Page 2 - Bihar

Securing absolute majority in Assembly polls top priority: Bihar BJP chief

The BJP's new Bihar unit chief Samrat Chaudhary on Thursday asserted that securing all 40 Lok Sabha seats of the state next year and ensuring an "absolute majority" for his party in the assembly polls of 2025 will be his top priority. Currently the Leader of the Opposition in the state legislative council, Chaudhary, who was a minister in the Nitish Kumar government till the JD(U) leader remained with NDA, also did not deny that by hedging its bets on him, the BJP has sought to make a dent in the "Luv-Kush" base of the Bihar chief minister. "The BJP cares for all. But, of course, where else would Luv Kush go except the place where Lord Rama abides", Chaudhary replied, tongue in cheek, to questions from journalists about the "Kurmi-Koeri" combine, known by the name of the mythical twins in Bihar's political lexicon. The development is an indication of the challenges faced by the BJP in a state where it has become a force to reckon with but feels hamstrung by the "pro-upper caste ...

Bihar Board 10th Result 2023: All you need to know about downloading

The Bihar Board 10th Result 2023 will be made available by the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) by the end of March 2023. Check the pattern of the release of the Bihar Board 10th Result 2023

NTPC plant in Barh synchronises 4th unit, Bihar to get additional 405 MW

A 660-MW unit of the National Thermal Power Corporation's plant at Barh in Patna district was synchronised with the grid on Sunday morning, which is likely to result in supply of an additional 405 MW electricity for Bihar, a company official said. According to NTPC spokesman Vishwanath Chandan, the unit was successfully synchronised at 9.30 am. "The super critical based power project in Bihar has a total installed capacity of 3,300 MW with five units of 660-MW each. With today's development, we can look forward to the last unit becoming operational in 2023-24, Chandan said. The three units that became operational earlier are already successful in generation, and have been contributing over 1,600 MW electricity to Bihar, he said. "The successful synchronisation of the plant would pave way for commissioning of the unit prior to the declaration of commercial operation of the plant, he said. Under the synchronisation process, the plant was connected to the grid to see the load factor

Land-for-job scam: HC to hear Tejashwi's plea to quash CBI summons today

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav has approached the Delhi High Court seeking quashing of summons issued to him by the CBI for appearing before it in connection with a case related to the alleged land-for-job scam. The petition is listed for hearing on Thursday before Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma. RJD supremo and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav's son Tejashwi Yadav in his plea said section 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), under which the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has issued the summons, states that notices for appearance of a person should be within the local jurisdiction of a police station or within the adjoining police station of the place the person is located. He said he is a resident of Patna in Bihar and he has been asked to join the investigation in Delhi which is neither within the jurisdiction of Patna nor adjoining the same. The case relates to alleged appointments made in the railways in return for land parcels gifted or so

Bihar has lowest literacy rate followed by Arunachal, Rajasthan: Ministry

Bihar has the lowest literacy rate in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh and Rajasthan, according to Ministry of Education. The literacy rate in rural India is 67.77 per cent as compared to 84.11 per cent in urban India, it said. The information was shared by Union Minister of State for Education, Annapurna Devi in response to a written question in Lok Sabha. "Samagra Shiksha scheme envisages the school as a continuum from pre-school, primary, upper primary, secondary to senior secondary levels. "The states and UTs are assisted by the central government to implement the Samagra Shiksha as a programme for providing universal access and retention, bridging the gender and social category gaps in education and enhancement of learning level of children at all levels of school education," Devi said. According to the data shared by the Ministry of Education, Bihar (61.8 pc) has the lowest literacy, followed by Arunachal Pradesh (65.3 pc) and Rajasthan (66.1 pc). Kerala has the hi

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: ED searches Lalu Prasad's family, RJD leaders

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Friday conducted searches in multiple cities of Bihar and other locations, including premises of former CM Lalu Prasad Yadav's three daughters and RJD leaders, in connection with a money laundering investigation into the land for jobs 'scam' case. The searches are covering the premises linked to Prasad's daughters Ragini Yadav, Chanda Yadav and Hema Yadav and former RJD MLA Abu Dojana in Patna, Phulwari Sharif, Delhi-NCR, Ranchi and Mumbai, officials said. 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, they said. The CBI has filed a charge sheet in the case against Prasad, his wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi and 14 others under charges of criminal conspiracy and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and all the accused have been summoned on March 15, officials had said. The ED case, filed under the crimin

Land for jobs 'scam': ED carries out searches in multiple cities of Bihar

The Enforcement (ED) Friday conducted searches in multiple cities of Bihar in connection with a money laundering investigation into the land for jobs 'scam' case in which RJD leaders Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi were questioned recently by the CBI. The searches are covering some leaders linked to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in towns like Patna and Phulwari Sharif, officials said. 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, they said. The CBI has filed a charge sheet in the case against Prasad, his wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi and 14 others under charges of criminal conspiracy and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and all the accused have been summoned on March 15, officials had said. The ED case, filed under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, stems from this CBI complaint. Both Lalu Pras

