The city will have another world class museum. The USP of the new museum would be to project the glorious past of Bihar through displays
A brain child of CM Nitish Kumar, the new museum would be located on posh Bailey Road area of the state capital. Sources said experts are already on the job to chalk out the details about the new museum.
Six spacious government bungalows (nos. 2 to 7) spread over 10 acres of land would be demolished to build the museum. Currently, these bungalows are occupied by ministers.
The state building development department has started working on this ambitious project, sources said, addingthat the proposed museum will be equipped with the latest technology in lighting, lift, doors, interior decor and foolproof security system.
The museum, according to an official, would be on the par with any other museum in the world, particularly in terms of its rich antiquities and decor.
It would be one of the major attractions for visitors, mostly foreigners. "Though the time frame has not yet been fixed, it is likely to be completed within three years," said an official.
For branding Bihar, the USP of the museum would be on "Bihar Through Ages" to project the glorious past of the state through audio-visuals and displays.
"We are preparing a tentative project to be put up before the government for its final approval," said Patna Museum additional director Umesh Chandra Dwivedi.
The existing city museum, built in 1917, does not have adequate space to display all the antiquities. Out of the total 45,000 antiquities available at the museum, barely 2,500 artefacts are on display, Dwivedi said.
"It is essential to build another museum to display all the artefacts available with the museum. The paintings and other miscellaneous items will be on display in the old museum," Dwivedi said.
Important and rare collection of the old museum are likely to be shifted to the new one.
Meanwhile, the Ahmedabad-based National Institute of Design (NID) is engaged in redesigning the Patna Museum in an effort to give it a new look.
Relics of Lord Buddha, his ashes and other related materials discovered during the excavation of a 6th century stupa at Vaishali are currently on display on the first floor of the museum. The relics of Xuanzang are not on display as well.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Bihar IITF pavilion draws huge crowds
The Bihar pavilion at India International Trade Fair (IITF 09) at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, has focused on the vision of emerging Bihar
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with the slogan faith, wisdom and science.
The vision encompasses the state government's move to develop the potential of religious tourism of all the faiths to showcase the wisdom and the centre of learning at the ancient Nalanda University around which the present Nalanda International centre of learning and university is coming up, and the pursuit of scientific development, said the deputy director, industries, R C Rai.
Rai, who is camping at the Bihar pavilion site at Pragati Maidan, told TOI over the phone that the Bihar pavilion is also focusing on service industries and export on the IITF 09 theme "Exports of Services". Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA) has already received over 55 investment proposals at the fair. It is appealing the investors to invest in service sector, including the knowledge process outsourcing in Bihar, he said.
At the outset industries principal secretary A K Sinha, agriculture production commissioner K C Saha, tourism principal secretary Rashmi Verma, Bihar resident commissioner in Delhi A V Chaturvedi and Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam chairman Bihar Atish Chandra had at the Bihar pavilion focused on Bihar as an investment destination with untapped market potential. They projected Bihar as a land of boundless opportunities in infrastructure development, food processing, sugarcane and ethanol production, textiles, healthcare and tourism, and potential for growth of tourism industry with its rich cultural heritage and abundance of waterbodies.
The Bihar pavilion displays intricately designed religious circuits of different faiths Buddhism, Jainism, Sufism and other religious circuits. The tourism stall is providing the details of tourist spots and pilgrim centres in Bihar. At its stall, BPRNN, which has raised the Bihar pavilion, displayed its success story of building 140 bridges in record time. The Sudha stall has displayed the success story of the white revolution brought in Bihar through a network of co-operative milk societies and it has put on display its milk and other products.
The jute jwellery stall is drawing huge crowds, Rai said. Bihar State Khadi Gramodyog Board has at its stall put on display and sale khadi products. The stall, showcasing rural development in Bihar, has put on display handicraft items and products of rural women entrepreneurs, he added. Besides there are stalls of Madhubani, Mithila and Godna paintings, Bhagalpuri silk and silk sari, applique bedsheets, Suzni work sari.
At the IITF food court, Bihar's specialities litti chokha, tilkut, laai, anarsa, khaza, and litchi juice are available.
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with the slogan faith, wisdom and science.
The vision encompasses the state government's move to develop the potential of religious tourism of all the faiths to showcase the wisdom and the centre of learning at the ancient Nalanda University around which the present Nalanda International centre of learning and university is coming up, and the pursuit of scientific development, said the deputy director, industries, R C Rai.
Rai, who is camping at the Bihar pavilion site at Pragati Maidan, told TOI over the phone that the Bihar pavilion is also focusing on service industries and export on the IITF 09 theme "Exports of Services". Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA) has already received over 55 investment proposals at the fair. It is appealing the investors to invest in service sector, including the knowledge process outsourcing in Bihar, he said.
At the outset industries principal secretary A K Sinha, agriculture production commissioner K C Saha, tourism principal secretary Rashmi Verma, Bihar resident commissioner in Delhi A V Chaturvedi and Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam chairman Bihar Atish Chandra had at the Bihar pavilion focused on Bihar as an investment destination with untapped market potential. They projected Bihar as a land of boundless opportunities in infrastructure development, food processing, sugarcane and ethanol production, textiles, healthcare and tourism, and potential for growth of tourism industry with its rich cultural heritage and abundance of waterbodies.
The Bihar pavilion displays intricately designed religious circuits of different faiths Buddhism, Jainism, Sufism and other religious circuits. The tourism stall is providing the details of tourist spots and pilgrim centres in Bihar. At its stall, BPRNN, which has raised the Bihar pavilion, displayed its success story of building 140 bridges in record time. The Sudha stall has displayed the success story of the white revolution brought in Bihar through a network of co-operative milk societies and it has put on display its milk and other products.
The jute jwellery stall is drawing huge crowds, Rai said. Bihar State Khadi Gramodyog Board has at its stall put on display and sale khadi products. The stall, showcasing rural development in Bihar, has put on display handicraft items and products of rural women entrepreneurs, he added. Besides there are stalls of Madhubani, Mithila and Godna paintings, Bhagalpuri silk and silk sari, applique bedsheets, Suzni work sari.
At the IITF food court, Bihar's specialities litti chokha, tilkut, laai, anarsa, khaza, and litchi juice are available.
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Nandan Nilekani to help Bihar improve e-governance
Bihar has sought the help of Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, the chief of India's Unique Identification Database Authority, to
improve the state's e-governance system.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar disclosed at a function in Patna on Friday evening that Nilekani will visit Patna November 17 and hold talks with senior government officials to strengthen e-governance in the state.
All 37 district headquarters and 470 block headquarters in Bihar can be accessed online through the Bihar State Wide Area Network. "We have made progress in e-governance in the last few years - from Remington typewriters to online access," the Chief Minister said.
Bihar had formally adopted e-governance as a state policy in 2006 on the advice of former President APJ Abdul Kalam.
The state has constituted a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with the objective of bringing about an Information Technology (IT) transformation in the state. The SPV was constituted as a tripartite joint venture of state-owned Beltron, Tata Consultancy Services and Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (ILFS) at an estimated cost of Rs 380 million.
The SPV is preparing a comprehensive special package for e-governance. Besides, separate e-governance packages have been created for different departments by the joint venture partners, based on specific requirements.
The state government has already equipped legislators with sophisticated laptop computers under the national e-governance plan of the central government.
The previous state government, headed by Rabri Devi had brought several departments online and launched an official web site of the state.
Her husband, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad, also a former Chief Minister, has often rubbished IT as a "tool of the elite".
improve the state's e-governance system.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar disclosed at a function in Patna on Friday evening that Nilekani will visit Patna November 17 and hold talks with senior government officials to strengthen e-governance in the state.
All 37 district headquarters and 470 block headquarters in Bihar can be accessed online through the Bihar State Wide Area Network. "We have made progress in e-governance in the last few years - from Remington typewriters to online access," the Chief Minister said.
Bihar had formally adopted e-governance as a state policy in 2006 on the advice of former President APJ Abdul Kalam.
