News Analysis India

Tag: Bihar

  • Bihar CM Nitish Kumar inaugurates 7-day Museum Biennale

    Express News Service
    PATNA: In a first, a weeklong Bihar Museum Biennale 2021 that kickstarted in Patna on Monday, saw the participation of seven other countries and exhibits from other states. 

    Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated the Biennale via video conference and interacted with other experts. He was joined by the French ambassador Emmanuel and other heads of museums from seven other countries including the UK, Germany, South Africa and Italy. 

    Kumar said that the biennale will help other countries in developing cultural bonds with Bihar’s rich cultural and historical grandeur.

    Sources said that the collections of antique values, housed in different museums within and outside the country will also be exhibited virtually throughout the period of the biennale.

    Apart from this, a special arrangement has been made to conduct training and workshops for those interested in learning the history, archeology and cultural artifacts at a two-day conference which is a part of the biennale.

  • All healthworkers’ leaves cancelled amid fear of rising COVID-19 cases in Bihar

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Amid apprehension of a second wave of the covid-19 pandemic after Holi, the Bihar Health Department has taken the extreme measure of cancelling the leaves of all the doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and officals posted under the various health wings in the state till April 5.

    This decision comes amid the aftermath of the ban imposed on the Holi Milan function in the state recently.

    Principal Secretary Pratyay Amrit in his order to all civil surgeons and the district magistrates (DMs) has asked the doctors and other medical staff to report back to duty immediately and cancel any leaves taken during the period.

    Official sources said that that such a measue was taken in view of the increasing number of coronavirus infections in Bihar.

    The order, issued on Thursday has stated that doctors, contract doctors, medical officers, superintendents, principals, chiefs of directors, junior residents, senior residents, Para-medical personnel, GNM and the ANMs on leave are directed to report to their duties immediately as their leaves stand cancelled till April 5 with immediate effect.

    There is an apprehension that the Covid-19 positive cases may increase with the returns of thousands of people from other states, especially from Maharashtra, Punjab and Kerala during the Holi festival.

    The Health Department has also sought a list of personnel from all hospitals, on the basis of which arrangements could be made for PPE kits, masks, globs and sanitizers.

    The state’s medical colleges and hospitals including the PMCH, NMCH and AIIMS, have been put on alert and has been instructed to increase the number of isolation beds.

    In the last 24 hours, more than 107 corona positive cases were tested in the state sending the health department to a tizzy.

    In Bhagalpur and Begusarai, many were tested positive including 11 from a single family in Bhagalpur and 8 in Begusarai.

    In 26 out of the 38 districts, including Bhojpur, Rohtas and Sitamarhi, Patna, positive cases were detected as rising trend.

    The total number of active covid-19 cases rose to 405 in the state in the last 24 hours. Patna now has the highest number of 183 active patients.

    Health minister Mangal Pandey told the media that the state is fully prepared to meet the challenge of the pandemic. He said that recovery rate among the positive cases in Bihar has reached over 99. 26%.

  • Bihar Assembly passes Lokayukta Bill

    By PTI
    PATNA: The state assembly on Thursday passed the Bihar Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2021 that proposes to punish people filing false cases before the anti- corruption ombudsman body to prevent any waste of time or misuse of the institution.

    Four other bills passed by the Assembly during the day are the Bihar Municipality (Amendment) Bill, Bihar Taxation Disputes Resolution Bill, Bihar Civil Court Bill and Bihar Appropriation Excess Expenditure (1984-85) Bill.

    The Bihar Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was introduced by the minister incharge for General Administration Department Bijendra Prasad Yadav and passed by voice vote.

    Introducing the bill, Yadav said that the proposed legislation has been brought keeping in view the misuse of the Lokayukta institution in false cases.

    Lokayukta carries out expeditious investigation and prosecution relating to allegations involving corruption against public servants of all grades.

    It was proposed by the Lokayukta itelf that there should be a provision for punishing people filing false cases before it, the minister said.

    The Lokayukta acts of other states have the provision of punitive action against such erring persons.

    The bill proposes that a case against a person filing a false case can be filed in the district court.

    If the person is found guilty of it or for giving false testimony or filed wrong affidavit, he/she will be sentenced to a jail term of upto three years besides a provision for fine.

    Several members who moved amendments to the Bill were of the view that it will dissuade people from approaching the Lokayukta and will work against whistle blowers who expose corruption.

    The Bihar Municipality (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was tabled by Urban Development and Housing Minister Tarkishore Prasad who said that it proposes recruitment of grade C employees of municipalities at the state level.

    It also proposes to introduce Rs 20,000 fine for permanent encroachment and Rs 5,000 for temporary encroachment in municipal areas of the state, Prasad said.

    Prasad, who also holds of charge of commercial taxes department, tabled the Bihar Taxation Disputes Resolution Bill, 2021, for one time tax settlement scheme ‘Samadhan’ in respect of disputes arising out of non clearance of tax dues and penalty imposed prior to July 1, 2017 when Goods and Services Tax was implemented in the country.

    The state government had brought the scheme thrice in 2015, 2016 and 2019 and 31,177 applications were received for resolution of tax dues amounting to Rs 1127.

