News Analysis India

Tag: Bihar government

  • Bihar government announces solatium for kids orphaned due to COVID-19

    Express News Service
    PATNA: A day after the Centre announced a slew of measures to help children orphaned by the COVID-19 pandemic, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday also made a similar announcement for such kids. 

    Taking to his social media accounts, Kumar said his government would provide monthly stipends for the bereaved children, a boarding facility for those left with no caretaker, and give special impetus to the education of orphaned girls.

    “Boys and girls who have lost their mothers and fathers – with at least one parent succumbing to COVID – will get a sum of Rs 1,500 every month from the state government till they attain the age of 18 years,” Kumar said.

    He said the aid will be provided under his government’s ‘Baal Sahaayta Yojana’, meant for needy children.

    The CM further stated that “boys and girls who are left with no guardian to bring them up will be provided shelter at Baal Griha. Priority will be accorded to get such orphaned girls admitted to Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya schools”.    

    वैसे बच्चे-बच्चियों जिनके माता पिता दोनो की मृत्यु हो गई, जिनमें कम से कम एक की मृत्यु कोरोना से हुई हो, उनको ‘बाल सहायता योजना’ अंतर्गत राज्य सरकार द्वारा 18 वर्ष होने तक 1500 रू0 प्रतिमाह दिया जाएगा। (1/2)
    — Nitish Kumar (@NitishKumar) May 30, 2021

    According to the state social welfare department, a total number of 1,534 children in Bihar have been found affected during the ongoing second wave of the pandemic following the death of their one or both parents due to the virus.

    Among all them, 48 children have been found orphaned after the death of their both parents. Former deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi said 100 donors have also come forward under the Dadhichi Deh Dan Samiti to provide Rs 1,000 in the account of each orphaned children per month.

    Speaker of Bihar Assembly Vijay Kumar Sinha said all MLAs should step forward and play the role of guardians of these children.

  • Bihar CM announces solatium for kids orphaned due to COVID-19

    By PTI
    PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday announced special measures for rehabilitating children who have been orphaned due to COVID-19.

    Taking to his social media accounts, Kumar said his government would provide monthly stipends for the bereaved children, boarding facility for those left with no caretaker, and give special impetus to education of orphaned girls.

    “Boys and girls who have lost their mothers and fathers — with at least one parent succumbing to corona — will get a sum of Rs 1,500 every month from the state government till they attain the age of 18 years,” Kumar said.

    वैसे बच्चे-बच्चियों जिनके माता पिता दोनो की मृत्यु हो गई, जिनमें कम से कम एक की मृत्यु कोरोना से हुई हो, उनको ‘बाल सहायता योजना’ अंतर्गत राज्य सरकार द्वारा 18 वर्ष होने तक 1500 रू0 प्रतिमाह दिया जाएगा। (1/2)
    — Nitish Kumar (@NitishKumar) May 30, 2021

    He said the aid will be provided under his government’s ‘Baal Sahaayta Yojana’, meant for needy children.

    The CM further stated that “boys and girls who are left with no guardian to bring them up will be provided shelter at Baal Griha (children’s homes).

    Priority will be accorded to get such orphaned girls admitted to Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya schools”.

    The state, which remained relatively less affected by the pandemic last year, has been devastated by the second wave that infected more than five lakh people and claimed over 4,000 lives.

  • Technicians unavailable to run ventilators, Bihar to transfer unused ones at govt hospitals to the private sector

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Bihar health department has now decided to release more than two hundred unused ventilators to private hospitals for the next three months to be used for treating COVID-19 patients. A total of 207 new ventilators, which were purchased years ago for different government hospitals, have not been made operational due to a shortage of trained technicians in 36 out of total 38 districts.

    Upon knowing this glaring failure of the department, the government has decided to provide these ventilators to the private hospitals having trained operators to run them for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Through an advertisement, the state health department has asked the private hospitals of state to apply for taking the ventilators for next three months, only if they have requisite facilities with operators to use them.

    It has also been made clear by the state health department that the ventilators would be given only to those private hospitals, which will be found eligible in the inspection by health officers after applications for ventilators are received. The private hospitals have been asked to apply in the office of the district civil surgeons enclosing all details on technicians and other facilities required for running ventilators.

    In Purnia and Rohtas districts, 7 ventilators each are lying unused followed by six in other 32 districts and 2 ventilators in the other 2 districts. In Patna, six ventilators are still lying unused under the care of the civil surgeon office.