The state has constituted a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with the objective of bringing about an Information Technology (IT) transformation in the state. The SPV was constituted as a tripartite joint venture of state-owned Beltron, Tata Consultancy Services and Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (ILFS) at an estimated cost of Rs 380 million.
The SPV is preparing a comprehensive special package for e-governance. Besides, separate e-governance packages have been created for different departments by the joint venture partners, based on specific requirements.
The state government has already equipped legislators with sophisticated laptop computers under the national e-governance plan of the central government.
The previous state government, headed by Rabri Devi had brought several departments online and launched an official web site of the state.
Her husband, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad, also a former Chief Minister, has often rubbished IT as a "tool of the elite".
Bihar villagers now get green electricity
A technology that converts rice husk into electricity is gaining ground in Bihar. Some 100,000 households in the state already use
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electricity produced from biomass and their number is steadily growing.
According to an estimate, 44% of India's population still live without electricity, making this biomass-based power generation technology indispensable in energy-starved states like Bihar.
Though this technology has been in use for the past 50 years in India, Husk Power Systems (HPS), a rural electrification company, has modified it to create a cost-effective operational model.
Today, HPS supplies power to 50 off-grid villages in the state. Each village has a population between 2,000 and 4,000. By 2012, HPS plans to cover 2,000 villages in the state.
Rice husk is traditionally discarded in India. However, when it is heated, it releases a gas that HPS uses to run modified diesel engines to generate electricity.
"We heat rice husk to a point at which they turn into gas and that gas runs an engine," said Chip Ransler, chief strategy officer of HPS. The power is supplied through a grid that HPS operates.
The rice husk is procured from farmers and mill owners, and each biomass gasification plant is run by trained mechanics.
"Roughly 1.5 kg of rice husk yields 1 KWh (kilowatt-hour) of electricity," Ransler said.
"Electricity is generated via an alternator and delivered in three phases at 220 volts. We set up grids that are specially suited according to the size of the villages. The setup is completely decentralised," he added.
The villages that have benefited include Tamkuha, Dhanaha, Rupahi, Madhubani, Inarawa, Sarisawa and Majhoulia. All are located in West Champaran district.
However, the company wants to keep its electricity rates confidential.
"We don't share the price. But villagers save 50 percent of what they were spending on kerosene and diesel, and they're getting much larger output from the investments in HPS," Ransler said.
Simon Desjardins, an analyst with Shell Foundation, a Britain-based NGO that provides financial and technical aid to HPS, said electricity shortages can directly impede the economic development of a village, apart from the environmental pollution caused by the use of diesel and kerosene.
"Today, Bihar represents a viable market for modern energy services. The rural communities are willing to pay for reliable electricity," he said.
Ransler said HPS initially provided electricity to 15 villages with support from the Shell Foundation. Now it has 10 biomass plants with capacity ranging from 35-100 KW. It has also created jobs opportunities for the locals.
Biomass gasification plants are eco-friendly as they replace diesel and kerosene with carbon-neutral biomass-derived electricity.
Ransler said each HPS plant offsets roughly 80-100 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.
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electricity produced from biomass and their number is steadily growing.
According to an estimate, 44% of India's population still live without electricity, making this biomass-based power generation technology indispensable in energy-starved states like Bihar.
Though this technology has been in use for the past 50 years in India, Husk Power Systems (HPS), a rural electrification company, has modified it to create a cost-effective operational model.
Today, HPS supplies power to 50 off-grid villages in the state. Each village has a population between 2,000 and 4,000. By 2012, HPS plans to cover 2,000 villages in the state.
Rice husk is traditionally discarded in India. However, when it is heated, it releases a gas that HPS uses to run modified diesel engines to generate electricity.
"We heat rice husk to a point at which they turn into gas and that gas runs an engine," said Chip Ransler, chief strategy officer of HPS. The power is supplied through a grid that HPS operates.
The rice husk is procured from farmers and mill owners, and each biomass gasification plant is run by trained mechanics.
"Roughly 1.5 kg of rice husk yields 1 KWh (kilowatt-hour) of electricity," Ransler said.
"Electricity is generated via an alternator and delivered in three phases at 220 volts. We set up grids that are specially suited according to the size of the villages. The setup is completely decentralised," he added.
The villages that have benefited include Tamkuha, Dhanaha, Rupahi, Madhubani, Inarawa, Sarisawa and Majhoulia. All are located in West Champaran district.
However, the company wants to keep its electricity rates confidential.
"We don't share the price. But villagers save 50 percent of what they were spending on kerosene and diesel, and they're getting much larger output from the investments in HPS," Ransler said.
Simon Desjardins, an analyst with Shell Foundation, a Britain-based NGO that provides financial and technical aid to HPS, said electricity shortages can directly impede the economic development of a village, apart from the environmental pollution caused by the use of diesel and kerosene.
"Today, Bihar represents a viable market for modern energy services. The rural communities are willing to pay for reliable electricity," he said.
Ransler said HPS initially provided electricity to 15 villages with support from the Shell Foundation. Now it has 10 biomass plants with capacity ranging from 35-100 KW. It has also created jobs opportunities for the locals.
Biomass gasification plants are eco-friendly as they replace diesel and kerosene with carbon-neutral biomass-derived electricity.
Ransler said each HPS plant offsets roughly 80-100 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.
Study shows Bihar emerging as job hub
Biharis, in general, have a reputation of flooding cities of other Indian states in search of employment. But this stigma could soon be a
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thing of the past as the state capital seems to be emerging as an employment hub. This is according to a survey by Assocham Placement Pattern Study for the first seven months (April to October) of the current fiscal (2009-10).
The good news comes close on the heels of chief minister Nitish Kumar saying that Bihar, which was once dubbed a failed state, is now a success story under his stewardship. On Tuesday, he completed four years in office as CM.
The APP report talks of different aspects of employment, including sectoral patterns and performance of different categories of cities in terms of employment generation.
Under the city classification, Patna has been placed in Tier II along with 17 other major Indian cities. The cities jointly contributed 18.82 per cent in terms of total employment generation in the country in the said period and Patna’s contribution of 0.41 per cent was higher than Indore’s (0.33 per cent), Nagpur’s (0.32 per cent), Cochin’s (0.32 per cent), Ludhiana’s (0.28 per cent), Bhubaneswar’s (0.25 per cent), Bhopal’s (0.21 per cent), Amritsar’s (0.18 per cent) and Gwalior’s (0.17 per cent).
Cities which have a greater share than Patna in this aspect, are Pune (5.46 per cent), Ahmedabad (5.01 per cent), Chandigarh (1.95 per cent), Surat (1.13 per cent), Lucknow (0.82 per cent), Gandhi Nagar (0.80 per cent), Jaipur (0.68 per cent) and Vishakapatnam (0.50 per cent).
There is yet another area in which Patna has left behind cities like Bhopal, Amritsar, Gwalior and Ludhiana. It pertains to a percentage growth in job creation during April-October 2009-10 compared to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal (2008-09).
While the state capital recorded a growth of 20.52 per cent in this period, Bhopal, Amritsar, Gwalior and Ludhiana registered a decline in job creation by 26.68 per cent, 9.60 per cent, 6.27 per cent and 3.94 per cent respectively.
Economist N K Chowdhary attributes this to an improved law and order situation. "And overall positive approach of the state government has helped promote economic activities resulting in growth in employment," he said.
Concurred Bihar Chamber of Commerce president P K Agrawal, "Employment opportunities have increased both in organized and unorganized sectors with telecom, banking, insurance and real estate sectors being the most visible contributors in terms of employment generation."
However, Asian Development Research Institute director and economist P P Ghosh opined against drawing conclusions. "The high percentage growth in employment generation may be the result of a low base where even small growth is reflected very highly in percentage terms," he cautioned.
Ghosh, nevertheless, agreed that rapid increase in development expenditure in the past four years would certainly have helped in employment generation.
