, administrative structure, schools, health services, agriculture, irrigation and other infrastructure construction. During the same period, 1,623 kilometres of roads have been expanded in all eight districts of the state.

According to the provincial Ministry of Physical Infrastructure, 224 kilometres of blacktop roads, 237 kilometres of road slopes, 937 kilometres of gravel roads and 225 kilometres of unpaved roads were constructed across the state. Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development Ram Saroj Yadav said that the operation of vehicles has become easier with the construction of the road. He informed that 32 bridges and 292 culverts have been constructed and brought into operation in the same period. "We have expedited the construction of roads, drinking water, irrigation and other infrastructures," said Minister Yadav. He said that most of the roads in the state would be tarred within a few years.

Of the suspension bridges in the government's policy and program, three have been constructed and the remaining seven are under construction. Nine thousand 45 public housing buildings, nine government buildings and 97 community buildings were constructed in different places of the eight districts through the public housing program. A four-year achievement report made public by the state government a few days ago states that 24 headboxes, 174 kilometres of unpaved canals, 29 kilometres of paved canals and 78 kilometres of embankments have been constructed for irrigation.

According to the ministry, 8,074 hectares of arable land have been protected by constructing embankments in the same period, 53 kilometres of settlements have been protected and 26 kilometres of ghats have been constructed, said Secretary at the Ministry, Deepak Kumar Das.

Besides, bids have been invited for blacktop of five kilometres of roads in all 64 constituencies of the state, he said. The state government has given high priority to education, health and social sector in 60 different birthing centres, 76 community buildings, 18 hospices, 18 Dharamsala, three yoga buildings, two children's homes, 20 playgrounds, five dormitories, 22 school buildings, three old age homes and nine stadiums. Three covered halls, two hospitals, two libraries, seven madrasas, three mosques, a kindergarten and two toilets have been constructed.

 During that period, 31 school and two old age home buildings in different districts of the state were repaired and upgraded. With the objective of promoting tourism, the ministry is moving ahead with the construction of a view tower at Musaharniya in Mukhiyapatti village of Dhanusha. The technical team of the ministry has already reached Musaharnia and conducted a feasibility study. Minister Yadav informed that a study has been done to develop the place including the view tower as a picnic sport and other works will be started soon.

Spokesperson of the state government and Minister for Economic Affairs Shailendra Prasad Sah said that the development of the state has shown positive results as the government has been working on the overall development of the state since its formation. He said that emphasis has been laid on the construction of infrastructure with the objective of making the people of the state socially and economically prosperous by constructing and expanding the basic physical infrastructure such as drinking water, irrigation, road, electricity, bridges and buildings.

Minister Sah said that the government has moved ahead by making a plan accordingly by giving importance to road infrastructure to connect urban and rural areas. The intellectuals said that the living standard of the people has increased as the state government has achieved significant achievements in education, health and physical infrastructure in a short period of its establishment.