    It has also been fixed that the private hospitals using the government ventilators will charge only fix rate of Rs 2000 from the patient. In case applications for ventilators are received from more than one deserving private hospital, priority will be given to the hospital having more beds for COVID-19 patients.

    Stepping up attack on Nitish Kumar led government, leader of opposition Tejashwi Yadav said that it was shocking to know that there has been no technician in government hospitals to run the ventilators. “ The entire health system has collapsed, with 57% shortage of doctors 71% nurses, 72% lab technicians and 80% operators to run the ventilators”, he alleged.

    Meanwhile, the state government has also decided to give special family pension to the government employees who died due to the pandemic on the line of duty. The next kin of dead government employees will also be given a job in government on compassionate ground.

  • Bihar government launches home delivery of vegetables in Patna, Motihari amid surge in Covid cases

    Express News Service
    PATNA: In a first for Bihar, the cooperative department of the state government has launched a home delivery facility of sanitized vegetables in Patna and Motihari.

    This comes as a piece of good news for the residents of Patna and Motihari who are under home isolation amid a surge in COVID cases. People can place their orders from www.tarkarimart.in and will receive it within 24 hours.

    “We have launched an e-commerce site in Patna and Motihari. Vegetables can be ordered online and will be delivered at home in 24 hours”, Bandana Preyashi, the secretary of the State cooperative department said. 

    She also said that the two districts have been initially covered under the scheme to ensure the delivery of fresh vegetables at the doorsteps. 

    This initiative is for those unable to step out to buy and help people stay indoors, she added. 

    The entire process is being implemented by the Vegetables Federation which constitutes of the state co-operative department and oversees the supply of vegetables from Bihar to the rest of the country.

    At present, vegetables are being supplied to West Bengal, UP and other states as cultivations are being done on a larger scale. 

    Sanjay Kumar, spokesperson of the department said that the Tarkaari Veg Fed has centered its objective to reduce the adverse impact of low rates by farmers and high rates by the customers.

    “It has accelerated with a mission “Har Thaali Mein Bihari Tarkaari”(In every plate, Bihari vegetables)”, he said. 

    Prior to the launch of the online booking system for home delivery of fresh vegetables, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar lauded the initiative and said that the availability of online vegetables through the co-operative society will make the people very comfortable in buying fresh vegetables while sitting at home. 

    According to Bandana Preyashi, farmers engaged in vegetable cultivations are being made union members of co-operative society for supplying vegetables from their farms to the customers through the e-commerce facility of the department. 

    Anand Sharma, MD of the department, also dwelt upon the benefits of the e-commerce of the department for promoting the brand of Bihari vegetables.

  • Free vaccination to all aged above 18: Bihar government extends poll promises to vast population

    By PTI
    PATNA: The Bihar government on Wednesday announced that it will provide free COVID vaccination to all aged above 18, extending the facility provided to citizens of the state of other categories so far. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar informed this through a tweet message.

    Kumar said that the state government will bear the cost of administering jabs to all citizens of the state above 18 years of age starting from May 1.

    From the beginning the state government has been providing vaccine to its natives of all the listed categories above 45 years of age without any payment, in the government as well as in the designated private hospitals across the state.

    Free vaccination was announced by the NDA in the Bihar assembly elections in November-December last year and it is being fulfiled by the Nitish Kumar ministry. Free vaccination announcement even for population above 18 years of age drew praise even from the main opposition RJD.

    Leader of the opposition Tejashwi Yadav, however, tried to score political point over the issue, claiming the decision was due to the opposition demand. “Would like to know the plan how around 10 crore population of Bihar will be inoculated? hope this doesn’t turn out an empty announcement like the one made to provide jobs to 19 lakh people,” Tejashwi said in a statement attaching Kumar’s tweet message.

    अब जबकि केन्द्र सरकार ने राज्यों को खुद वैक्सीन खरीदने को कहा है तो आपने वैक्सीन Procurement का क्या प्लान बनाया है?अबतक राज्य में 4 महीनों में मात्र 4% लोगों को टीका दिया गया है।इस गति से अगर टीकाकरण अभियान चलता रहा तो सम्पूर्ण टीकाकरण करने में 8-9 साल लग जाएँगे।है कि नहीं?
    — Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) April 21, 2021

    The big announcement by the chief minister came at a time when Bihar is witnessing second surge of coronavirus like rest of the country. As per the health bulletin issued Wednesday, a total of 12,222 more citizens tested positive, while 56 lost their lives due to the deadly disease.

