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The BJP-led government in the state on Wednesday renamed the Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park as 'Patna Zoo', and the Sanjay Gandhi Institute of Dairy Technology as 'Bihar State Institute of Dairy Technology'. The decisions were taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary. The state-run zoo, named after late Congress leader Sanjay Gandhi -- the son of ex-prime minister Indira Gandhi, is located off Bailey Road in the state capital and was opened to the public in 1973. Spread over 153 acre, it is home to more than 800 animals of over 110 species. Sanjay Gandhi Institute of Dairy Technology is an ICAR-accredited institute in Patna, established by the state government in 1980. It offers BTech and MTech programmes in dairy technology. Among the other 61 decisions taken was the allocation of Rs 23,165 crore for the 'Mukhyamantri Vidyut Upbhokta Sahayta Yojana', under which power consumers in the state get 125 units of free electricity every month. Additional Chi
Pointing to the disproportionate impact of rise in heatwave frequency and intensity on the marginalised sections, the NHRC on Tuesday asked 21 states and Delhi to take advance action to protect the vulnerable population. The elderly, children, infants and newborns are especially susceptible to the health impacts of extreme heat. Additionally, heatwaves can lead to the loss of livelihoods and an increased risk of fire accidents, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said in a statement. Mercury levels have soared in various states in the country over the past few days and in Delhi, temperature readings have breached the 40 degrees Celsius mark at many places. In this context, the NHRC asked 21 states and Delhi to take advance action and implement relief measures to protect the vulnerable population during heatwaves. The states are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, .
As part of its energy diversification plan, state-owned NTPC is looking to set up two nuclear units of 700 MW each in the Banka district of Bihar, which could entail an investment of around Rs 25,000 crore. At present, NTPC officials are conducting a feasibility study for two 700-MW nuclear units in the district, located around 250 km from Patna, a government official said. The Bihar government has also assured full support for the project and water availability. Initial estimates suggest that around 1,000 acres of land would be required for these units, the official told PTI without sharing any financial information. According to industry estimates, a 1 GW nuclear plant requires an investment of Rs 15,000-20,000 crore and typically takes at least three years from concept to commissioning. A detailed project report (DPR) will be prepared after the feasibility report is completed, he said. NTPC is looking to set up around 30 GW of company-owned nuclear projects across various locat
Bihar has got investments worth Rs 1.36 lakh crore, and the figure is likely to climb up to Rs 5 lakh crore in the next one year, Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary told the assembly on Friday. Choudhary, who last week became the first BJP leader to be appointed as the CM of the state, was taking part in a debate on the motion of confidence sought by his government. "I had the privilege of holding the Finance portfolio under former chief minister Nitish Kumar. People may not be aware that the state has already received investments worth Rs 1.36 lakh crore. In the next one year, we hope to get investments to the tune of Rs 5 lakh crore," said Choudhary. The BJP leader began his speech by launching a caustic attack on the RJD, the main party in opposition, which he quit over a decade ago. Turning towards the leader of the opposition, Tejashwi Yadav, who had called Choudhary a product of the "paathshala (school)" of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, the CM said, "I entered politics because of the
The Samrat Choudhary-led NDA government in Bihar won the vote of confidence in the state assembly on Friday. Choudhary moved the motion, proposing that "the House reposes its trust in the current council of ministers in the state", during a one-day special session. The motion was passed by a voice vote in the 243-strong House, where the BJP-led NDA enjoys a brute majority with 202 seats. Choudhary became the first BJP leader to head a government in the state earlier this month following the resignation of JD(U) president Nitish Kumar, who gave up the top post upon getting elected to the Rajya Sabha. Only two JD(U) leaders, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav, were inducted into the new cabinet and designated as deputy chief ministers. Besides the JD(U), the BJP-led coalition in the state includes LJP(RV) of Union minister Chirag Paswan, HAM headed by Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha's RLM. The five-party coalition won 202 seats in th
BJP leader Samrat Choudhary was sworn in as the chief minister of Bihar on Wednesday, the first from the saffron party to hold the post. Governor Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (retd) administered the oath of office and secrecy to Choudhry. Top leaders of the ruling NDA in Bihar, which comprises the BJP, JD(U) and three other parties, attended the ceremony. They included Union Ministers J P Nadda and Chirag Paswan, Nitish Kumar, and all NDA MLAs. Nitish Kumar, who is now a Rajya Sabha MP, relinquished the chief minister's post on Tuesday, dissolving his cabinet in which Choudhary was a deputy chief minister and held the crucial home portfolio. Choudhary, who joined the BJP in 2017, was named the legislative party leader on Tuesday in the presence of top functionaries like BJP chief Nitin Nabin and Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, whom the parliamentary board had named as "central observer" for the transition.
