Page 17 - Bihar Government

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar meets Akhilesh, Mamata to forge opposition unity

Ramping up efforts to forge Opposition unity, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday met Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and said work is on to bring together as many parties as possible to remove the BJP from power in the next general elections. No welfare work is being done by the present dispensation which is only relying on publicity, the JD(U) leader said attacking the BJP after meeting Yadav at the SP office here, hours after he held talks with his West Bengal counterpart and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata. "I am not looking for any position for myself. My endeavour is to work for country's good," Kumar, who was accompanied by RJD leader and Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav, told reporters. He alleged that efforts are being made to change the history of the country. Akhilesh Yadav raised the issue of price rise and said there was a need to remove the BJP government without any delay. The Bihar chief minister had come to Lucknow a

Notices served to 221,000 people for not completing houses in Bihar

The Bihar government has served notices to 2.21 lakh beneficiaries for not completing their houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana Gramin (PMAY-G) even after disbursal of the entire amount (Rs 1.20 lakh per unit) in their respective accounts by the authorities concerned in the state. The Rural Development department of the state government has also initiated departmental action against 347 government employees (309 Aawaas Sahayak and 38 Awaas Paryavekshak) for not ensuring complete construction of houses even after disbursal of the entire amount to the account of beneficiaries in their respective rural blocks. While, 94,027 beneficiaries have been served 'red notices', 1,27,463 have been served 'white notices' by the state Rural Development department for not completing their houses despite receiving funds for the purpose several months/years ago under the PMAY-G scheme, according to the documents accessed by PTI. The red notice is issued to those violators against whom the ..

Congress' Rawat admits to holding political discussions with Nitish Kumar

Senior Congress leader Harish Rawat on Thursday said he held a political discussion with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna but declined to comment on whether he was sent on a special mission by the party high command. Sharing a photograph of his Wednesday evening meeting with Kumar on Twitter, Rawat wrote, "Shri Nitish Kumar, the strong voice of opposition unity in 2024..." However, when asked about the meeting, Rawat said Kumar is an old friend and he had travelled to Patna to appreciate his good works. "He is our old friend. He is doing good work and it is everyone's responsibility to salute good work," he said. Rawat, a former Uttarakhand chief minister, admitted that there were political discussions between the two leaders. "We are no saints. When political people meet, political talk is bound to happen," he added. However, when asked if the party high command had sent him to Patna on a special mission, Rawat refused to comment. The two leaders' meeting is being see

Bihar govt approves Rs 309 cr for construction of AIIMS, Darbhanga

The Bihar government on Tuesday approved Rs 309 crore for soil filling and land levelling work, which would facilitate construction of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Darbhanga. An amount of Rs 309.29 crore for the construction of AIIMS on 189.17 acres of land at Darbhanga was sanctioned by the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The fund will be utilised for soil filling and land levelling work, S Siddharth, Additional Chief Secretary (Cabinet Secretariat), told reporters. This is a major step towards facilitating the construction of AIIMS at Darbhanga, he said. The Union government had in September 2020 granted approval for the AIIMS at Darbhanga, the second in Bihar after Patna, at an estimated cost of Rs 1,264 crore. Once operational, it will have 750 beds along with various healthcare facilities. The new AIIMS is likely to be completed within a period of 48 months from the date of starting of the project. Besides, the cabinet also ..

Those who will vote for BJP in 2024 LS polls will bring destruction: Nitish

Launching a veiled attack on the BJP-led NDA, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday said those who will vote for them in the next year's Lok Sabha elections will bring destruction on themselves. Kumar, who dumped the BJP in August last year and formed the Mahagathbandhan government, claimed that he has been working to forge opposition unity. I am working towards forging opposition unity...but I am not a claimant for the prime minister's post. All opposition parties are united over forming an alliance against the BJP-led government at the Centre before the 2024 general elections," the JD(U) supremo said. He was addressing party workers at a JD(U) office here on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Bhim Rao Ambedkar, the architect of India's Constitution. "I must tell one thing that those who will vote for them (BJP) in the coming general elections will bring destruction on themselves and the country and those who will vote for us will ensure the well-being of themselves, t

Owasi targets Nitish Kumar govt again over communal violence in Bihar

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday stepped up his attack on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar after the police there reportedly said the violence during Ram Navami was pre-planned, saying as to why the state government "was sleeping". This comes a few days after the Hyderabad MP had slammed the Bihar and West Bengal governments over the processions during festivities leading to violence on Ram Navami. "I had said earlier that it was pre-planned. When it was pre-planned, why were you people sleeping?... It is the failure of the Nitish Kumar-RJD government. They proved to be a failure in stopping this violence," he told reporters here. The authorities gave permission for a procession and the police remained a mute spectator when a madrasa is burnt in front of them, Owaisi alleged. "When such a major violence takes place, the government so far does not talk about giving compensation. You (Bihar government) don't suspend those policemen. Instead of that, you do 'Iftar', eating .