"Bihar has changed," Nitish was quoted saying on Tuesday after the four-year stock-taking. He even said that Amartya Sen and Nandan Nilekani had acknowledged this.
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thing of the past as the state capital seems to be emerging as an employment hub. This is according to a survey by Assocham Placement Pattern Study for the first seven months (April to October) of the current fiscal (2009-10).
The good news comes close on the heels of chief minister Nitish Kumar saying that Bihar, which was once dubbed a failed state, is now a success story under his stewardship. On Tuesday, he completed four years in office as CM.
The APP report talks of different aspects of employment, including sectoral patterns and performance of different categories of cities in terms of employment generation.
Under the city classification, Patna has been placed in Tier II along with 17 other major Indian cities. The cities jointly contributed 18.82 per cent in terms of total employment generation in the country in the said period and Patna’s contribution of 0.41 per cent was higher than Indore’s (0.33 per cent), Nagpur’s (0.32 per cent), Cochin’s (0.32 per cent), Ludhiana’s (0.28 per cent), Bhubaneswar’s (0.25 per cent), Bhopal’s (0.21 per cent), Amritsar’s (0.18 per cent) and Gwalior’s (0.17 per cent).
Cities which have a greater share than Patna in this aspect, are Pune (5.46 per cent), Ahmedabad (5.01 per cent), Chandigarh (1.95 per cent), Surat (1.13 per cent), Lucknow (0.82 per cent), Gandhi Nagar (0.80 per cent), Jaipur (0.68 per cent) and Vishakapatnam (0.50 per cent).
There is yet another area in which Patna has left behind cities like Bhopal, Amritsar, Gwalior and Ludhiana. It pertains to a percentage growth in job creation during April-October 2009-10 compared to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal (2008-09).
While the state capital recorded a growth of 20.52 per cent in this period, Bhopal, Amritsar, Gwalior and Ludhiana registered a decline in job creation by 26.68 per cent, 9.60 per cent, 6.27 per cent and 3.94 per cent respectively.
Economist N K Chowdhary attributes this to an improved law and order situation. "And overall positive approach of the state government has helped promote economic activities resulting in growth in employment," he said.
Concurred Bihar Chamber of Commerce president P K Agrawal, "Employment opportunities have increased both in organized and unorganized sectors with telecom, banking, insurance and real estate sectors being the most visible contributors in terms of employment generation."
However, Asian Development Research Institute director and economist P P Ghosh opined against drawing conclusions. "The high percentage growth in employment generation may be the result of a low base where even small growth is reflected very highly in percentage terms," he cautioned.
Ghosh, nevertheless, agreed that rapid increase in development expenditure in the past four years would certainly have helped in employment generation.
"Bihar has changed," Nitish was quoted saying on Tuesday after the four-year stock-taking. He even said that Amartya Sen and Nandan Nilekani had acknowledged this.
`Sushasan' effect: Flyers' flow up
Economic slowdown notwithstanding, the number of air passengers flying out of and into Bihar has been increasing constantly with Patna's
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Jayaprakash Narain International Airport receiving and seeing off as many as 56,049 air travellers in October this year as against 27,711 air travellers during the same month last year.
That's a growth of well above 100%! And this is not a one-off growth. Even in the preceding five months from May to September of the current year, the flow of passengers to and from Patna has been up.
There are some who attribute it to the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government's "sushasan" or good governance. "I think improved law and order and overall positive environment for development have attracted many people who earlier hesitated visiting the state," Airports Authority of India (AAI)'s Patna director Arvind Dubey told TOI on Saturday.
Dubey, however, added the number of flights connecting the state capital to other parts of the country has also gone up, of late. In the past five months, the number of flights to and from Patna has gone up from eight to 12. "With many of these flights being low-cost carriers, more and more people are opting for air travel," Dubey said.
Low-cost carriers like Kingfisher Red, JetLite, Jet Konnect and IndiGo fly to and from Patna. Aviation industry sources say more such flights are in the pipeline. That would, needless to say, give a fresh fillip to air travel to and from the city.
The increased flow of passengers is music to the ears of AAI authorities as the Patna airport has been a loss-making unit. "We have certainly been able to reduce the deficit and hope to do better by optimising the use of existing facilities at the airport," Dubey said, refusing, however, to divulge the deficit details.
The AAI director's hopes are not unfounded. The airport watch hours currently starts at 8 am and ends at 9.30 pm. "If we have sufficient number of flights, we can work round-the-clock
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Jayaprakash Narain International Airport receiving and seeing off as many as 56,049 air travellers in October this year as against 27,711 air travellers during the same month last year.
That's a growth of well above 100%! And this is not a one-off growth. Even in the preceding five months from May to September of the current year, the flow of passengers to and from Patna has been up.
There are some who attribute it to the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government's "sushasan" or good governance. "I think improved law and order and overall positive environment for development have attracted many people who earlier hesitated visiting the state," Airports Authority of India (AAI)'s Patna director Arvind Dubey told TOI on Saturday.
Dubey, however, added the number of flights connecting the state capital to other parts of the country has also gone up, of late. In the past five months, the number of flights to and from Patna has gone up from eight to 12. "With many of these flights being low-cost carriers, more and more people are opting for air travel," Dubey said.
Low-cost carriers like Kingfisher Red, JetLite, Jet Konnect and IndiGo fly to and from Patna. Aviation industry sources say more such flights are in the pipeline. That would, needless to say, give a fresh fillip to air travel to and from the city.
The increased flow of passengers is music to the ears of AAI authorities as the Patna airport has been a loss-making unit. "We have certainly been able to reduce the deficit and hope to do better by optimising the use of existing facilities at the airport," Dubey said, refusing, however, to divulge the deficit details.
The AAI director's hopes are not unfounded. The airport watch hours currently starts at 8 am and ends at 9.30 pm. "If we have sufficient number of flights, we can work round-the-clock
Bihar now a success story: Nitish
Chief minister Nitish Kumar takes pride in Bihar's turnaround in a short period. "Bihar was a failed state but now Bihar is a success
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story," Nitish told TOI on Monday. He completes four years in office as CM on Tuesday.
Sitting under a canopy at the herbal garden on the eastern flank of his 1 Anne Marg residence amidst the aroma of a large variety of herbal plants like plectranthus amboinicus (ajwain) and sweritia chiratta (chiraita), a relaxed-looking Nitish spent hours giving interviews to the media on Monday.
"Running a state like Bihar is no joke particularly while working for every section of society," he said.
Much before Barack Obama made his famous slogan of "Yes, we can", Nitish had pledged to change the face and character of Bihar which was infamous for crime and corruption. "We did it in a brief period and today at least people are not living under terror," he said.
He said the duration hardly mattered when good work was initiated with commitment. "Sher Shah ruled the country for just over four years but he is still remembered for his good work," Nitish said, adding quickly: "No, no, I am not comparing myself with the emperor who to date is the only Bihari to have ruled the country."
"When I look back I feel astonished and think if it was really possible to do so many things in a state where nothing moved. Bihar watchers are also surprised," Nitish claimed.
He said four years was not a long time keeping in mind the state's backwardness and administrative failures, where "there was neither law nor order", but now a lot of work has been done for the development of infrastructure, human resources, besides special measures for the deprived sections.
"There is no longer any tension in society. People are feeling secure. Festivals are observed in total harmony. I treat this as a big achievement," Nitish said. He continued, "Bihar has changed. This is acknowledged by people like Amartya Sen and Nandan Nilekani."
The CM said he has received the people's mandate for five years and in the remaining one year he would continue aggressively for the state's development and welfare of its people without any discrimination.
"I will seek a second term from the people on the basis of my work and not on hollow claims. It's up to the public to decide. They fully know that Bihar has changed and will change further for the good," Nitish said.
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story," Nitish told TOI on Monday. He completes four years in office as CM on Tuesday.