Bihar finds itself on the cusp of a new political epoch on Tuesday when Nitish Kumar, the state's longest-serving chief minister, is slated to make way for the first-ever BJP-led government in the province. Kumar, who heads the JD(U) and became a Rajya Sabha MP last week, is expected to tender his resignation shortly after the last meeting of his cabinet, which is scheduled at 11 am. "It is a constitutional requirement. The chief minister informs his colleagues about his decision to dissolve the cabinet before meeting the governor," said Dilip Jaiswal, a senior BJP leader who is also a minister in the outgoing government. The BJP, which is the single largest party in the 243-strong assembly, with 89 MLAs, will thereafter elect its legislature party leader. The meeting of the legislature party is scheduled to be held at the BJP office here around 3 pm. Union minister Shivraj Singh Choudhan, whom the BJP parliamentary board has named central observer for the legislature party leader'
At least 13 people were killed and 30 others injured following a collision involving a bus, a truck, and a pickup van in Bihar's Katihar district on Saturday evening, a police officer said. The accident took place at 6:30 pm on NH-31 in Kodha block of Katihar, Superintendent of Police Shikhar Choudhary told reporters. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced an exgratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each the deceased, and Rs 50,000 to each injured. While initial reports said seven people died in the accident, six of the injured succumbed during treatment. A local police official said those travelling in the pickup van were coming from the neighbouring Purnea district. He said that how the accident occurred is being investigated. It is suspected that the bus driver, who is among the injured people, lost control of the vehicle leading to the crash. According to a statement issued by the district police, all the injured people have been taken to the nearest government hospital in
At least eight women were killed in a stampede at a temple in Bihar's Nalanda district on Tuesday, Police said. The incident took place due to a heavy rush of devotees at the Shitala Mata temple on Tuesday morning, a senior officer said. Bihar Sharif Assistant Superintendent of Police Noorul Haque said, "At least eight women died in the stampede at Shitala Mata temple on Tuesday morning. Police personnel and officials of the district administration have reached the spot, and the rescue work is on." The exact cause of the stampede is not known, but there was a huge rush of devotees, said Haque, who was also present at the spot.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha earlier this month, is set to resign from the state legislative council on Monday, JD(U) sources said. The JD(U) president was elected to the upper House of Parliament on March 16, and according to party insiders, the 14-day period during which he has to quit as MLC ends Monday. "It is stipulated in the Constitution that you should resign within 14 days. Things will happen accordingly," Sanjay Kumar Jha, the national working president of the JD(U), had told reporters here last week. JD(U) leader and MLA Anant Kumar Singh, who met Nitish Kumar on Sunday, told media persons that the chief minister will tender his resignation as MLC on Monday. Jha, however, had parried queries on when the 75-year-old JD(U) supremo was expected to step down as chief minister.
The Bihar government is preparing to list its power transmission company on the stock market in a move aimed at enhancing public participation in the state's growth, a senior official said. In a video interview with PTI, Bihar Energy Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh said, "We are planning to list our transmission company on the stock exchange and have issued an Expression of Interest (EoI) to onboard merchant bankers." Bihar State Power Transmission Company Ltd (BSPTCL) is set to become the first state-owned transmission utility to go public, with the listing proposed on the NSE. Singh noted that the size of the issue will be determined after the merchant bankers are appointed. "Once they are onboard, they will guide us through the IPO process and assess how much capital can be raised from the market," he said. Explaining the rationale, Singh described listing as a natural step for a profitable business. "Our transmission company has been consistently profitable for over a decade. We wa
In view of the ongoing conflict in West Asia, the Bihar government constituted a crisis management group to ensure uninterrupted supply of essential goods and services, safeguard the interests of migrant workers and coordinate response measures to any potential fallout. According to a statement issued by the state's Disaster Management Department, the group will be headed by Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit. The group comprises senior officials from key departments, including the development commissioner, the additional chief secretary (Home), and the DGP. The statement said the Food and Consumer Protection Department has been designated as the nodal department for the group. The crisis management group will be responsible for ensuring the availability of essential commodities, monitoring supply chains, protecting the interests of migrant workers, and formulating coordinated strategies to address any emerging emergencies. The first meeting of the group is scheduled on March 30 at th
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was on Tuesday elected JD (U) president unopposed with no other candidate filing nomination for the party's top post. This is the fourth time Kumar, 75, has become the party chief. Already helming the party since Lalan Singh resigned from the post ahead of Lok Sabha polls in December 2023, Kumar was recently elected to Rajya Sabha. Returning officer Aneel Prasad Hegde, a former Rajya Sabha member, announced the name of Kumar, who was not present as he was participating in the ongoing Samriddhi Yatra in Bihar. "I declare Nitish Kumar as the party's national president since no other nomination has been filed," Hegde announced and handed over the certificate of his election to JD(U) working president Sanjay Kumar Jha and Union minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh at the party's central office here. Asked about Kumar's absence, Jha said he is participating in the ongoing Samriddhi Yatra. "We have come here to receive the election certificate
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has filed his nomination for the post of JD(U) president as he prepares to return to national politics with his election to the Rajya Sabha. JD(U) national working president Sanjay Kumar Jha submitted Kumar's nomination at the party's central office here on Thursday. Jha is one of the proposers for Kumar. The Bihar chief minister did not come to Delhi to file his nomination. Party sources said Kumar is set to be elected unopposed, as there is hardly any possibility of anyone else filing the nomination for the post. JD(U) national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said the last date for filing of nomination for the post is March 22 white the last date for withdrawal of candidature is March 24. The scrutiny of the documents of the candidates will be done on March 23, he said. "The counting of votes will take place on March 27 if any other candidate files a nomination. So far, only one (Nitish Kumar's) nomination has been filed," he told PTI. Kumar