    The state has total 3,54,281 COVID cases while the tally of fatalities is 1897 since the outbreak of the virus last year. Bihar has 63,745 active cases of coronavirus at present. On the vaccination front, Bihar administered jabs to 75,671 citizens Wednesday, while 62,67,491 beneficiaries of the ongoing categories have been inoculated so far.

  • COVID-19: Bihar imposes night curfew; malls and gyms to remain shut till May 15

    By ANI
    PATNA: In the light of the surge in the COVID-19 cases in the state, the Bihar government on Sunday impose night curfew in the state.

    Bihar CM Nitish Kumar said, “Night curfew will remain in place across Bihar from 9 pm to 5 am. All shops selling vegetables, fruits, eggs and meat will be closed by 6 pm. Restaurants and dhabas to be operational for home delivery and take away services till 9 pm.”

    The state government has also decided that schools, colleges and other educational institutions in Bihar will remain shut till May 15. During this period, state-run schools and universities will not conduct any exam.

    “Schools, colleges and other educational institutes will remain closed and no examination will be held by state-run schools and universities till May 15. Cinema halls, malls, clubs, gyms, and parks will be closed till May 15. All religious places to remain closed in Bihar till May 15. Not more than 25 people will be allowed at last rites. Only 100 people will be allowed at weddings,” Kumar said

    The Chief Minister informed that 8,690 fresh cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Bihar on Sunday. Moreover, the Bihar government has decided to provide bonus salary of one month to all healthcare workers this year.

    As per an official statement, there are 39,498 active cases of COVID-19 in Bihar, while the death toll due to the infection have mounted to 1,722.

  • Nitish Kumar govt must wake up from its insensitive slumber: Tejashwi Yadav on COVID situation in Bihar

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Leader of Opposition in Bihar Tejashwi Yadav summed up the COVID situation in the state as ‘very scary’ as a huge number of infections are being reported every day. Taking to Twitter on Thursday, Yadav lamented that two IAS officers and few other officials have succumbed to the deadly virus in the last two days. 

    “Imagine about commoners! Many senior IAS, officials, doctors, employees admitted. No beds available even in Patna. Health Secretary has asked for doctors from Indian Army,” he tweeted. 

    The RJD leader claimed that he has been asking the Nitish Kumar government to wake up from its slumber since the outset of COVID-19. “Since the outset of #Corona, I have been repeatedly persuading & coaxing Bihar Govt to wake up from its insensitive slumber to ramp up capacity building of Hospitals, increase testing, build makeshift hospitals, quarantine & isolation centers, test everyone arriving in Bihar,” he said.

    He further said that he has been requesting the Bihar CM to increase the number of ventilators and oxygen stock. “I requested time & again to Bihar CM to increase the number of Ventilators & O2 stock, but everything fell in the deaf ears. Instead of fixing the problem, he fixed the Headlines,honest officers & fudged the numbers. As a result he wasted a year to find the State again in a fix,” he said. 

    Bihar reported 4786 new coronavirus cases taking the toll to 23724 in state. The state capital Patna, in particular, has emerged as the hotspot with 8446 active cases. Vikash R Keshri, an epidemiologist, has also admitted that the kind of spurt the COVID positive cases Patna has witnessed in the last seven days has turned alarming even in comparison to cities like Mumbai and Delhi considering the population. On being asked about the positivity rate among children, he said, Higher positivity among children again is probably due to increased movement, the opening of schools earlier and non-adherence to Covid appropriate behaviour.”

    The city had logged 1483 new cases followed by 334 each in Bhagalpur and Gaya, 242 in Muzaffarpur, and 116 in Bhojpur. The recovery rate from the infection has drastically declined to 91.40% from 97%.

    State government officials are not sharing the latest figures on the pandemic with a majority of the media. “After coronavirus, media persons are facing a tough challenge when it comes to seeking statements from either minister or officials over the pandemic situation in the state,” said a senior journalist.

  • RJD slams Nitish govt after dead doctor promoted, transferred as civil surgeon of Sheikhpura district

    Express News Service
    PATNA: The Bihar government was left red-faced in the state assembly after the Opposition MLAs cornered it for transferring and appointing a deceased doctor as the civil surgeon for Sheikhpura district. 

    Dr Ram Narayan Ram, a resident of Bhojpur district, succumbed to the COVID-19 virus last month. He was posted as a medical officer at the public health centre in Rohtas till he tested positive for the infection. 

    After the media reports of this faux pas came to the fore, an embarrassed state health department swung into action and appointed a senior medical officer Dr KK Singh as the new civil surgeon for the district within hours of the uproar sparked in the assembly. 

