Some positive stories from Bihar-News Digest

Bihar to set up dolphin conservation task force

Bihar has decided to set up a task force for conservation of the endangered Gangetic river dolphins, an official said Thursday.
Mithilesh Kumar, member secretary of the state wildlife board, said a task force headed by wild life expert R.K. Sinha would be constituted soon.‘The state government is serious about the conservation of Gangetic dolphins. A task force is a move in this direction,’ Kumar told IANS here. Sinha is an expert on the species and also chairman of the working group for dolphin conservation set up by the central government.The Gangetic dolphin is India’s national aquatic animal, but frequently falls prey to poachers in the state. Their carcasses are found regularly on the banks of the river. Ganges river dolphins are being killed at an alarming rate in Bihar. Wildlife officials say poachers kill them for flesh and oils. read more here

Bihar has also pipped UP and the rest of India on the asset declaration front.

Interestingly, apart from most other developmental parameters, Bihar has also pipped UP and the rest of India on the asset declaration front.

The state leads the country in putting asset declarations of all bureaucrats and ministers, including that of chief minister Nitish Kumar, in the public domain. Read more here

Transparency International (TI) has hailed Bihar government for ensuring time-bound service to citizens.

TI vice-chairman S K Aggarwal said, "Delhi CM promised to have service-level agreements long ago, but no officer has been fined under it yet because the law has not been notified. In UP, the governor has just signed it. Bihar has the best system since it is linked to information technology, which helps in monitoring appeals. There are also provisions like online RTI and seizure of property of errant officials. MP has an appellate authority." Read More here

AAI keen on expansion of Patna airport

Buoyed by unprecedented growth in air traffic at the city's Jaya Prakash Narayan International airport (JPNI) in the last couple of years, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is working out strategies to better tap the growing flying capacity of people from Bihar. Read More here

Bihar babu who put his dept back on track gets PM award

No wonder, then, that though he is the only winner in the individual achievement category this year, Pratyaya is quick to say, “It (the award) is a recognition for the work that is happening in Bihar today, and it will send a positive message to many people, especially to those investors who are interested but are still not too sure about the state....” He adds: “It is about the 500 employees of the Bihar Pul Raj Nirman Nigam (BRPNN) coming together and working to make it a success, cutting across caste lines.” Read more here..

Some positive stories from Bihar

NOW SIBAL PRAISES NITISH

Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal on Tuesday praised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the progress the state had made in recent years.

Speaking at a function at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Patna, in which the Bihar CM was also present, Sibal turned to Nitish Kumar and said: “Aapki shali aesi hai ki aapko Supreme Court ka lawyer hona chahiye (You have a style good enough to make you a Supreme Court lawyer”. Read more

Polythene ban to be banned in Bihar

Deputy Chief Minister S K Modi today said the state government would soon ban polythene bags in Bihar on the pattern of Delhi, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Read more

Bihar for jointly development coal mining for thermal plants

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi has said he will discuss with Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda the issue of coal mining along with setting up of thermal power units in both the states.
Modi said he would approach Munda to ensure that mining in coal blocks of Urma Pahadi Tola and Maurya, jointly alloted to Bihar State Mineral Development Corporation (BSMDC) and Jharkhand State Electricity Board (JSEB), are carried out speedily. Read more..

Bihar boys bring laurels to state read more...

Car rally showcases development work in Bihar

The Lion's Club organized a car rally in Patna on Sunday to showcase the development taking place in the region, and to generate funds for improving the lot of the underprivileged people. Read more..

Hit on this blog during Jan 2011

My message to William Dalrymple

Dear Mr. Dalrymple,

First of all I would like to introduce myself. I am a born Bihari (Indian). Today I got very offended after reading your interview in WSJ wherein you quoted " that few would’ve turned up had the festival taken place in Patna". As a Bihari and also a resident of Patna, I would like to ask you on what basis you are spreading such a negative image of Patna?

Bihar & Patna is already suffering from a negative image due to biased Indian media and on the top of that such statement from a Historian and writer of your repute does no good to this image but having an incremental impact on the bad perception.

Few year back ( in 2007) also you had given similar statement in Financial Times London regarding Bihar wherein you has given a statement which was about an election in Bihar at a time when there was no election in Bihar. It was extremely negative right from the word go, associating certain reprehensible practices which are culturally far more likely to happen in other states than Bihar.

Some of our fellows Biharis had communicated their apprehensions to you at that time also and you had assured that you will not try to propagate a negative and biased opinion about Bihar any further.

But alas, you did it again this time, and that too without any solid reason. Did you try ever to organise any such thing in PATNA in Bihar? then on what basis such an opinion?

Let me invite you to come to Bihar to get a first hand feel of Bihar/Bihari and our hospitality, culture and warmth. I guarantee that you will be surprised and bowled over.

We are planning to Organize several big festival ( Mahotsava as it is called in HINDI) for example Rajgir Mahotsava, Gaya Mahotsava, Dasrath Manjhi Love Mahotsava, Nalanda Mahotsava, Vikramshila Mahotsava, Patliputra Mahotsava and many more).

The reason for sending this message are not only to communicate to you that we as Biharis are hurt by your irresponsibly statement in international media but also to invite you to have a first hand experience of Bihar so that you can form a more objective and correct opinion about Bihar.

Would also like to invite you to our Facebook Bihar Page and our Volunteer NGO effort for betterment of Bihar. Please see the link below:

a) http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_153744714660549&ap=1
b)http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_188103284536849&ap=1

I also read your clarification that you Love Bihar and hence this invitation to the cause of Bihar. Hope you will reply back or help Bihar rather than only curse and criticize.

regards,

Santosh
Santosh Pandey

Bihar News Dossier 15-Jan 2011

Bihar News Dosier 15-Jan-2011

Publish at Calaméo or browse others.

Development in Bihar: overview, appraisal and approach

Development in Bihar: overview, appraisal and approach

Publish at Scribd or explore others: School Work development bihar

Justice Lodha takes oath as chief justice of Patna high court

Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha today took oath as Chief Justice of Patna High Court.

Bihar Governor R S Gavai administered the oath of office to Justice Lodha at a simple ceremony at Rajbhawan here this evening.

Those who attended the ceremony included Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ramashray Prasad Singh, Law Minister Ramnath Thakur and several other dignitaries.

Justice Lodha was earlier Judge of Rajasthan High Court. He also served in Mumbai High Court.

After obtaining law graduation (LLB) from Jodhpur university, he was enrolled with Bar Council of Rajasthan. He practised exclusively in Rajasthan High Court and dealt with almost all branches of the law. Prior to his elevation of judge of Rajasthan High Court on January 31, 1994, he was the standing counsel of the Central government and was in-charge of entire litigation of the Union government at Jaipur bench from 1990 to 1992.