Bihar Police cancel leaves of personnel to beef up security ahead of Holi

Bihar Police on Tuesday cancelled the leave of all personnel ahead of Holi

Land for jobs case: RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav being questioned by CBI

Land for jobs case: The examination of the Yadav comes a day after his wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi was quizzed at her Patna residence by the agency for nearly five hours

Land for jobs case: CBI team reaches at residence of ex-Bihar CM Rabri Devi

A CBI team on Monday visited the residence of former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi in connection with "further probe" in the land for jobs scam case, officials said. There is no search or raid taking place, they said. The CBI had already filed its charge sheet in the case and the special court has summoned the accused, including former Railways Minister Lalu Prasad and his family members and others on March 15, they said. The agency has kept the further probe open into the alleged scam case, they said. The visit of the CBI team is in connection with further investigation in the case, they said. It was alleged in the FIR that some persons, although residents of Patna in Bihar, were appointed as substitutes in Group-D posts during the period 2004-2009 in different zones of the railways located in Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hajipur and in lieu thereof, the individuals themselves or their family members transferred their land in the name of family members of Prasad and a

No 'Bhoodan land' in 13 Bihar districts for distribution among poor: Panel

The Bihar government has so far distributed over 73,000 acres of Bhoodan land' among the poor in 13 districts and no parcel is available now for allocation in these areas, according to a report. Around 1.06 lakh acres of land, donated during the 'Bhoodan' movement, spearheaded by human rights activist Vinoba Bhave in the 1950s, have been found not fit for distribution among the landless in these districts, he said. Notably, a three-member commission was set up by the Bihar government in 2017 to check the paperwork for the land donated during the movement. The panel has found that revenue records of around 1.06 lakh acres of land donated during the Bhoodan campaign in these districts are not confirmed' (not fit for distribution), the commission's head Ashok Kumar Choudhary told PTI. Gopalganj, Supaul, Muzaffarpur, East Champaran, Saharsa, Sitamarhi, West Champaran, Darbhanga are among these 13 districts. So far 73,245.47 acres of confirmed' donated land was distributed among landl

Kushwaha's exit may hurt Nitish as BJP goes fishing for JD-U weak links

After the separation of the Janata Dal-United from the National Democratic Alliance in August 2022, the BJP targeted the weak links of the party to hurt the vote bank of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar

Nitish Kumar biggest obstacle for Tejashwi becoming Bihar CM: RJD MLA

RJD MLA Sudhakar Singh once again targetted Nitish Kumar by terming him the "biggest obstacle" in the path of Tejashwi Yadav taking over as Bihar Chief Minister

Nitish expresses concern over attacks on Bihar labourers in Tamil Nadu

Bihar Chief Minsiter Nitish Kumar on Thursday expressed concern over the alleged attacks on labourers hailing from the state in far-off Tamil Nadu. Taking to Twitter, Kumar said he has instructed officials here to get in touch with their counterparts in Tamil Nadu and ensure security of labourers from Bihar, who are eking out a living in the southern state. "I have learnt from newspapers that labourers from Bihar who are employed in Tamil Nadu are being attacked. I have asked the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police of Bihar to speak to officials in Tamil Nadu and ensure safety and security of Bihari workers there," Kumar tweeted. Reports of physical assaults on labourers from Bihar and other Hindi-speaking regions, many of whom have uploaded videos of their travails on social media, had surfaced in the recent past.

Bihar Finance Minister presents state's Economic Survey 2021-22 in Assembly

As the economic survey, the per capita income has increased by Rs 6,400

BJP has closed its door forever for Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, says Amit Shah

During the UPA government, the Centre had granted Rs 50,000 crore to Bihar while the Narendra Modi government has provided a grant of Rs 1.09 lakh crore since 2014

Amit Shah afraid of losing seats, visiting Bihar repeatedly: Tejashwi Yadav

As Home Minister Amit Shah is visiting Bihar to address a rally, state Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav took a swipe at BJP leader and said that he is visiting the state repeatedly due to fear of losing seats

BJP, grand alliance to demonstrate political strength in Bihar today

During his visit, Shah will address a public meeting in Lauria under Valmiki Nagar Lok Sabha Constituency in Bihar to strengthen the party activities

Bihar cabinet approves $50,000 for developing fog alert system with US-NCAR

The Bihar cabinet on Friday approved USD 50,000 for developing an early warning system for dense fog and cold wave conditions in collaboration with the US National Center for Atmospheric Research (US-NCAR). The cabinet approved USD 50,000 (about Rs 41.41 lakh) for technical support of the works that will be jointly carried out by the state government and US-NCAR. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will soon be signed between the state government and NCAR, said an official statement. "The proposal for the approval of USD 50,000 for the project was mooted by the Planning and Development Department," it said. "Early warning systems are key elements of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction, and aim to avoid or reduce the damages caused by extreme weather conditions," it added. The Bihar Mausam Seva Kendra (BMSK) is developing an app through which early warning for dense fog and cold wave conditions will be provided to the people, the statement said. "Besides, informa