RJD Chief Lalu Prasad took credit for Rail wheel plants.

RJD Chief Lalu Prasad took credit for Rail wheel plants.

Patna, August 14: RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Wednesday claimed the rail wheels facilities in Saran and Belaganj established by him during the UPA tenures, are now yielding dividends and generating employment in Bihar.

The former union railway minister highlighted the success of the rail wheel manufacturing facilities in Saran and Belaganj as a significant achievement of the UPA government that is contributing to the industrial growth of the state.

“I am happy to inform you that a record 2 lakh rail wheels have been produced in the Rail Wheel Plant located at Dariyapur in Saran. I laid its foundation stone on July 29, 2008, during my tenure as union Railway Minister with an investment of approximately Rs 1640 crore,” the RJD chief said.

Lalu Prasad Yadav pointed out the challenges, faced in setting up the factory noting that the site was surrounded by rivers on all sides and prone to flooding.

Despite those obstacles, our determination and our willpower overcame all the difficulties and the foundation stone was laid down in 2008, thereby starting the civil work,” he said.

The statement of Lalu Prasad Yadav came to counter the NDA leaders who are taking credit for the development projects including Darbhanga AIIMS. The Bihar government has recently transferred 150.13 acres of land to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for the construction of the AIIMS in Darbhanga.

The RJD chief further said: “Manufacturing of rail wheels in Bihar proved to be a boon for the Indian Railways and broader development of the country.

“The “Made in Bihar” rail wheels have not only set records for increasing the speed of Indian Railways but also played a crucial role in reducing the railway’s reliance on foreign import. Specifically, the Rail Wheel Plant in Belaganj Dariyapur, has produced more than 2 lakh rail wheels, contributing to India’s push for self-reliance,” the RJD chief said.

The construction of the Rail Wheel Plant of Belaganj was approved in 2004-05 and started in July 2008.

“It was an important step towards reviving industrialization in Bihar. This was the first time in the history of Indian Railways that a highly sophisticated factory was set up in the country without any foreign collaboration. This was possible due to the in-house capability and expertise of the railway engineers,” he said.

“Being the second largest party in UPA-1, we had not only allocated funds but also got a special financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh 44 crore for development work to Bihar between 2004 and 2009 with the support of then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi. Due to the support received from the Centre in UPA-1, Bihar was built with rural roads, bridges, electricity, railway lines, employment under MNREGA, railway stations, and a network of railway factories in Saran and Madhepura,” the RJD chief said.

Lalu Prasad Yadav also launched a scathing critique of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, accusing him of benefiting from the support provided by the RJD during the UPA period while failing to deliver substantial results for the state under NDA.

The RJD chief asserted that his party focused on actual development work rather than mere publicity, contrasting this with what he sees as the NDA’s lack of tangible progress.

“We did not believe in publicity, we only did ground works,” Yadav said.

“Nitish Kumar should reply what did Bihar get in 10 years of NDA apart from empty announcements? During our tenure, substantial financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh 44 thousand crores that Bihar received between 2004 and 2009 thanks to RJD influence in UPA-1, which was secured with the support of 22 MPs. In contrast, NDA with 31 MPs in 2014, 39 MPs in 2019 and 30 MPs in 2024, failed to secure significant benefits to the state. Nitish Kumar with folded hands begs from the central government but still gets nothing. In the capital (New Delhi), rights are not demanded but snatched,” the RJD chief said.

Also Read: Lalu Prasad Yadav asked Nitish Kumar to resign from the CM post.

Yadav’s comments reflect his belief that real progress requires assertive leadership, suggesting that Bihar’s representatives under NDA have been too passive in demanding their state’s rights from the central government.

EOM.