Bihar Government

Bihar govt approves investment proposals worth nearly Rs 30,000 crore

The Bihar government's State Investment Promotion Board has approved investment proposals worth nearly Rs 30,000 crore. This includes in-principal for proposals worth nearly Rs 29,000 crore in-principle approval (Stage 1) for 52 units and final financial approval to 35 proposals totalling around Rs 600 crore. The approvals were given during the 58th meeting of the State Investment Promotion Board, according to an official statement. So far this financial year, the in-principle approvals have been given to 260 proposals, while financial approvals have been granted to 161 proposals. The meeting was attended by Industry Secretary Bandana Preyashi. The Bihar government has created the State Investment Promotion Board to approve investment proposals. Bihar Business Connect - the annual investor meet of the state - drew "tremendous success by signing MoUs of more than Rs 50,000 crore" of investment proposals in its maiden show in 2023, he noted. The second edition is scheduled to be h

Bihar doubles down on major investments as industrial growth surges

Bihar, once seen as less industry-friendly, has seen a surge in big ticket investments from the likes of Adani Group to Coca-Cola as it packages its vast resources with progressive policy to lure investors. Its industries and tourism minister Nitish Mishra, with his CEO-style approach to governance, is pivoting Bihar into a state that could be a gateway for investors to eastern India. Mishra says the perception bias regarding Bihar's industrial capabilities is slowly being overcome. In recent months, Adani Group has announced investment of Rs 8,700 crore in the state, Ambuja Cements is setting up a Rs 1,200-crore unit, and Coca-Cola is expanding its bottling capacity. Bihar Business Connect-2023 -- the state's investor meet -- last year saw memoranda of understanding (MoUs) worth over Rs 50,000 crore being signed with 300 companies. And the second edition this week is expected to rake in more. Bihar's industrial potential is limitless, he says. "Bihar has been a victim of perceptio

PSC question paper leaks 'state-sponsored', alleges Tejashwi Yadav

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has charged Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with "maintaining silence" over alleged irregularities in a PSC examination, claiming that recent question paper "leaks" in such competitive tests were "state-sponsored". In a video statement late on Friday, the leader of the opposition in the assembly also accused Kumar of failing to communicate with job aspirants who staged protests over the alleged paper leak in the 70th Integrated Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024, conducted by Bihar Public Service Commission. Kumar's "reluctance to communicate with students who were baton-charged by the police and slapped by Patna district magistrate" showed that the JD(U) supremo is a "tired man and unable to govern Bihar", Tejashwi claimed. "This government has failed in conducting any examination in the state without paper leaks ...whether it is for class 10th, 12th, police constable recruitment exams or BPSC tests, questions papers are leaked before the ...

Bihar: Rumours of BPSC paper leak spark protest, commission vows action

Rumours of a leak of question paper of the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) preliminary examination erupted at an examination centre on Friday, prompting the commission to warn of police action against those involved in the "conspiracy". Around 300-400 aspirants boycotted BPSC's 70th Integrated Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024 held at Bapu Examination Centre at Kumhrar in Patna alleging the question paper was leaked even before the examination started. BPSC chairman Parmar Ravi Manubhai said that examinations were held in a free and fair manner in more than 900 centres, where close to five lakh candidates appeared on Friday. "The BPSC CCE 70th preliminary examination was held in a single shift from noon to 2 pm. The examination was held in 912 centres across the state, and of those, free and fair exams were held in 911 centres," Parmar told PTI. "However, in one centre in Patna, some of the candidates snatched questions papers from the invigilators and stormed out

Bihar govt transfers Moin-ul-Haq Stadium to BCA; revamp set for 2027

The renovated Moin-ul-Haq Stadium will have 76 corporate boxes, accommodation for 250 VIPs, and a modern sports complex

Bihar govt increases monetary reward for winners of gallantry awards

The Bihar government has increased the monetary reward for gallantry award winners, and those winning Param Vir Chakra from the state will now be given Rs 1 crore instead of the previous Rs 10 lakh, an official said on Saturday. The Param Vir Chakra is India's top military decoration awarded for the highest degree of valour or self-sacrifice in the presence of the enemy. The state government also hiked the reward amount for Ashok Chakra awardees from Rs 8 lakh to Rs 75 lakh, for Mahaveer Chakra from Rs 5 lakh to 50 lakh, for Kirti Chakra from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, for Veera Chakra from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 9 lakh, and for Shaurya Chakra from Rs 1.5 lakh to 8 lakh, according to a notification. The Army, Navy or Air Force Medal winners will get Rs 7 lakh instead of the current Rs 75,000 and in Mention in Dispatches cases, the reward was increased from Rs 50,000 to Rs 6 lakh, the notification said. Talking to PTI, Home Secretary Arvind Kumar Chaudhary said, The state government is ...