Sitting under a canopy at the herbal garden on the eastern flank of his 1 Anne Marg residence amidst the aroma of a large variety of herbal plants like plectranthus amboinicus (ajwain) and sweritia chiratta (chiraita), a relaxed-looking Nitish spent hours giving interviews to the media on Monday.
"Running a state like Bihar is no joke particularly while working for every section of society," he said.
Much before Barack Obama made his famous slogan of "Yes, we can", Nitish had pledged to change the face and character of Bihar which was infamous for crime and corruption. "We did it in a brief period and today at least people are not living under terror," he said.
He said the duration hardly mattered when good work was initiated with commitment. "Sher Shah ruled the country for just over four years but he is still remembered for his good work," Nitish said, adding quickly: "No, no, I am not comparing myself with the emperor who to date is the only Bihari to have ruled the country."
"When I look back I feel astonished and think if it was really possible to do so many things in a state where nothing moved. Bihar watchers are also surprised," Nitish claimed.
He said four years was not a long time keeping in mind the state's backwardness and administrative failures, where "there was neither law nor order", but now a lot of work has been done for the development of infrastructure, human resources, besides special measures for the deprived sections.
"There is no longer any tension in society. People are feeling secure. Festivals are observed in total harmony. I treat this as a big achievement," Nitish said. He continued, "Bihar has changed. This is acknowledged by people like Amartya Sen and Nandan Nilekani."
The CM said he has received the people's mandate for five years and in the remaining one year he would continue aggressively for the state's development and welfare of its people without any discrimination.
"I will seek a second term from the people on the basis of my work and not on hollow claims. It's up to the public to decide. They fully know that Bihar has changed and will change further for the good," Nitish said.
River cruise boosts Bihar handicrafts sale
A range of vibrant handicrafts to choose from, a tour of heritage hotspots and bird-watching in the sylvan thicket. All this, while
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tourists go sailing down the mighty Ganga.
Western tourists who have been taking the Kolkata-Varanasi river cruise, introduced on September 29 this year, are being feted with these incentives on board.
Till date, products (mainly silk and the famous Manjusha art) worth Rs 80,000 have been sold. Principal secretary, Bihar tourism, Rashmi Verma, said, "The famous Bhagalpuri silk, garments and Manjusha paintings were in great demand. The cruise has definitely boosted the sale of handicrafts and art products of Bihar."
A wide range of silk items, sikki and paintings were exhibited during the seven-day cruise. Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation DGM, Navin Kumar, said, "In just one week we sold products worth Rs 30,000. The cruise will be suspended next month in view of Christmas and New Year when foreign tourists would be busy with their festivities. The cruise will resume in January next year."
Encouraged by the spurt in sale, BSTDC is planning to put up more items on sale, including Tikuli art and paintings on paddy husks from January. Kumar said that crafstmen in Madhubani, Jehanabad and Patna have been identified who will supply the paintings.
Apart from ethnic shopping, the tourism department has introduced bird-watching for value addition. "Many foreigners are keen avian watchers. We have put a wildlife expert, Raj Vir Singh, on the cruise. Singh spotted dozens of species of birds on the Buxar-Patna and Simaria Ghat stretch," said Kumar.
About 500 km of the 800 km cruise covers places like Bhagalpur, Munger, Patna and Buxar. Those with a thirst for history and nature can go on a tour of these places. The Yoga Ashram and the ancient Vikramshila University in Munger will beckon many. The Dolphin Sanctuary in Bhagalpur would be fun, while ancient Nalanda, Rajgir and Bodh Gaya would be a trip down the lanes of history. BSTDC and Pandaw Cruise are jointly promoting this cruise on the Ganga.
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tourists go sailing down the mighty Ganga.
Western tourists who have been taking the Kolkata-Varanasi river cruise, introduced on September 29 this year, are being feted with these incentives on board.
Till date, products (mainly silk and the famous Manjusha art) worth Rs 80,000 have been sold. Principal secretary, Bihar tourism, Rashmi Verma, said, "The famous Bhagalpuri silk, garments and Manjusha paintings were in great demand. The cruise has definitely boosted the sale of handicrafts and art products of Bihar."
A wide range of silk items, sikki and paintings were exhibited during the seven-day cruise. Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation DGM, Navin Kumar, said, "In just one week we sold products worth Rs 30,000. The cruise will be suspended next month in view of Christmas and New Year when foreign tourists would be busy with their festivities. The cruise will resume in January next year."
Encouraged by the spurt in sale, BSTDC is planning to put up more items on sale, including Tikuli art and paintings on paddy husks from January. Kumar said that crafstmen in Madhubani, Jehanabad and Patna have been identified who will supply the paintings.
Apart from ethnic shopping, the tourism department has introduced bird-watching for value addition. "Many foreigners are keen avian watchers. We have put a wildlife expert, Raj Vir Singh, on the cruise. Singh spotted dozens of species of birds on the Buxar-Patna and Simaria Ghat stretch," said Kumar.
About 500 km of the 800 km cruise covers places like Bhagalpur, Munger, Patna and Buxar. Those with a thirst for history and nature can go on a tour of these places. The Yoga Ashram and the ancient Vikramshila University in Munger will beckon many. The Dolphin Sanctuary in Bhagalpur would be fun, while ancient Nalanda, Rajgir and Bodh Gaya would be a trip down the lanes of history. BSTDC and Pandaw Cruise are jointly promoting this cruise on the Ganga.
28,000 Bihar kids to write maths Olympiad test
Over 28,000 students of Bihar are expected to participate in the first phase of International Mathematics Olympiad, scheduled to be held
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on December 10.
New Delhi-based Science Olympiad Foundation's state coordinator Vishal Ranjan Daftuar said it is the largest talent hunt conducted in Asia by any organization. Around 5 lakh students from Class II to XII from various Indian schools, including those located abroad, will participate in the event, he said.
He said last year around 22,000 students from the state participated in the Mathematics Olympiad. "Of the 28,000 participants from Bihar this year, 7,000 and odd are from Patna alone," Daftuar said and added the last date for registration for participation in the event is November 30.
During the first phase, around 50 multiple-answer questions are asked from the students to test their mathematical ability and reasoning capability. On the basis of their performance in this test, Daftuar said, around 65,000 to 70,000 students are selected for the second round of the Olympiad which will be held in February next year.
Around 6,500 finalists get awards, including gold, silver and bronze medals for the first three students in each class, he said and added principals and teachers of schools are also feted for their contribution to mathematics.
Daftuar said the National Science Olympiad and National Cyber Olympiad have already been held on the same pattern. Around one million students participated in the two contests. "The performance of students from Bihar has been quite impressive in these competitions," he said.
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on December 10.
New Delhi-based Science Olympiad Foundation's state coordinator Vishal Ranjan Daftuar said it is the largest talent hunt conducted in Asia by any organization. Around 5 lakh students from Class II to XII from various Indian schools, including those located abroad, will participate in the event, he said.
He said last year around 22,000 students from the state participated in the Mathematics Olympiad. "Of the 28,000 participants from Bihar this year, 7,000 and odd are from Patna alone," Daftuar said and added the last date for registration for participation in the event is November 30.
During the first phase, around 50 multiple-answer questions are asked from the students to test their mathematical ability and reasoning capability. On the basis of their performance in this test, Daftuar said, around 65,000 to 70,000 students are selected for the second round of the Olympiad which will be held in February next year.
Around 6,500 finalists get awards, including gold, silver and bronze medals for the first three students in each class, he said and added principals and teachers of schools are also feted for their contribution to mathematics.
Daftuar said the National Science Olympiad and National Cyber Olympiad have already been held on the same pattern. Around one million students participated in the two contests. "The performance of students from Bihar has been quite impressive in these competitions," he said.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Catch eclipse early in Surat or clearly in Patna
Surat and Patna are the places to be on July 22, not Mumbai, where the solar eclipse will not be total and where the weather will obstruct the view of whatever spectacle there is. Surat is where the total eclipse will begin for India; Patna is one of the best spots for witnessing it.
