Patna,(BiharTimes): Former deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union finance minister Arun Jaitley separately in New Delhi on Friday to impress on them to allot sufficient funds in the Union budget for the speedy completion of the three road-cum-rail bridges in the state.

Besides, he sought opening of Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Bihar, projection of Bodh Gaya on the international tourist map in a big way and a mega handloom cluster at Bhagalpur.

He apprised them of the status of the work on three road-cum-rail bridges. The work has reached an advance stage, but has not been completed.

Disclosing this fact to the media in Patna on Sunday Sushil Modi said he had telephonic talk with external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on the issue of 700 workers from the state who are trapped in Iraq, Liberia, Syria and Libya.

He said the Ministry of External Affairs has been trying to issue fresh passports to them, as their original passports have been seized by their employers. He also appealed to the state government to depute a minister in Delhi to coordinate with MEA.