Nitish blames Centre for 'not supplying' adequate Covid vaccines to Bihar

With Covid-19 cases once again increasing in the country, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar alleged on Monday that the Central government is not supplying adequate Covid vaccines to the state

BJP blames Speaker for taking side of ruling Mahagathbandhan in Bihar

BJP MLAs on Wednesday blamed Bihar assembly Speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary for taking side of ruling Mahagathbandhan in the state on the last day of the budget session

ED raids at Lalu's family as I am part of Mahagathbandhan, alleges Nitish

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that ED raids on the premises of former Union Railway minister Lalu Prasad and his associates was a result of him being a part of the Mahagathbandhan

Bihar govt asks depts to prioritise domestically manufactured goods

As part of its efforts to promote domestically manufactured goods, the Bihar government has directed all state-controlled bodies to accord priority and provide price preference to products manufactured by industrial units located within the state. In a circular issued to all corporations and autonomous bodies, the department of industries has asked them to strictly follow the state's 'Purchase Preference Policy-2002' and 'The Bihar Finance (Amendment) Rules, 2005' during government procurements. All departments of the state government have also been directed to abide by the directive, starting next financial year. "The notification will certainly provide impetus to domestic manufacturers and suppliers. It will also lead to growth in employment opportunities and income," Samir Kumar Mahaseth, the state industries minister, told PTI. Explaining further, the minister said that goods produced by the large or medium industries that are located and registered in Bihar will be given up to

Land-for-jobs scam: CBI summons Bihar Dy CM Tejashwi Yadav for questioning

The CBI has summoned Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav to appear for questioning in connection with the alleged land-for-jobs scam on Saturday, officials said. Yadav was earlier called for questioning on March 4 but he had not appeared before the CBI sleuths, following which a fresh date was given for Saturday, they said. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader was asked to appear for questioning on Saturday forenoon but he is yet to arrive at the headquarters of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) here, they said. The federal agency recently questioned RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi in Delhi and Patna respectively. The case pertains to people allegedly given employment in the railways in return for land parcels gifted or sold at cheap rates to the Yadav family and its associates, the officials said.

Big fish cannot ignore political stature of Manjhi, Chirag Paswan

The 2024 Lok Sabha election may be a tought fight between the BJP and Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, but the importance of smaller parties cannot be ruled out.

Nitish Kumar presents Rs 2.61 trillion Budget, affirms confidence in Bihar

The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar on Tuesday presented a Rs 2.61 lakh crore budget, asserting that the state's finances were in a good shape as evident from markers like the fiscal deficit being under the prescribed conditional limit. Tabling the budget before the state assembly, Finance Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary also flagged concerns like a drop in grants in aid received from the Centre, compared to the previous year, though Bihar's share in central taxes saw a rise. The total proposed budget expenditure of Rs 2,61,885.40 crore, for the year 2023-24, was Rs 24,194.21 crore more than the previous financial year. The state government also cited fiscal achievements like the fiscal deficit remaining at 3.78 per cent of the SGDP, which is under the prescribed conditional limit of 4.5 per cent. The budget pointed out that the grants in aid expected from the Centre for the current fiscal was estimated at Rs 53,377.92 crore, which was Rs 4,623.37 crore less" than what was received

People in Bihar upset with the old political leadership: Chirag Paswan

He also added that the people are looking towards young leaders to take the state to new heights with a fresh vision

Jungle Raj prevailing in Bihar, people fed up with govt: Dinesh Sharma

The people of Bihar are fed up with the Nitish Kumar government as "jungle raj" (lawlessness) prevails in the state, BJP leader Dinesh Sharma said on Sunday. He alleged that anti-social elements have been roaming freely in Bihar ever since Kumar joined hands with the RJD. "Nitish-Tejashwi-free Bihar has become the voice of people of the state," the former deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh told reporters here. Terming Nitish Kumar "the biggest opportunist", Sharma said the Bihar chief minister's statements against the BJP are just desperate acts. About the BSP and Samajwadi party's demand for a caste survey, he said these parties never made such a move while in power. "They raised the issue since they have so far not succeeded in dividing people based on caste and religion," the BJP leader alleged.

Bihar govt cancels 3.93 mn job cards of inactive labourers under MGNREGA

The affected labourers had not worked a single day in the last three years and were still earning money through this scheme

Upendra Kushwaha to launch 'Virasat Bachao Naman Yatra' on Feb 28

After forming a new political party in Bihar, Upendra Kushwaha on Wednesday said that he will start the Virasat Bachao Naman Yatra in the state from February 28

Nitish Kumar will not give the CM's chair to Tejashwi, says BJP leader

Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Council Samrat Chaudhary claimed that CM Nitish Kumar is fooling coalition partner RJD, and will not hand over his post to his deputy Tejashwi Yadav

Bihar govt hires shooters to kill nilgais, wild boars to ensure crop safety

The Bihar government has hired 13 professional shooters to kill wild boars and 'ghodparas' or nilgais to save crops, a forest official said on Tuesday. Animal lovers have opposed the move and demanded that the government find a long term solution to the problem and not allow the killing of the animals. The state environment, forest and climate change department has sent the list of the professional shooters to the authorities concerned in all 38 districts in the state to use their services wherever required. Districts where these two animal species are found in large numbers include Muzaffarpur, Vaishali, Sitamarhi, Bhojpur, Sheohar and West Champaran, he said. There is no record of the number of nilgais or wild biars in the state. These two animal species move in herds and destroy acres of crops in a day. Farmers sit out all night to protect their ripening crops from them in some Bihar districts. Both ghodparas (nilgais) and wild boar are vermins and can be killed, but according

Cabinet expansion CM's prerogative: Congress after Tejaswi Yadav's denial

Reacting to Deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav's statement ruling out the possibility of cabinet expansion in Bihar, PCC Chief Akhilesh Singh said that the cabinet expansion is the chief minister's prerogative