Mumbai is just outside the total eclipse’s path and will witness a 96 per cent partial eclipse. Besides, NASA predicts, visibility will be poor with the mean cloud cover expected to be nearly 84 per cent and sunshine just 18 per cent. The partial eclipse will arrive in Mumbai at 6.22 am, one minute after Surat, and about 10 minutes after sunrise.
“After analysing the weather pattern of the last 20 years, it seems places like Patna and Varanasi would offer good viewing prospects. With several eclipse chasers from India and across the world eyeing this event, hotels and guesthouses in places like Patna are likely to be fully booked in advance,” said Dr Piyush Pandey, director of the Nehru Planetarium in Mumbai
Mumbai is just outside the total eclipse’s path and will witness a 96 per cent partial eclipse. Besides, NASA predicts, visibility will be poor with the mean cloud cover expected to be nearly 84 per cent and sunshine just 18 per cent. The partial eclipse will arrive in Mumbai at 6.22 am, one minute after Surat, and about 10 minutes after sunrise.
“After analysing the weather pattern of the last 20 years, it seems places like Patna and Varanasi would offer good viewing prospects. With several eclipse chasers from India and across the world eyeing this event, hotels and guesthouses in places like Patna are likely to be fully booked in advance,” said Dr Piyush Pandey, director of the Nehru Planetarium in Mumbai
Food Processing Industry Should be More Active to Ensure Agriculture A Larger Share in India's Gdp emphasizes Bihar's Industry Secretary
India is one of the largest producers of vegetables and fruits in the world with an annual production more than 80 million tonnes, only next to China. However, though India's GDP has recently crossed the trillion dollar mark taking it up to the elite club of 12 top economies, agriculture still comprises a mere 20% of the country's GDP despite the fact that it is the source and means of livelihood for almost 2/3rd of the country's workforce. The Planning Commission has , however, laid down a growth target of at least 4% for this sector in the 11th Five Year Plan as against the achieved growth rate of 2% in the 10th Plan. And within India, Bihar is such a State that has got a very fertile land capable of multicropping and a set of very skilled and cheap labor, where agriculture and agro-based industries can thrive to their fullest capacity. It is fast coming up as the most sought after destination for the food processing industry in the eastern part of the nation. Concentrating on these various areas of potentiality of the food processing sector of the State of Bihar, CII, Eastern Region in partnership with the Department of Industries , Government of Bihar organized a "Road Show: Destination Bihar" in Kolkata, on 26 June, Friday, 2009.
Inaugurating the Road Show, the Chief Guest of the session, Mr. Ashok Kr. Sinha, Principal Secretary, Department of Industries, Government of Bihar emphasized in his inaugural address on three major points of potential, policy and environment which according to him makes the State of Bihar an attractive investment destination. He stated that despite the fact that Bihar is a fertile State complete with skilled and cheap labor, what is most important in today's date is the right pricing of the agricultural produce for which food processing industry needs to play a very active role. Keeping this vision in mind, he informed that the Bihar Government has formulated a very open and liberal industrial policy. And for the potential investors in the food processing industry the policy kitty has been made further more attractive taking the State forward in the league compared to other regions. According to Sinha, under this liberal industrial policy of Bihar, any potential investor in the food processing industry can avail the various facilities already in place under the Bihar Industrial Policy 2006, like 80% VAT reimbursement, 50% capital subsidy in the sphere of captive power generation etc coupled with an extra added advantages like 40% capital subsidy and an absolute no bar or objection on behalf of the State Government on any subsidy or facility what the investor wants to avail from the Central Government.
The keynote address was delivered by Mr. S. Mukherjee, Director, Bihar Electricity Board in which he provided a preview of the power scenario in Bihar. According to him, though a mere 3 to 4 years before, the power scenario of Bihar used to be really very scary, but , currently things have changed for better to a great extent. According to him, 3-4 years back, the power requirement in Bihar was something around 600-700 MW which has presently increased to more than double � something around 1800-2200 MW during the peak season. As he added that post Jharkhand formation, all the major power producing units like Patrapur Thermal Plant, Tenughat, Subarnarekha etc went away from the hands of the Bihar Government leaving behind zero producing units like that of Barauni and Muzzafarpur. But currently, Bihar Electricity Board has been able to generate on its own an average of about 160-170MW of power from these two units coupled with about 50MW of power from the various small units of Hydel power in the State, informed Mukherjee. Apart from this , Bihar also gets its allocated share of 1550 MW of electricity from the Central Sector Grid. He also informed that within the next 12-18months, about 440 MW of extra electricity will be available from the Barauni and Muzzafarpur units which are under renovation under the supervision of BHEL and NTPC for which an amount of about Rs1071 crores have been sanctioned. Apart from these, the Bihar Government is also in the process to notify a bidding process to buy about 1500 MW of electricity from various prospective bidders by 2010, thus accumulating about 3200 MW of total power which he expects is a very promising picture for prospective investors. Transmission and Distribution facilities are also undergoing major overhauling , informed Mukherjee.
While delivering his theme address, Mr. Satyajit Singh, Chairman, CII, Bihar State Council said that Bihar has changed a lot and the State has entered into a new phase of Governance where there are ample scopes for a fruitful partnership between the private investors and the Bihar Government which can ensure better returns.
Prior to that , Mr. Kurush Grant, Deputy Chairman, CII (Eastern Region) said in his welcome address that though India is a fertile country but there is an urgent need for increased productivity, post harvest technology and processing and infrastructure for the focused growth of the nation's agricultural sector. Grant said, that the Bihar Government has done with a very timely proposition in incorporating the food policy which will go a long way to help in diversification and commercialization of the sector resulting in employment generation, value addition and also export opportunities.
The august audience present at the Road Show were enlightened by a Film Show titled "Bihar Has Changed � Food Processing Policy" which uphold the pretty conducive industrial and social environment of Bihar and focused on its tremendous opportunity.
The Vote of Thanks to the Inaugural Session was delivered by Dr. Saugat Mukherjee, Regional Director, CII (ER).
Inaugurating the Road Show, the Chief Guest of the session, Mr. Ashok Kr. Sinha, Principal Secretary, Department of Industries, Government of Bihar emphasized in his inaugural address on three major points of potential, policy and environment which according to him makes the State of Bihar an attractive investment destination. He stated that despite the fact that Bihar is a fertile State complete with skilled and cheap labor, what is most important in today's date is the right pricing of the agricultural produce for which food processing industry needs to play a very active role. Keeping this vision in mind, he informed that the Bihar Government has formulated a very open and liberal industrial policy. And for the potential investors in the food processing industry the policy kitty has been made further more attractive taking the State forward in the league compared to other regions. According to Sinha, under this liberal industrial policy of Bihar, any potential investor in the food processing industry can avail the various facilities already in place under the Bihar Industrial Policy 2006, like 80% VAT reimbursement, 50% capital subsidy in the sphere of captive power generation etc coupled with an extra added advantages like 40% capital subsidy and an absolute no bar or objection on behalf of the State Government on any subsidy or facility what the investor wants to avail from the Central Government.
The keynote address was delivered by Mr. S. Mukherjee, Director, Bihar Electricity Board in which he provided a preview of the power scenario in Bihar. According to him, though a mere 3 to 4 years before, the power scenario of Bihar used to be really very scary, but , currently things have changed for better to a great extent. According to him, 3-4 years back, the power requirement in Bihar was something around 600-700 MW which has presently increased to more than double � something around 1800-2200 MW during the peak season. As he added that post Jharkhand formation, all the major power producing units like Patrapur Thermal Plant, Tenughat, Subarnarekha etc went away from the hands of the Bihar Government leaving behind zero producing units like that of Barauni and Muzzafarpur. But currently, Bihar Electricity Board has been able to generate on its own an average of about 160-170MW of power from these two units coupled with about 50MW of power from the various small units of Hydel power in the State, informed Mukherjee. Apart from this , Bihar also gets its allocated share of 1550 MW of electricity from the Central Sector Grid. He also informed that within the next 12-18months, about 440 MW of extra electricity will be available from the Barauni and Muzzafarpur units which are under renovation under the supervision of BHEL and NTPC for which an amount of about Rs1071 crores have been sanctioned. Apart from these, the Bihar Government is also in the process to notify a bidding process to buy about 1500 MW of electricity from various prospective bidders by 2010, thus accumulating about 3200 MW of total power which he expects is a very promising picture for prospective investors. Transmission and Distribution facilities are also undergoing major overhauling , informed Mukherjee.
