Date:14/04/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/04/14/stories/2006041413200500.htm

Other States - Bihar

Ambika Soni takes up Nalanda ordnance project with Nitish

Anita Joshua

NALANDA (Bihar): A new front may be opened against the Nalanda ordnance factory project in Rajgir if Union Tourism & Culture Minister Ambika Soni goes ahead with her first reaction to its presence right below the Vishwa Shanti Stupa (world peace memorial) in the land of the Budhha and Mahavira. "How could anyone have even thought of setting up an arms factory in a place like this?'' the Minister said during a brief visit to the complex overlooking the ordnance factory here on Wednesday.

Determined to preserve the sanctity of the region frequented by both Buddha and Mahavira, Ms. Soni took up the matter with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at a meeting in Patna later in the evening. For his part, Mr. Kumar informed her that too much money had already been ploughed into the project in Nalanda for it to be feasible to be shifted elsewhere. "It is a question of local aspirations,'' he told the Ministry's delegation; dwelling on the employment opportunities it would generate.

This has been the contention of politicians from the State across party lines ever since there were reports that the United Progressive Alliance Government had plans to relocate the ordnance factory to West Bengal. Given the opposition from the local Buddhist leadership to the setting up of the factory in Rajgir, some of the Bihar leaders had been willing to go as far as agreeing to shifting it to some other part of the State.

"There are 40 ordnance factories in the country and Bihar has managed to get this one after several years. To take it away would be criminal,'' is the common refrain of the local political leadership. .

An estimated Rs. 300 crore was spent on civil works till the Government decided to put construction work on hold late last year following the controversy surrounding the South African firm Denel. Given the political ramifications of shifting such a project, one of the options being toyed by the Tourism Ministry is using the property for setting up the proposed Nalanda International University that President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam mentioned in his address to the Bihar legislature a fortnight ago.