Page 5 - Bihar

Mahagathbandhan demands official language status for Bhojpuri in Bihar

The demand for grant of official language status to Bhojpuri, arguably the most widely spoken dialect in Bihar, has intensified with the opposition Mahagathbandhan strongly coming out in support of it in the state. Senior leaders of the RJD, Congress and CPI(ML) Liberation, constituents of the Mahagathbandhan, said they would raise the issue in Parliament. The old demand got a fresh impetus after the Union Cabinet's recent decision to accord classical language status to five more languages - Marathi, Bengali, Pali, Prakrit and Assamese. The number of such languages now is 11, since Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia got the tag earlier. CPI(ML) Liberation's Lok Sabha MP Sudama Prasad said, The language is spoken widely in districts such as Bhojpur, Rohtas, Kaimur, Buxar, Saran, East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalganj, Siwan and Jehanabad in Bihar, and several parts of Jharkhand. Why is the Centre silent on inclusion of Bhojpuri in the Eighth Schedule of the ...

Passengers of hit express train sent to Darbhanga by spl train: Railways

Passengers stranded due to the Darbhanga Bagmati express meeting with an accident at Kavaraipettai near here left for Dharbanga by a special train on Saturday, the southern railway said. The Train No.12578 Mysuru - Darbhanga Bagmati Express met with an accident around 8.30 pm on October 11 and the passengers were transported by buses to Ponneri and then to Chennai Central by two EMU specials, the railway said. "After all the passengers arrived, they were boarded onto the passenger special towards Darbhanga, via Arakkonam, Renigunta and Gudur," a release here said. The passengers were provided with food packets and water and the special train left at 4.45 am, it said. "It was not supposed to stop here (Kavarapettai station), so it was to pass through it. After leaving Chennai, green signals were given for this train. The driver was following the signals correctly, but the train should have taken the main line. Instead, it took the loop line at the switch, which is where the error ..

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

Bihar inks MoU with Nasscom with aim to promote state's IT policy

The Bihar government on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) with an aim to promote the state's IT policy and investment opportunities. The MoU was signed in the presence of Bihar IT Minister Santosh Kumar Suman and Srikanth Srinivasan and Nirupam Choudhary, both NASSCOM vice presidents. According to a statement issued by the IT Department: With the support of NASSCOM, Bihar government will plan and organise roadshows in Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Pune. These roadshows will facilitate in linking Bihar government officials with potential investors and technology companies, increasing the potential for investment in the state. This partnership will also enable Bihar to participate in NASSCOM's national programmes, allowing the Department of Information Technology to showcase the emerging IT activities in the state, it said. Through these programs, Bihar's progress in IT infrastructure, ski

Bihar performing well in basic indicators like education: NITI Aayog CEO

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 on Monday. 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. 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

Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party aims 130 seats in Bihar polls next year

Once worked behind the scenes to shape the political fortunes of others, Prashant Kishor is now ready for his second coming with the launch of Jan Suraaj Party.

Flood situation in Bihar grim with most rivers flowing above danger mark

The flood situation in Bihar remained grim on Saturday as many rivers were still flowing above the danger mark, officials said. In its bulletin, the Water Resources Department (WRD) said Kosi, Gandak, Bagmati, Budhi Gandak, and Ganga were flowing above the danger mark. It said that personnel were on alert and flood protection works were being carried out at vulnerable sites. Over 40 lakh people have been affected by the flood, which has hit 30 of the state's 38 districts since last month, officials said. Among the worst-affected districts were East and West Champaran, Araria, Kishanganj, Gopalganj, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Supaul, Madhepura and Muzaffarpur, they said. The Disaster Management Department (DMD) said that in the third week of September, 28.34 lakh people were affected by the flood caused by the rise in the water level of the Ganga. "And in the second phase, a total of 16.68 lakh people were affected by the flood caused by the heavy discharge of water in the Gandak, Kosi,

Posters seeking Bharat Ratna for Nitish seen outside JD(U) office in Patna

Posters demanding the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar were on Saturday put up by his Janata Dal (United) at several places in the state capital. One such poster was seen right next to the entrance gate of the JD(U) office at Birchand Patel Marg where, incidentally, the party supremo was attending its state executive meeting. A senior party leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "We cannot say that demand for Bharat Ratna is the JD(U)'s official stand. Maybe, out of a sense of modesty, our leader would even frown upon such vehemence. But deep within every JD(U) worker believes that Nitish Kumar deserves the highest honour". Kumar is the longest-serving chief minister of the state, who has been in the highest seat of power since 2005, except for a few months when Jitan Ram Manjhi, now a Union minister, had occupied the post. Kumar, who is set to lead the NDA in the assembly polls due next year, had formerly enjoyed a successful sti

Bihar Floods: CM Nitish Kumar inspects flood-affected areas, relief works

In terms of material aid, Sen confirmed that over 20,000 polythene sheets have been dispatched to calamity-affected blocks, with plans for further distribution

Prashant Kishor launches new party: Jan Suraaj – here’s what you need to know

Prashant Kishor announces launch of political outfit 'Jan Suraaj Party'

Political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor on Wednesday announced the launch of his political outfit Jan Suraaj Party, a much-anticipated move by which he hopes to take the political landscape in Bihar by storm. The party was launched at Veterinary College Ground in the state capital in presence of many renowned figures, including former Union minister Devendra Prasad Yadav, diplomat-turned-politician Pavan Varma and ex-MP Monazir Hassan. The party was floated exactly two years after Kishor had embarked on a more than 3,000-km-long 'padayatra' of the state, from Champaran where Mahatma Gandhi had launched the first Satyagraha in the country, in a bid to mobilise the people for a "new political alternative" that could cure Bihar of its chronic backwardness.

