Page 24 - Nitish Kumar

Rescued worker from Bihar says CM did not send officials at tunnel site

A Bihar resident who was among the 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel complained on Wednesday that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar did not send his officials to the tunnel site to enquire about the workers from the state nor did he contact his relatives back home during their 16-day ordeal. The worker complained of this when Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met him at the community health centre in Chinyalisaur and asked how he was doing. "All other state governments sent their officials to the tunnel to enquire about the well-being of the trapped workers from their respective states. But our chief minister Nitish Kumar did not send anyone nor did he contact our relatives back home to say a word of sympathy. I do not know what mistake we committed," the worker told Dhami. He also expressed his gratitude to the Uttarakhand chief minister for the efforts made by various agencies under his leadership to secure their safe exit from the tunnel. Dhami had set up a ca

BJP accuses Nitish of appeasement after release of new school calendar

"Shame on the government that hates Sanatan for the vote bank," the post added

Nitish-led JDU to witness major split after January 15, says Chirag Paswan

Jamui MP and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan has claimed that the Janata Dal (United) led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will witness a major split in the coming months.

Bihar urges Centre for 65% quota in 9th Schedule to seek legal shield

The Bihar government on Wednesday decided to urge the Centre to incorporate the hiked reservation for deprived castes from 50 to 65 per cent in state government jobs and educational institutions in the 9th schedule of the Constitution, so that it is guaranteed immunity from legal scrutiny, an official said. The Ninth Schedule of the Constitution includes a list of Central and state laws that cannot be challenged in courts. In 1992, the Supreme Court capped reservations for the backward classes at 50 per cent. The Cabinet also increased the dearness allowance of government employees in Bihar by 4 per cent. They will get a DA of 46 per cent with effect from July 1 this year, Additional Chief Secretary (Cabinet Secretariat), S Siddharth, told reporters after the Cabinet meeting. The Nitish Kumar government on Tuesday issued gazette notifications for raising the quota for deprived castes to 65 per cent, after Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar gave his assent to two bills, paving the

Bihar govt passes resolution for special status to state after caste survey

The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar upped the ante on the Chief Minister's long-standing demand for grant of special status to the state with a resolution to the effect on Wednesday being passed by the cabinet. Kumar broke the news himself, announcing the development on social media, shortly after the cabinet meeting he chaired here was over. "The cabinet has passed a resolution (prastaav) requesting the Centre for grant of special category status to Bihar", Kumar wrote in a lengthy post in which he also said that the fresh demand was necessitated by findings of the caste survey his government carried out in the state. Kumar said that while the rise in percentage of population of the deprived castes has led to increase in the quotas for SCs, STs and OBCs from 50 to 65 per cent, his government also planned to undertake a number of welfare measures for the benefit of "94 lakh families", which according to the survey lived in abject poverty. "We intend to provide, in instalments, an

Bihar to set up permanent checkposts in a bid to curb illegal sand mining

The Bihar government has directed district authorities to construct permanent checkposts at sensitive locations to curb illegal sand mining in the state, an official said on Monday. The process for setting up such a surveillance infrastructure has already been initiated in Bhojpur, Jamui, Nawada, Rohtas, Aurangabad and Kaimur districts. The move comes after attacks on police personnel and officials of the Mines and Geology Department by the sand mafia were reported from several districts. "Instructions to construct checkposts were issued to district authorities in a recent meeting chaired by the director of the Mines and Geology Department of the state government," the official said. According to the minutes of the meeting, a copy of which is with PTI, four permanent checkposts will be built in Patna. "Officials have been directed to identify locations and construct checkposts in Banka, Saran, Kaimur, Gaya and Patna districts at the earliest. There are around 267 sand ghats in the

Chhath Puja: Security tightened, medical camps set up at ghats in Bihar

Elaborate arrangements have been made by the Bihar government across the state for the third day of the Chhath Puja on Sunday, when lakhs of devotees offer evening prayers to the Sun God, officials said. The Patna district administration has bolstered security at all the 100 ghats along river Ganga here and other places in the state to avert any untoward incident, they said. Besides, a number of medical camps have also been set up at the ghats, the officials said. Around 5,000 additional security personnel have been deployed in the state capital to manage the crowd. More than 300 disaster response force personnel are also present at the different ghats in the city, a senior police officer said. The four-day festival, in which worshippers fast and pay obeisance to the deity on the last two days, began on Friday. Devotees will offer evening arghya' (prayers) to the Sun God on Sunday. The festival will end on Monday, with worshippers offering morning arghya' to the rising sun.