Bihar govt asks 12 depts to prepare roadmap against gender-based violence

The Bihar government has asked top officials of 12 departments to immediately prepare a roadmap and plan joint activities for women empowerment and gender justice in the state as part of Centre's third phase of month-long 'Nayi Chetna', a national campaign against gender-based violence. The third edition of Nayi Chetna, a national campaign against gender-based violence, was launched by the Centre on November 25 and it will continue till December 23 this year. The objectives of 'Nayi Chetna' (3.0) include raising awareness about all forms of gender-based violence, encouraging communities to speak out and demand action, providing access to support systems for timely assistance, and empowering local institutions to act decisively against violence. Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena will soon call a meeting of the top officials of 12 departments of the state government to review the roadmaps and joint activities being carried out by the departments concerned as part of 'Nayi Chetna' (3.0) .

Maneka Gandhi urges Bihar to check animal sacrifice, smuggling to Nepal

Former Union minister Maneka Gandhi and other animal rights activists have urged the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar to issue immediate directions to check the "regressive practice of animal sacrifice" in various parts of the state. They also requested the Bihar government to stop the illegal transportation of cattle from the state to Nepal for sacrifice in the upcoming Gadhimai festival in the neighbouring country. Maneka Gandhi wrote a letter to the Bihar chief minister on Friday seeking his immediate intervention "to stop animal sacrifice in the state and also illegal transportation of cows, buffaloes, goats, pigeons from Bihar to Nepal, primarily intended for sacrifice, especially around the Gadhimai festival". It has been recently reported that around Rs 10 million (1 crore) worth of Indian buffaloes alone are smuggled monthly and sold in Nepal's markets, she wrote in her letter. A delegation of top representatives of other animal protection organisations -- Acharya Prashant

PM Modi lauds Nitish Kumar for pulling Bihar out of 'Jungle Raaj

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday lauded Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for his role in transforming the state, pulling it out of what he called the 'Jungle Raaj'. Modi's remarks came during a function in Darbhanga, where he laid the foundation for an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and inaugurated several key infrastructure projects worth around Rs 12,100 crore. "Nitish ji has set up a model of good governance (Shushashan), pulling the state out of the era of Jungle Raaj. No praise is too high for this achievement," PM Modi said, speaking at the event where the JD(U) chief was also present. The Prime Minister emphasised Bihar's development under the NDA government, highlighting improvements in various sectors, especially in health infrastructure. "Bihar is witnessing a lot of development. The NDA government is committed to the welfare of the people. The previous government in Bihar never bothered about health infrastructure. They made false promises, but

Bihar govt considering taking over Bettiah Raj land worth Rs 7,960 cr

The Bihar government is contemplating taking over the land worth about Rs 7,960 crore, belonging to the erstwhile estate of Bettiah Raj, one of the largest zamindaris of the state, a large part which was encroached upon, an official said. The move is being made to ensure 'effective protection and management' of the nearly 15,358 acres of land, mostly in Bihar's East and West Champaran districts and in Uttar Pradesh, the senior official said. The estate is currently managed by the Court of Wards, Board of Revenue of the Bihar government. According to data compiled by the Board of Revenue till December 13 last year, which is in the possession of the PTI, of the total land belonging to Bettiah Estate in West Champaran district, 6,505 acres (around 66 per cent) have been encroached upon. On the other hand, 3,219 acres or around 60 per cent of such land in East Champaran, have been encroached upon. Chairman-cum-Member of the Board of Revenue, K K Pathak, in an October order pertaining

Bihar govt to sign pact with BCCI for Moin-ul-Haq stadium's redevelopment

The Bihar government will soon sign an MoU with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the redevelopment of the Moin-ul-Haq Stadium here. A decision to this effect was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The cabinet on Tuesday approved the state sports department proposal for signing of the MoU with the BCCI... This will transform it as an international stadium equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, where day-and-night matches along with other sporting activities will be organised, S Siddharth, Additional Chief Secretary (Cabinet Secretariat), told reporters here. The agreement will be signed very soon and immediately after that construction work shall start, which will be completed in 36 months, he said. After completion of the construction, the BCCI will organise matches and other sporting activities till seven years after that period, profit will be shared with the state government on a 50-50 basis, Siddharth said. The cabine

Bihar hooch tragedy: Culprits caught as government responds, says Manjhi

Describing the tragedy as "tragic," Jan Suraj Party chief Prashant Kishor said on Thursday that the state's liquor ban is not enforced anywhere, existing only in government files and political

Bihar CM conducts high-level review after spurious liquor deaths in state

BJP leader Nitin Nabin said that action would be taken by the state government against all those involved in the incident