IAF helicopter makes emergency landing in Muzaffarpur, one injured

An Indian Air Force helicopter made an emergency landing in a waterlogged area in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district on Wednesday after it developed a snag, officials said. Senior Superintendent of Police Rakesh Kumar said the helicopter was coming from adjoining Darbhanga after air-dropping relief material to flood-hit people. "The helicopter made an emergency landing in a waterlogged area in Aurai block. All the occupants were IAF personnel and they were pulled out by locals by the time officials reached the spot," said the SSP. District Magistrate Subrat Kumar Sen said, "All four occupants appear safe and unharmed. However, as a precaution, they are being taken to a local hospital for check-up and treatment, if required.

Wealth of whole nation diverted to Gujarat: Prashant Kishor targets PM Modi

Political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor on Wednesday alleged that after being voted to power by people impressed with his track record in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "diverted wealth of the entire country to his home state". The I-PAC founder, whose first claim to fame was his handling of Modi's spectacular Lok Sabha polls campaign of 2014, made the scathing attack on the PM at a public meeting to mark the launch of his own political outfit Jan Suraaj Party. "People like you and me voted for Modi, listening to his speeches, taken in by the impression that he has done a lot for the development of Gujarat. Indeed, Gujarat is progressing. The wealth of the entire country seems to have been diverted to Gujarat where factories are being set up in every village. People from Bihar are flocking to that state in search of employment," Kishor alleged. The 47-year-old leader was underscoring the point that people got from governments what they had voted for in ...

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

Bihar govt announces reduction in value-added tax on CNG, PNG by 7.5%

The Bihar government on Tuesday announced a reduction in VAT on compressed natural gas (CNG) and piped natural gas (PNG), used for domestic purposes and motor vehicles, by 7.5 per cent - from 20 to 12.5 per cent - in the state. The government also announced the reduction of VAT on PNG, used by industrial units manufacturing goods, from 20 per cent to 5 per cent. The decision to this effect was taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar here. Talking to reporters, soon after the cabinet meeting, S Siddharth, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Cabinet Secretariat, said, The state Cabinet approved reduction in VAT on CNG and PNG, used for domestic purposes and motor vehicles, from 20 per cent to 12.5 per cent in the state. Industrial and business organizations requested the state government to slash the VAT as it is higher than that in neighbouring states, he said. After consideration, the government decided to reduce it on natural gas sold through the city gas

Floods in Bihar worsens as embankments of Kosi, Bagmati rivers breached

Flood situation in several parts of Bihar worsened on Monday as embankments of Kosi river in Darbhanga district and Bagmati river in Sitamarhi were breached, officials said. The Kosi river was in spate and breached its embankment near Kartarpur block, inundating Kirtarpur and Ghanshyampur villages in Darbhanga late on Sunday, while seepage was reported in the embankment of Bagmati river in Runni Saidpur block in Sitamarhi district, they said. "The flood situation has worsened with fresh embankment breaches but it is under control. There is nothing to panic," an official said. The state water resources and disaster management departments have been working on a war footing, he said. "Altogether six incidents of embankment breach have so far been reported from various parts of the state. Some of them have already been repaired and work is going on for others," Bihar Water Resources Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary told PTI on Monday. The embankment of the Bagmati River at Madhkaul vill

Bihar faces severe flooding: Over 1.6 mn affected, six barrages breached

Bihar has issued heavy rain and flood alerts, deploying six NDRF teams from other states, with a total of 12 NDRF and 22 SDRF teams conducting relief operations

Flood alert in Bihar following heavy discharge of water from Birpur barrage

The Bihar government has sounded an alert for flood in northern and central parts of the state following heavy discharge of water from Birpur barrage on Sunday, officials said. A total of 6.61 lakh cusecs of water was released from Birpur barrage on Kosi river till 5 am, the highest in 56 years. According to the latest bulletin by the state Water Resources department, the last time the maximum water discharged from this barrage was 7.88 lakh cusecs of water in 1968. The development may aggravate the condition of over 16.28 lakh people in 13 districts, who were already affected by inundation following heavy rain. Similarly, 5.38 lakh cusecs of water was released from Valmikinagar barrage on Gandak till 7 pm on Saturday. This is the highest water discharged from this barrage after 6.39 lakh cusecs released in 2003. Traffic movement has been stopped near the Kosi barrage as a preventive measure. "The teams of the Water Resources Department are monitoring the embankments on a 24/7 basi

Several Bihar districts on alert as IMD warns of heavy rain, flash flood

An alert has been sounded in several districts of Bihar as the IMD predicted heavy rain and warned of low to moderate flash flood risk in parts of the state, officials said on Saturday. Heavy rain is likely in West and East Champaran, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran, Vaishali, Patna, Jehanabad, Madhubani and Bhojpur districts, an India Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin issued on Friday said. "These districts are at risk of low to moderate flash floods over the next 24 hours," it said. The state disaster management department asked the administration of the districts to remain on alert and take preventive measures in the wake of the forecast. Around 12 districts situated along the Ganga, including Buxar, Bhojpur, Saran, Patna, Samastipur, Begusarai, Munger and Bhagalpur, are already experiencing a flood-like situation, and nearly 13.5 lakh people living in low-lying areas have been affected by rising water levels of rivers, following torrential rainfa