While delivering his theme address, Mr. Satyajit Singh, Chairman, CII, Bihar State Council said that Bihar has changed a lot and the State has entered into a new phase of Governance where there are ample scopes for a fruitful partnership between the private investors and the Bihar Government which can ensure better returns.
Prior to that , Mr. Kurush Grant, Deputy Chairman, CII (Eastern Region) said in his welcome address that though India is a fertile country but there is an urgent need for increased productivity, post harvest technology and processing and infrastructure for the focused growth of the nation's agricultural sector. Grant said, that the Bihar Government has done with a very timely proposition in incorporating the food policy which will go a long way to help in diversification and commercialization of the sector resulting in employment generation, value addition and also export opportunities.
The august audience present at the Road Show were enlightened by a Film Show titled "Bihar Has Changed � Food Processing Policy" which uphold the pretty conducive industrial and social environment of Bihar and focused on its tremendous opportunity.
The Vote of Thanks to the Inaugural Session was delivered by Dr. Saugat Mukherjee, Regional Director, CII (ER).
JVL's new unit at Bihar's Pehleja
Varanasi, June 28 Vanaspati Ghee and refined oil manufacturer JVL Agro Industries today launched its commercial production at Pehleja unit in Bihar.
Dinanath Jhunjhunwala, the Chairman of the Jhunjhunwala Vanaspati Limited (JVL) Group told PTI here that the new unit at Sasaram district, about 150 kms from here, was inaugurated by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi.
The unit set up at a cost of Rs 100 crore will have a capacity of 750 metric tonnes per day (MTPD).
Dinanath Jhunjhunwala, the Chairman of the Jhunjhunwala Vanaspati Limited (JVL) Group told PTI here that the new unit at Sasaram district, about 150 kms from here, was inaugurated by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi.
The unit set up at a cost of Rs 100 crore will have a capacity of 750 metric tonnes per day (MTPD).
Prehistoric cave art found in Bihar
Patna, June 29: A young explorer says he has discovered prehistoric cave art in Bihar`s Rajgir hills that are known for their Buddhist heritage and has asked the Archaelogical Survey of India (ASI) to validate his claim.
"We have found cave art of the prehistoric age in the dense forest of Rajgir hills. The discovery is of immense importance," Deepak Anand, an explorer associated with Nav Nalanda Mahavihara, a Nalanda-based deemed university, told IANS on telephone.
"There is no doubt that the art is pre-historic. The location from where the art has been discovered was unexplored till date. The cave, its location, colour, rock structure and pattern clearly show that the art is pre-historic. Also, the art was made by rubbing hematite (iron oxide) on rock by men living in the areas that substantiates it to be prehistoric," said Anand, who is in his late 20s.
"The Archaelogical Survey of India (ASI) has been requested to visit the site and ascertain the dating of the art," he added
"Prehistoric cave art has been found at several places across the world but discovery of a pre-historic cave art at Rajgir was different from others. It is an unique one," said Anand, who has an experience of seven years in the exploration field.
Anand found the series of caves on June 19 in the Rajgir hills, about 100 km from state capital Patna, during his exploration of the archaeological site.
"After we found it, now what we want that world`s best archaeologists, who are experts on this Paleolithic art, should visit the site," Anand said.
He said Rajgir hills are waiting for explorers and archaeologists from around the world.
"Possibilities of more discoveries are good in the Rajgir hills. We strongly feel that many more discoveries will be made here which world does not know about," he said.
Anand said there was an urgent need to propagate and promote discovery of prehistoric cave art.
"Unless we propagate it on massive scale it will be unknown to the world. Till five to 10 years ago, people used to fear visiting the Rajgir hills. Nobody used to venture there. No explorer or archaelogist would go there as the hills were considered a Maoist stronghold. But now things have changed," he said.
Anand is currently working in a documentation project titled Mapping of Nalanda.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Foreign tourists' inflow jumps four times in Bihar
With the Bihar government giving a fresh thrust to the tourism sector through enhanced budgetary allocation, the footfall of foreign tourists in the state has gone up by nearly four times in two years.
The number of foreign tourists visiting Bihar has shot up to over three lakhs in 2008, state's Tourism minister Rampravesh Rai told reporters on Friday.
In 2007, the state witnessed an 87.79 per cent rise in tourist inflow as compared to the previous year and last year the rise was 100.97 per cent, he said.
Realising vast potential of Bihar, home to a number of Buddhist, Jain and Sikh shrines for pilgrim tourism, the NDA government substantially increased budgetary allocations to the sector after coming to power in November 2005.
He added that while a meagre Rs three crore was earmarked for tourism for 2005-06, it was raised to Rs 30 crore in 2009-10.
The number of foreign tourists visiting Bihar has shot up to over three lakhs in 2008, state's Tourism minister Rampravesh Rai told reporters on Friday.
In 2007, the state witnessed an 87.79 per cent rise in tourist inflow as compared to the previous year and last year the rise was 100.97 per cent, he said.
Realising vast potential of Bihar, home to a number of Buddhist, Jain and Sikh shrines for pilgrim tourism, the NDA government substantially increased budgetary allocations to the sector after coming to power in November 2005.
He added that while a meagre Rs three crore was earmarked for tourism for 2005-06, it was raised to Rs 30 crore in 2009-10.
Bihar Govt's performance on RIDF appreciated
PATNA: Chief general manager, Nabard (Mumbai), B S Shekhawat on Wednesday appreciated the performance of the state government on rural
infrastructure development front during the past four years.
Addressing a day long workshop for the state government officials on `Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF)', he revealed that earlier Bihar figured as one of the worst performers on this count.
He said that the RIDF was in operation since 1995-96 providing term loans at a concessional rate to the state governments for financing their rural infrastructure projects. The Bihar government has been able to avail a loan facility of only Rs 3,000 crore so far, he said. He, however, pointed out that it was during the last four years that performance on this front had somewhat improved though it still needs much improvement.
Nabard Bihar regional office CGM Sandip Ghosh called upon the government officials to go for new areas where these projects could be taken up in the state. He informed that Nabard has sanctioned a large number of projects in road, bridge, irrigation and social sectors. In 2008-09, Nabard sanctioned infrastructure projects worth Rs 752 crore under RIDF whereas in 2009-10 the target is Rs 700 crore.
A presentation on new areas like seed farms, marketing infrastructure, fishery, animal husbandry and many more was made by Nabard before the state government officials.
Speaking on behalf of the state government, principal secretary, finance, Navin Kumar assured Nabard officials that it would go for infrastructure development in new areas. He appreciated Nabard's initiative in holding a day long workshop for all government departments concerned.
infrastructure development front during the past four years.
Addressing a day long workshop for the state government officials on `Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF)', he revealed that earlier Bihar figured as one of the worst performers on this count.
He said that the RIDF was in operation since 1995-96 providing term loans at a concessional rate to the state governments for financing their rural infrastructure projects. The Bihar government has been able to avail a loan facility of only Rs 3,000 crore so far, he said. He, however, pointed out that it was during the last four years that performance on this front had somewhat improved though it still needs much improvement.
Nabard Bihar regional office CGM Sandip Ghosh called upon the government officials to go for new areas where these projects could be taken up in the state. He informed that Nabard has sanctioned a large number of projects in road, bridge, irrigation and social sectors. In 2008-09, Nabard sanctioned infrastructure projects worth Rs 752 crore under RIDF whereas in 2009-10 the target is Rs 700 crore.