Will launch movement if Bihar not given special category status: Nitish

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday announced that he will launch a state-wide movement if the Centre does not grant special category status to the state at the earliest. The JD(U) leader, who has been demanding special status for many years, said the state needs this in order to move forward. If the Centre does not grant special status to Bihar at the earliest, we will launch a state-wide movement The demand for a special status will be heard in every nook and corner of the state during the movement, he said while speaking at a function here. Those who do not support the demand are not interested in the development of the state, Kumar said. He said the Bihar legislature recently cleared bills to hike the quota for deprived castes from 50 per cent to 65 per cent in government jobs and educational institutions, taking the overall reservation to 75 per cent, on the basis of the caste survey, conducted by the state government. We have planned a number of welfare initiatives

Bihar CM Kumar pays tribute to Maulana Azad on his birth anniversary

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday paid tribute to freedom fighter and India's first education minister, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, on his birth anniversary."Greetings on National Education Day. The birthday of the country's first Education Minister, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, is celebrated as National Education Day. His significant contribution to the country will always be remembered. Respectful homage to him," Bihar CM Nitish Kumar posted on X in Hindi.Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid tribute to the country's first Education Minister, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, on his birth anniversary and said "Azad's commitment to education was commendable and his efforts in shaping modern India continue to guide many people""Remembering Maulana Azad on his birth anniversary. A profound scholar and a pillar of India's freedom struggle, his commitment to education was commendable. His efforts in shaping modern India continue to guide many people," PM Modi posted on X.Today is ...

Spoke like C-grade movie star: NCW on Bihar CM's remarks over birth control

She demanded that the Bihar CM's remarks be expunged from the Assembly's records

Bihar Assembly approves raising caste quota in govt jobs, education to 65%

The new reservation quota includes 20% for SCs, 2% for STs, 18% for OBCs, and 25% for EBCs

Shivraj slams Nitish Kumar's remark; says he has no right to be CM

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also slammed the INDIA bloc for not criticising Nitish Kumar for his remarks on birth control

MP polls LIVE: Women will decide Madhya Pradesh's future, says PM Modi

Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2023 Live Updates: Catch all the latest updates of Madhya Pradesh elections 2023 here

Population remark row: Ally NCP defends Nitish Kumar as BJP mounts attack

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) Spokesperson Clyde Crasto attacked the BJP saying it should also talk about its own people who use derogatory words against women.

Ramdas Athawale demands Nitish's resignation over his birth control remarks

The Union Minister said on Wednesday that it is our responsibility to respect women, and although the Bihar CM has apologised for his statement, there should be some action against him

Will ensure respect of women: Modi slams Nitish over 'derogatory' remarks

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday slammed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over his derogatory' remarks against women in assembly and said the constituents of the INDIA bloc have not uttered a word despite such disrespect for women. The PM said he will do whatever he can to ensure the respect of women. Yesterday, one of the INDI alliance's big leaders who is holding the bloc's flag high and playing different games to unseat the present government (at the Center) used a language, which no one can even think of in a state assembly in the presence of mothers and sisters... he didn't even feel ashamed of it, said Modi without taking Nitish Kumar's name. Nitish Kumar, while emphasising the importance of education among women to control the population, on Tuesday put forward a vivid description in the state assembly of how an educated woman can restrain her husband during sexual intercourse. He apologised for the remarks on Wednesday. Those having such a vision, how can they kee

Nitish apologises for comment on women amid Oppn, social media protest

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday apologised in both Houses of the legislature, as well as outside, for remarks made a day before on the importance of women's education to control population growth. The septuagenarian leader, upon his arrival on the Vidhan Sabha premises, was greeted by a posse of MLAs, all belonging to the opposition BJP, carrying placards denouncing his utterances and demanding his resignation. Kumar, the longest serving chief minister of the state, stood frozen at the entrance gate for a few minutes, before marching towards a make-shift podium erected nearby, where leaders address journalists while the House is in session. "I have come to know today that something I had said yesterday has not gone down well with many people. My intent was to highlight my government's thrust on women's empowerment and the role improved literacy among women plays in population control. Though if anybody's sentiments have been hurt, I seek an apology and take back my ..

Nitish Kumar in soup over his 'birth control lessons' in Bihar Assembly

A day after his remarks on educated women and family planning sparked controversy, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday apologised for his statement

Bihar assembly adjourned till 2 pm as oppn demands resignation of Nitish

The Bihar Assembly was on Wednesday adjourned till 2 pm, soon after the commencement of proceedings, as the opposition BJP kept demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over remarks he had made on the previous day about women. As soon as the House had assembled at 11 am, Leader of the Opposition Vijay Kumar Sinha rose in his seat alleging that Kumar had become a "mental" case, was unfit to govern the state and should resign. The chief minister, who was present in the House, rose to offer his explanation and said "I have expressed my regret while talking to journalists outside the House. I am ready to do so again. If my words have caused any hurt, I condemn myself (main apni ninda karta hoon)". The septuagenarian added "the context in which I had made the remarks must not be lost sight of. I have always been a strong votary of women's education and it was a eureka moment for me when I saw a direct correlation between education levels among women and fertility ...

Nitish's comment on women's education to control population triggers row

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's comment on the importance of women's education to control the population raised a storm on Tuesday with the opposition BJP tearing into him. Emphasising the importance of education among women to control the population, Kumar put forward a vivid description in the assembly of how an educated woman can restrain her husband during sexual intercourse. "The husband's acts led to more births. However, with education, a woman knows how to restrain him... this is the reason the numbers (of births) are coming down," he said in a rustic style. "You, journalists also understand it well. Earlier it (fertility rate) was 4.3, but it has now reached 2.9. And, soon we will reach 2," he added. The opposition BJP charged Kumar with "bringing shame" to the state's women by speaking of the procreation process in detail. BJP MLAs Gayatri Devi and Sweety Hembram told reporters that "age has caught up with the chief minister who seems to have lost all sense of ...