Bihar's new transfer policy prioritises govt teachers with health issues

On Monday, the Bihar government unveiled a new policy that prioritises people with severe illnesses and disabilities when it comes to the transfer and posting of govt school teachers in the state

Bihar performing well in basic indicators: NITI CEO Subrahmanyam

Bihar is performing well in basic indicators like education and health, and it is likely to catch up with the rest of the country in a couple of years, NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam said. Addressing a press conference in Gaya where a national conference on data-driven governance will begin on Tuesday, he said a number of aspirational blocks and districts of Bihar will become "inspirational" soon due to improved governance and service delivery. "Bihar will catch up with the rest of the country in a couple of years. The state is performing well in terms of basic indicators like education and health. A number of aspirational blocks and districts will move on to become inspirational blocks and districts in the very near future due to improved governance and service delivery," Subrahmanyam said on Monday. He said Bihar is the first state in the country to demonstrate an unprecedented level of AI-driven decision support system, which will help policymakers, mid-career officers and those

Centre has made available all possible help: Nityanand Rai on Bihar floods

Earlier on September 30, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said that the state government is working in coordination with the central government to mitigate the flooding situation

238 cos completed formalities for Rs 36,000 cr investment: Bihar minister

At least 238 companies have completed all formalities for a combined investment of Rs 36,000 crore, making Bihar one of the leading states in terms of the realisation of business proposals, a senior minister said on Monday. These entities are part of 278 companies which had promised Rs 50,530 crore investment in the state during the mega two-day Bihar Business Connect 2023, he said. Addressing a press conference here, Bihar Industries Minister Nitish Mishra said many big players have chosen the state as their "preferred destination". "During the two-day event in December, a remarkable achievement was made as 278 companies signed MoUs with the state government, committing to invest a total of Rs 50,530 crore. "It's a matter of great satisfaction that MoUs with 238 companies have been realised and the process of Rs 36,000 crore investment has started in the state," the minister said. Bihar is witnessing significant "investment promotion activities", reinforcing its position as an ..

Bihar disburses Rs 2,900 cr to 74,540 beneficiaries for promoting MSMEs

The Bihar government is making serious efforts to give a fillip to small-scale and medium enterprises which would play a crucial role in the overall economic development of the state, a top official of the Industries department said. Around Rs 2,900 crore have been disbursed to nearly 74,540 beneficiaries under two schemes, one of which was launched only last year, for promoting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises ( MSMEs) in the state, the official said. Bihar has a strong MSME base. To promote innovation ecosystem and unlock the enormous entrepreneurial potential of the state, the Mukhya Mantri Udyami Yojana (MMUY) and Bihar Laghu Udyami Yojana (BLUY) were launched in 2018 and 2023 respectively focusing on promotion of MSMEs in the state. "A total of Rs 2,697 crore was disbursed to 34,441 beneficiaries from 2018 till now under MMUY. Similarly, till date Rs 200 crore of the first instalment has been disbursed to 40,099 beneficiaries under BLUY", Secretary, Department of Industries,

16,755 e-challans worth Rs 9.49 cr issued via e-detection system in Bihar

The Bihar Transport department and traffic police have issued over 16,700 e-challans worth Rs 9.49 crore in a week through e-detection system installed in 13 toll plazas in the state for violation of motor vehicle act, officials said. Out of 16,755 e-challans issued by the authorities, 9,676 belonged to vehicles registered in other states while 7,079 e-challans were issued to vehicles registered in Bihar in a week from August 7 to 15, they said. Additional Director General (ADG) of Bihar Traffic Police Sudhanshu Kumar told reporters on Tuesday, "The state transport department in coordination with traffic police, introduced issuance of e-challan through e-detection system, which has been installed at 13 toll plazas in the state. Vehicle owners of the state without valid insurance, fitness and pollution certificates, will now receive e-challan on their mobile phones through e-detection system. "From August 7 to August 15, concerned authorities in the state issued over 16,755 e-challan

Bihar govt has fixed target of providing 1.2 mn govt jobs: CM Nitish Kumar

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said the NDA government in the state has now fixed a new target of providing 12 lakh government jobs to youths by next year. Soon after hoisting the tricolour at the Gandhi Maidan here, Kumar said, "Bihar is moving ahead with high growth rate and development. It will go ahead with inclusive development in the coming years. Earlier, we had promised to provide 10 lakh government jobs to our youthsbut now our government has fixed a new target of providing 12 lakh government jobs to youths before the 2025 assembly polls. The state government is working in this direction, the chief minister said. "Under its 'Saat Nischay Part-2' scheme, the state government fixed a target of providing 10 lakh jobs and creating employment opportunities for 10 lakh people. The scheme was launched in 2020around 5.16 lakh people have already been given government jobs under this scheme and a process has been completed for providing 2 lakh more government jobs," .