A presentation on new areas like seed farms, marketing infrastructure, fishery, animal husbandry and many more was made by Nabard before the state government officials.
Speaking on behalf of the state government, principal secretary, finance, Navin Kumar assured Nabard officials that it would go for infrastructure development in new areas. He appreciated Nabard's initiative in holding a day long workshop for all government departments concerned.
IIT-Patna to start PhD programmes from July
PATNA: The newly set-up Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in this Bihar city will start its doctoral programmes from next month, an official said
on Friday.
"IIT-Patna will become the first among the eight new IITs set up last year to start PhD programmes," institute official Subhash Pandey said.
The IIT will have PhD programmes in computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, chemistry, mathematics, physics, humanities and social sciences.
Pandey said that interviews of the applicants are underway and there are 30 vacancies.
At present, the IIT is functioning from a polytechnic building here as a temporary campus. The process of land acquisition for a permanent campus is underway.
The first director of the institute A.K. Bhowmik will also assume charge in July, the official added.
on Friday.
"IIT-Patna will become the first among the eight new IITs set up last year to start PhD programmes," institute official Subhash Pandey said.
The IIT will have PhD programmes in computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, chemistry, mathematics, physics, humanities and social sciences.
Pandey said that interviews of the applicants are underway and there are 30 vacancies.
At present, the IIT is functioning from a polytechnic building here as a temporary campus. The process of land acquisition for a permanent campus is underway.
The first director of the institute A.K. Bhowmik will also assume charge in July, the official added.
NRIs can offer 'pindadaan' online
PATNA: The Bihar government has decided to introduce video-conferencing facility for NRIs to offer "pindadaan" for salvation of their ancestral
souls.
Lakhs of Hindus from across the country and abroad descend on Gaya town in the state during "Pitripaksha" (father's fortnight) every year to offer "pindadaan" for their dead ancestors as it is believed to ensure salvation of the souls. "Pitripaksha" this year begins on September 3.
The video-conferencing facility can be availed of by paying a fee through credit card. A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting presided over by deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi and attended by, among others, tourism minister Ramprawesh Rai.
Modi said a 35-room hotel of the tourism department, Vishnu Vihar, has become operational at Gaya from this year. Cottages would also be available at Gaya during the fortnight-long "Pitripaksha" fair. "Around eight lakh pilgrims are expected to arrive to offer `pindadaan'," he said.
souls.
Lakhs of Hindus from across the country and abroad descend on Gaya town in the state during "Pitripaksha" (father's fortnight) every year to offer "pindadaan" for their dead ancestors as it is believed to ensure salvation of the souls. "Pitripaksha" this year begins on September 3.
The video-conferencing facility can be availed of by paying a fee through credit card. A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting presided over by deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi and attended by, among others, tourism minister Ramprawesh Rai.
Modi said a 35-room hotel of the tourism department, Vishnu Vihar, has become operational at Gaya from this year. Cottages would also be available at Gaya during the fortnight-long "Pitripaksha" fair. "Around eight lakh pilgrims are expected to arrive to offer `pindadaan'," he said.
Indian Air Taxi services from July 1 from Patna
PATNA: Fliers willing to avail chartered plane services in Bihar have now an option. Private carrier Spirit Air has decided to launch charted flight
services, christened `Indian Air Taxi' from Patna from July 1.
To begin with, airlines sources said, the service would be offered to destinations having functional airports. "As it is a chartered service, destination is to be decided by the customer, but the only pre-requisite is existence of a functional airport at the destination as one has to adhere to aviation rules for landing and take off of an aircraft," said a Spirit Air official.
A Cessna-172 Sky Hawk aircraft, which would have the capacity to carry three passengers apart from the pilot, would be offered to the passengers. The aircraft can fly for seven hours non-stop. "In case someone opts for a destination which needs more than seven hours of flying, the flight would hop at a suitable place for re-fuelling," said the official.
Those opting for the services would have to pay something between Rs 18,000 to Rs 20,000 per flying hour. Rates for flying idle hours would be Rs 12,000 per hour for the first two hours and Rs 9,500 per hour for next three hours.
The private carrier had earlier announced that it would offer air taxi services to major district towns of Bihar and Jharkhand as well, but for now those willing to travel to these places by air would have to wait.
Reason being non-availability of security, fire tenders and ambulance at the airstrips in districts which the Spirit Air wants to connect with Patna and Ranchi. These three basic facilities are a must, according to the civil aviation rules, at the time of landing and take off of an aircraft from air strips, which do not fall under any airport.
Spirit Air had earlier written letters to both the state governments asking them to provide these facilities in the districts which have airstrips, but a positive reply is still awaited.
"Our team would once again meet senior officials of Bihar and Jharkhand requesting them to consider our proposal as people in districts too would like to avail the service which is first of its kind in these two states," said the Sprit Air official.
services, christened `Indian Air Taxi' from Patna from July 1.
To begin with, airlines sources said, the service would be offered to destinations having functional airports. "As it is a chartered service, destination is to be decided by the customer, but the only pre-requisite is existence of a functional airport at the destination as one has to adhere to aviation rules for landing and take off of an aircraft," said a Spirit Air official.
A Cessna-172 Sky Hawk aircraft, which would have the capacity to carry three passengers apart from the pilot, would be offered to the passengers. The aircraft can fly for seven hours non-stop. "In case someone opts for a destination which needs more than seven hours of flying, the flight would hop at a suitable place for re-fuelling," said the official.
Those opting for the services would have to pay something between Rs 18,000 to Rs 20,000 per flying hour. Rates for flying idle hours would be Rs 12,000 per hour for the first two hours and Rs 9,500 per hour for next three hours.
The private carrier had earlier announced that it would offer air taxi services to major district towns of Bihar and Jharkhand as well, but for now those willing to travel to these places by air would have to wait.
Reason being non-availability of security, fire tenders and ambulance at the airstrips in districts which the Spirit Air wants to connect with Patna and Ranchi. These three basic facilities are a must, according to the civil aviation rules, at the time of landing and take off of an aircraft from air strips, which do not fall under any airport.
Spirit Air had earlier written letters to both the state governments asking them to provide these facilities in the districts which have airstrips, but a positive reply is still awaited.
"Our team would once again meet senior officials of Bihar and Jharkhand requesting them to consider our proposal as people in districts too would like to avail the service which is first of its kind in these two states," said the Sprit Air official.
Friday, May 29, 2009
The signs of change in Bihar by Mahesh Vijapurkar
About a week ago, I read a piece of very good news amid the welter of speculation about whether M Karunanidhi's [Images] family ties with the United Progressive Alliance [Images] would be retained or not. It was a despatch from Rajpura and Patiala by the Indian Express correspondent Aman Sood about the Punjab [Images] farmers.
No, it was not about another green revolution there. Sood conveyed the travails of the Punjab's farmers about not finding enough workers to work on their farms. The issue, of course, is large, for 2.8 million hectares have to be sown this season and those who raise paddy crops are beside themselves in agony. If it is going to change the pattern of farming, by forcing the landowners to use labour-saving devises like machines which sow paddy, then so be it.
There are reasons why I categorise it as 'good news'? The labour that the Punjabi farmers were looking for, as they have been for years on end, are the Bihari migrants who for the season, do their jobs and return. It is just that this year, there are not enough of them arriving by the trains and many have chosen to remain in Bihar this year as things have changed. If things have changed in Bihar, then it is very good news indeed.
Migration from Bihar has its origins in green revolution in Punjab and the spill over later into Haryana which generated an unprecedented clamour for farm labour. It started as a small trickle to a flood in a decade ending in the 80s. That was an opportunity for the north-western belt because things were abysmally poor in Bihar. But if what Indian Express said is a significant trend, then there is hope in store.
This perhaps is one good reason why Nitish Kumar won the seats he did for the National Democratic Alliance to Parliament. These migrants who are not coming out of what was a wretched state are perhaps the best testimonials for the man who is doing things and winning people's approval.