    55 crore under Samadhan scheme in 2019.

    The House also passed by voice vote the Bihar Civil Courts Bill, 2021.

    The existing Bengal, Assam Civil Court Act 1887 was enacted by the Centre jointly for the state of Bengal, Agra, Assam and Bihar which was a part of Bengal, Law Minister Pramod Kumar said while introducing the Bill for a debate and passage.

    Since Bihar is now a separate state a separate Civil Courts Act is necessary.

    On the passage of the Bill, Energy Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav said that the passage of the Bill marks a historic moment for the state.

    Till now we have been following an act which had been enacted by the British .

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    Chief Minister Nitish Kumar should be congratulated for it, he added.

    The Assembly also passed the Bihar Appropriation Excess Expenditure (1984-85) Bill, 2021 by voice vote without any discussion on it.

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  • Friendship restored: Upendra Kushwaha announces official merger of RLSP with JDU in Bihar

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Putting an end to all speculations on Sunday, founder of Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) Upendra Kushwaha announced the merger of his party with all ideologies and individuals with the ruling Janata Dal (United) (JDU) on Sunday.

    “RLSP will work for common causes under the leadership of chief minister Nitish Kumar to make Bihar stronger,” Kushwaha told in a press meet. 

    “Even before floating the RLSP, I had worked elaborately for the JDU. The merger is happening in the larger interest of the state.”

    According to political analysts, the merger was long speculated following the debacle that RLSP faced in the recent assembly polls in Bihar. Recently, close to 35 senior RLSP leaders had joined the RJD.

    When asked what his role will be like after the merger, Kushwaha said that he has left it on CM Nitish Kumar to decide and further hinted that he would work for boosting the education sector in the state with the support of all the parties in the alliance. 

    On being reminded of his statement on Nitish Kumar an enemy by one of the reporters, Kushwaha asked him to forget what was said in the past. “There is no need of an enemy when you have a friend like Nitish Kumar,” the RLSP founder had said. 

    An evidently elated Kushwaha, while describing Nitish Kumar like his elder brother, said that all like-minded people in politics with common ideologies should come on one platform. 

  • Five of family found hanging in Bihar, police suspect financial crisis

    By Express News Service
    PATNA: Five members of a family, including three children, were found hanging inside a room in Bihar’s Supaul district on Saturday. The incident was reported from Gaddi village under the Raghopur PS in Supaul.

    The bodies were emitting foul smell when the police broke open.

    Prima facie, the incident appeared to a case of mass suicide as all of them were seen alive last Saturday by neighbours.

    The deceased were identified as Mishrilal Sah (50) and his wife and children. The district SP Manoj Kumar told the media that the exact reason can only be said after the investigation into this case is complete. The SP said that the investigation by the FSL team has started.

    Local sources said that Mishrilal Sah was reeling under the acute financial strain of late. His business of coal selling collapsed following which he sold almost all his land to clear the debt.

    “He along with his family members might have committed suicide after being desperate with the situation”, some suspected.

    If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call AASRA’s 24×7 Helpline: +91-9820466726 for assistance.

  • Bengal, Assam poll outcome may cast shadow on BJP-JD(U) government in Bihar

    Express News Service
    PATNA:  Regardless of who wins in Bengal and Assam elections, the outcome will have an impact on the BJP-JD(U) alliance in Bihar. The ruling JD-U has decided to contest over 22 seats in Bengal and 32 in Assam, mostly in “friendly fights” with the BJP.

    JD-U sources said the party became more aggressive in the two states after six of its MLAs defected to the BJP in Arunachal Pradesh late last year. The party in these two states is focusing on voters who migrated from Bihar, UP and Jharkhand. As per a rough estimate, around 5% of the electorate in Assam and West Bengal are migrant voters.

    “The JD-U is not dependent on the Hindi-speaking voters alone; the Nitish Kumar model of development and governance is widely appreciated by the people of the two states. So, the party has an electoral base,” said Sanjay Verma, party in-charge of Northeast.

    Sources in various parties in Bihar went to the extent of saying that the results of Bengal and Assam would decide the survival of the NDA government in Bihar. Many observers believe that if the BJP comes to power in West Bengal and Assam, then its dominance in the Bihar government will also grow.

    “The JD-U has grown vindictive after the Arunachal episode,” said a senior politician, pointing to some recent statements of JD-U and BJP that reflect the growing mistrust. Sometime back, JD-U’s former MLA Shayam Bahadur Singh had told party workers to strengthen Nitish and the party as no one knew how long the alliance would survive.

  • Six labourers killed after wall falls on them in Bihar

    By IANS
    PATNA: At least six labourers died on Monday when the wall of a primary school fell on them in Bihar’s Khagaria district, police said.

    The incident took place at Chandi Tola village under Maheshkhunt police station at around 3 pm.

    According to Subhash Chandra Mandal, SHO of Maheshkhunt police station, some of the labourers had commenced an excavation work adjoining to the wall of the school, that damaged it resulting in the collapse, trapping labourers working at the site.

    “Of the 10 labourers working at the site, six died and 4 of them are suspected to be buried inside the debris,” the officer said.