    Prior to the House proceedings, RJD MLA from Sheikhpura, Vijay Samrat exposed the goof-up before the media. He said that medical officer Dr Ram Narayan Ram, who had died in February of Covid-19, has now been posted as CS in Sheikhpura after promotion.

    The order for the deceased doctor’s posting along with 11 others was issued on Monday.

    Even after a month of his death, the health department remained ignorant. On being asked, principal secretary Pratyay Amrit said that the department was not being informed about his death from the place he was posted. “The department was not updated about Dr Ram’s demise. The delay led to his mistake which is now rectified and a new civil surgeon has been appointed for Sheikhpura,” he said, further adding that a show-cause notice has been issued to the officer responsible who will be suitably reprimanded. 

    The RJD legislators alleged that the state health department is committing such a blunder since it had fallen sick. “This incident shows the condition of the current healthcare system in Bihar,” Samrat said.

  • Water to all Bihar agriculture lands within five years: Sanjay Kumar Jha

    Express News Service
    ATNA: “Bihar will herald another green revolution within 5 years”, claimed minister of water resource Sanjay K Jha, adding that the government will provide water to every agriculture land in next five years.

    Sanjay Kumar Jha made the announcement in the Assembly on Tuesday. “With this task accomplished under the leadership of CM Nitish Kumar, Bihar will be certainly able to herald a new round of Green Revolution”, he claimed. Jha presented the budgetary demand of Rs 4,074.38 crore of his department for the financial year 2021-22.

    “If CM Nitish Kumar ji has promised the people of the state to provide water to every agriculture land, it will be fulfilled in the next five years and will lead to a Green Revolution”, he said. In Bihar, out of a total area of about 93.60 lakh hectares, 56.03 lakh hectare land is in agriculture which receive irrigation from different sources.

    Besides this, he said that the government is also constructing the state’s first rubber-dam to ensure the availability of water in the Phalgu River near the Vishnupad temple in Gaya city, where people from India and abroad gather in large numbers for charity.

    Sanjay Kumar also informed that the water resource department has prepared a website and mobile app namely the ‘Irrigation Nishchay’.

    “A survey is also being carried out across the state for completing the water irrigation project to every agriculture land. And the survey team comprises of officials from five departments including water resources, minor irrigation, agriculture, panchayat raj and energy”, he said.

    He said that Ganga water through pipeline will be supplied in the four cities of historical, tourism and religious importance — namely Rajgir, Bodh Gaya, Gaya and Nawada.

    “For this, 148.77 km pipeline will be laid under the Ganga Water Lift Scheme.  Out of this, 65.72 km pipeline has been laid, which is about 48 percent of the project”, he said.

    In the first phase, the Ganga water will be purified and supplied to Rajgir, Bodh Gaya and Gaya through the pipeline by September 2021 while Nawada would be covered in the second phase. Elaborating further, Jha said that the water from  Ganga would be deposited in various artificial reservoirs during the four months of the monsoon and later supplied by the pipeline.

     

  • Bihar has better economic growth rate than national average, says Deputy CM

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Tar Kishore Prasad said that Bihar has “a better economic growth rate than the national average due to the gradual growth for over a decade.”

    Prasad was speaking during the presentation of the Bihar Economic Survey Report 2020-21 on the first day of the Legislative Assembly session.

    The state finance minister said, “Bihar’s growth rate is nearly 10.5 per cent at constant prices.”

    In total, 13 chapters were covered in the Economic Survey of Bihar. Efforts of the state government during the COVID-19 lockdown were covered in a separate chapter.

    According to Tar Kishore Prasad, Bihar’s GDP was Rs 6,11,804 crore at current prices and Rs 4,14,977 crore at constant prices of 2011-12.

    He admitted that the COVID-19 pandemic has definitely damaged the service sectors, but due to the strong agrarian economy, the state has not had a huge impact on its overall development.

    Elaborating on the state’s income, he said that the total receipts of revenue to the government for the financial year 2019-20 was Rs 1,53,408 crore, which was higher than the Rs 1,52,287 crore during the previous year. 

    Tar Kishore Prasad said that in the 2019-20 financial year, the total revenue of the state government was Rs 1,23,533 crore and capital expenditure was Rs 20,080 crore. He said that the revenue share of total expenditure has increased from 74.4 percent in 2015-16 to 86 per cent in 2019-20.

    He also claimed that the state government will create more than 20 lakh new employment opportunities in public and non-government sectors in the next few years.

    Quoting figures, he said that a huge sum of more than Rs 10,000 crores was spent on providing relief to people during the coronavirus induced lockdown.