China 450cr for Nalanda
- Envoy on Bihar visit also offers to help industry
Patna, Jan. 20: China today announced aid worth $100 million (about Rs 450 crore) for the upcoming Nalanda International University and offered to help Bihar develop agriculture-based industries and infrastructure.
The offers, which came during Chinese ambassador Zhang Yan’s maiden visit to Bihar, have brightened the state’s hopes of attracting international investments.
A week ago, World Bank president Robert B. Zoellick had visited Bihar and agreed to release $220 million (Rs 990 crore) for the reconstruction of the area devastated by the Kosi floods.
Like Zoellick, Zhang praised the development agenda of chief minister Nitish Kumar, who has said attracting investments would be one of his priorities.
The ambassador credited Nitish with bringing in “many positive changes”. He said: “I am happy to learn that the Bihar chief minister has been executing fast-paced development in Bihar.”
Zhang, who is scheduled to visit Nalanda, Rajgir and other Buddhist sites tomorrow, recalled China’s centuries-long cultural and educational bonds with India in general and Bihar in particular.
“I am excited and extremely happy to visit the land which the great Chinese scholar and Buddhist monk, Hiuen Tsang, had visited and studied at way back in the seventh century AD,” Zhang said at a joint media interaction with Nitish.
The ambassador predicted that the Nalanda International University, which is coming up with the support of several Asian countries, would be an “excellent platform for cooperation among the countries concerned”.
He said China could go a long way in helping Bihar set up agriculture-based industries and develop other areas of infrastructure.
“China is relatively better at agriculture and agri-based industries. It is ready to help Bihar improve its agricultural infrastructure,” Zhang said, inviting Nitish to visit China.
Zhang referred to the rise in food prices across the world. “It is quite appropriate to strengthen the agriculture sector to address the growing demand for food products,” he said.
Nitish, not known for visiting foreign countries, said he would consider Zhang’s invite to visit China.
The chief minister said he had had a “productive dialogue” with the Chinese ambassador on the subject of developing roads, agriculture and industries in Bihar. “We are happy that the Chinese ambassador has shown an interest in the development of the state.”
The plan to revive the ancient Nalanda University is a brainchild of former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. A $1-billion (Rs 4,500-crore) plan was drawn in 2006 to set up the Nalanda International University.
The Bihar government has handed the project over to the Centre. A consortium of countries including India, Singapore, China and Japan is at work to raise the funds. The Nalanda mentor group is headed by Nobel laureate Amartya Sen.
Zhang said he would meet the scholars and experts associated with the project, which he said would turn out to be “a great asset in Asia”.
source:The Telegraph
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