    “The process of removing the debris is underway. An ambulance was rushed to the spot to shift the victims to the hospital,” he added.

    Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed grief over the death of six people in the tragic incident and announced an exgratia of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased.

    The bodies were sent for post-mortem examination.

    (With PTI inputs)

  • After uproar in Bihar assembly, Nitish pulls up minister who sent brother to launch govt function

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar faced an embarrassing moment in the Bihar Legislative Assembly on Friday when the opposition raised the issue of the minister for animal husbandry and fisheries Mukesh Sahani sending his brother to attend a government function on Thursday in place of himself.

    The opposition created a ruckus over the reported incident and slammed the government for appointing a minister who did not care for protocol.

    Santosh Sahani, brother of Mukesh, went to Hajipur and inaugurated a government function on behalf of the minister. The minister’s brother was also accorded the government protocols the minister is entitled to during the function. The matter was reported by a local daily and caused a massive uproar in both houses during the Bihar Legislature Budget Session.

    Members of the opposition put the government in the dock and demanded the immediate sacking of the minister over the incident. In the midst of the uproar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had to intervene and promised to look into the matter after being informed about the incident.

    The department of the minister had organised a programme for providing vehicles and ice boxes to 23 fishermen at 90 percent subsidy at Hajipur that was attended and inaugurated by his brother. The minister’s brother had reportedly arrived in a government car for the programme.

    The CM said it was surprising and summoned the minister to his secretariat chamber after the session.

    The CM spoke to Sahani for half an hour along with health minister Mangal Pandey. Later, Sahani told the media that he would reply in the House over the incident but admitted it was a mistake. He also said such a mistake will not be repeated in future by him.

    Meanwhile, taking advantage of the situation, leader of opposition Tejashwi Yadav, who had an exchange of words in the House a day before the incident, slammed the state government.

    Yadav, speaking to the media, said that CM Nitish Kumar has done a mistake by appointing such people (Mukesh Sahani) as ministers.

    “Bihar is surviving at the mercy of God now,” Tejashwi Yadav said, taunting the government over the incident.

  • In a first in dry Bihar, nine awarded death sentences over Gopalganj hooch tragedy

    Express News Service
    PATNA: In a first in dry Bihar, the special excise-cum-ADJ-II court pronounced capital punishment for nine accused and life imprisonment for four others over the hooch tragedy in Gopalganj district five years ago.

    The hooch tragedy occurred in August 2016 in Bihar’s Gopalganj district in which 19 people had died and six others lost their eye sight.

    The police after conducting a through investigation had submitted charge sheets against 14 persons while one of them had died during the investigation.

    On Friday, the special excise-cum-ADJ-II court of Gopalganj after holding the named accused guilty a week ago pronounced the quantum of judgements including death sentences to nine accused and life imprisonment to four women accused.

    All the convicts were found involved in the trading, manufacturing and smuggling of spurious illicit liquor at Khajurbai under the Gopalganj town PS in 2016 after the hooch tragedy.

    The Gopalganj hooch tragedy had occurred after the state enforced prohibition with effect from April 5 in 2016.Official sources said that those awarded capital punishment included Chhatu Pasi, Kanhaiya Pasi, Nagina Pasi, Lalbabu Pasi, Rajesh Pasi, Sanoj Pasi, Sanjay Chaudhary, Ranjay Chaudhary and Munna Chaudhary — all residents of Khajurbani of the city police station. Those convicted with life imprisonment included Laljhari Devi, Kailaso Devi, Rita Devi and Indu Devi.

  • Govt schools in Bihar to adopt regional languages as medium of instruction

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Regional languages like Bhojpuri, Mainthali, Magahi will be the medium of instruction in all government schools of Bihar in the near future, state education minister Vijay Chaudhary said on Wednesday. 

    With an aim to make comprehension of subjects easy in primary schools, the state government has decided to allow teaching the subjects in five regional languages. 

    Discussing the budget of the education department in the state assembly, Chaudhary said that the decision was taken adhering to the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and Phaniswarnath Renu, further adding that the government has decided that all primary schools of the state will now have to impart teaching in local regional languages besides Hindi. “This will help children understand the basic things. They will grow more interested in their studies and their basic knowledge will also strengthen,” he said.

    Over 80 per cent of children in rural areas of the state converse in the five regional languages namely Bhojpuri, Maithali, Vajjika, Magahi, and Angika.

    As per the decision taken up by the education department, the medium of instruction in regional languages will be adopted in 42,573 government primary schools across the state.

    For example, schools situated in the Bhojpuri belt will take up the respective dialect. In the Mithilanchal region, the teaching will be imparted in the Maithali dialect.

    The education minister also appealed to the teachers of government primary schools to ensure that the move is implemented.

    On Tuesday, Chaudhary had announced that the STET (Secondary teachers elementary test) certificates will have a lifelong validity in Bihar. “It has now been decided to extend the validity of STET certificate related to teacher appointment from class 1 to 8 for life from existing seven years”.

    Meanwhile, the state government is going to launch a special enrolments drive christened as “Praveshutsav” (Admission festival) in government schools from March 8 to 20 in a bid to reduce the number of dropouts.