I have not been to Bihar, ever, for I felt there was no point in travelling to the dark ages where the family fiefdom of Lalu Prasad Yadav [Images] reigned and where nothing except Lalu mattered, even for the media. It was as if to the world, Lalu was a proxy for a state. Newspapers were full of the man and his wife and the unashamedly large brood they raised. There was the galazy of bahubalis, the word for the underworld lords who doubled up as politicians. Political patronage to these bahubalis was no different from the alleged state terror that reigned in Gujarat during 2002.
There are reasons to go there now. But over a period of time, I have heard, especially from Bihari girls who have come to Maharashtra, especially Pune and Mumbai [Images] to study higher and professional courses, that they had fled Bihar in the sense they would prefer not to return there. Their families had encouraged them to sprout wings and fly away to better places. The one single thing these young things said was, "Patna is not a safe place to live. Imagine how it would be in the interiors".
Some occasional items on the national television, when put together into a cogent quilt, shows us that people feel secure enough to take out their Mercedes cars which they had locked away for fear of exposing their wealth. People can hope to return home late in the night without the family waiting in dread till the doorbell rang and the person was ushered in. Streets are alive again and Bihar is crawling up from the pit.
Nitish Kumar apparently has shown that given a will, an "ungovernable state can be governed." In reality, it was never governed until a few years ago.
It is possible that there are Lalu acolytes who would trot out statistics and say that Bihar ain't changed. That would be a political lie which some clever spin doctor can get across. Neither do I have any statistics to show but have enough anecdotal evidence to suggest that Bihar is changing and can be changed. Remember what Nitish Kumar said when he received the CNN-IBN award for the best politician?
"When I went there, the chief minister's office had only a Remington typewriter. Today, Bihar is judged for being the best e-governed state!" He did not say a word more but in that short pair of sentences, indicated the distance travelled. Surely, one cannot claim that things are so good that Patna should once again be called Patliputra of the yore and its splendour but things are moving. The slowing down of out-migration is another good indicator.
However, given where Bihar was, it has a long way to go yet but the start is quite welcome. Yes, it is unbelievable that it happened but happened it did. The other point to ponder is Lalu Yadav [Images]. Why is it that a man who turned the Indian Railways around and became the cynosures of management schools across the world did not make a difference, for the better, I mean, to Bihar?
Was there a vested interest in keeping Bihar back? Please recall that on his failure to upstage Congress in his fiefdom, Lalu Yadav had to eat the crow and later announce that he would be spending the time in rural Bihar for some time to come because his "organisation had weakened there". It is from the rural Bihar that the migrants go to Punjab. And it is from Bihar that a significant section of the migrant population to other cities hails from.
Earlier, all that Lalu Yadav did when the likes of Raj Thackeray [Images] took to violence to deter the migrants from there and the rest of the Hindi belt from taking up residence in Maharashtra, was shout himself hoarse and threaten that he would hold the Chatt Puja celebrations in Mumbai. He claimed that the Biharis had their right to livelihood and Mumbai had better provide it. It did not occur to him that the same right was denied them in their own state.
So if politics drove, or good politics, I must say, drove Nitish Kumar to the issue of bijli, pani and sadak so be it for that is the least that is needed to be done before talking of other issues.
No, it was not about another green revolution there. Sood conveyed the travails of the Punjab's farmers about not finding enough workers to work on their farms. The issue, of course, is large, for 2.8 million hectares have to be sown this season and those who raise paddy crops are beside themselves in agony. If it is going to change the pattern of farming, by forcing the landowners to use labour-saving devises like machines which sow paddy, then so be it.
There are reasons why I categorise it as 'good news'? The labour that the Punjabi farmers were looking for, as they have been for years on end, are the Bihari migrants who for the season, do their jobs and return. It is just that this year, there are not enough of them arriving by the trains and many have chosen to remain in Bihar this year as things have changed. If things have changed in Bihar, then it is very good news indeed.
Migration from Bihar has its origins in green revolution in Punjab and the spill over later into Haryana which generated an unprecedented clamour for farm labour. It started as a small trickle to a flood in a decade ending in the 80s. That was an opportunity for the north-western belt because things were abysmally poor in Bihar. But if what Indian Express said is a significant trend, then there is hope in store.
This perhaps is one good reason why Nitish Kumar won the seats he did for the National Democratic Alliance to Parliament. These migrants who are not coming out of what was a wretched state are perhaps the best testimonials for the man who is doing things and winning people's approval.
I have not been to Bihar, ever, for I felt there was no point in travelling to the dark ages where the family fiefdom of Lalu Prasad Yadav [Images] reigned and where nothing except Lalu mattered, even for the media. It was as if to the world, Lalu was a proxy for a state. Newspapers were full of the man and his wife and the unashamedly large brood they raised. There was the galazy of bahubalis, the word for the underworld lords who doubled up as politicians. Political patronage to these bahubalis was no different from the alleged state terror that reigned in Gujarat during 2002.
There are reasons to go there now. But over a period of time, I have heard, especially from Bihari girls who have come to Maharashtra, especially Pune and Mumbai [Images] to study higher and professional courses, that they had fled Bihar in the sense they would prefer not to return there. Their families had encouraged them to sprout wings and fly away to better places. The one single thing these young things said was, "Patna is not a safe place to live. Imagine how it would be in the interiors".
Some occasional items on the national television, when put together into a cogent quilt, shows us that people feel secure enough to take out their Mercedes cars which they had locked away for fear of exposing their wealth. People can hope to return home late in the night without the family waiting in dread till the doorbell rang and the person was ushered in. Streets are alive again and Bihar is crawling up from the pit.
Nitish Kumar apparently has shown that given a will, an "ungovernable state can be governed." In reality, it was never governed until a few years ago.
It is possible that there are Lalu acolytes who would trot out statistics and say that Bihar ain't changed. That would be a political lie which some clever spin doctor can get across. Neither do I have any statistics to show but have enough anecdotal evidence to suggest that Bihar is changing and can be changed. Remember what Nitish Kumar said when he received the CNN-IBN award for the best politician?
"When I went there, the chief minister's office had only a Remington typewriter. Today, Bihar is judged for being the best e-governed state!" He did not say a word more but in that short pair of sentences, indicated the distance travelled. Surely, one cannot claim that things are so good that Patna should once again be called Patliputra of the yore and its splendour but things are moving. The slowing down of out-migration is another good indicator.
However, given where Bihar was, it has a long way to go yet but the start is quite welcome. Yes, it is unbelievable that it happened but happened it did. The other point to ponder is Lalu Yadav [Images]. Why is it that a man who turned the Indian Railways around and became the cynosures of management schools across the world did not make a difference, for the better, I mean, to Bihar?
Was there a vested interest in keeping Bihar back? Please recall that on his failure to upstage Congress in his fiefdom, Lalu Yadav had to eat the crow and later announce that he would be spending the time in rural Bihar for some time to come because his "organisation had weakened there". It is from the rural Bihar that the migrants go to Punjab. And it is from Bihar that a significant section of the migrant population to other cities hails from.
Earlier, all that Lalu Yadav did when the likes of Raj Thackeray [Images] took to violence to deter the migrants from there and the rest of the Hindi belt from taking up residence in Maharashtra, was shout himself hoarse and threaten that he would hold the Chatt Puja celebrations in Mumbai. He claimed that the Biharis had their right to livelihood and Mumbai had better provide it. It did not occur to him that the same right was denied them in their own state.
So if politics drove, or good politics, I must say, drove Nitish Kumar to the issue of bijli, pani and sadak so be it for that is the least that is needed to be done before talking of other issues.
Two coaching institutes in Bihar achieve 100 percent results
Patna, May 29 (ANI): Two coaching institutes giving tuitions to the aspirants of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Bihar have delivered a power pack punch as all their students have cleared the prestigious competitive exam.
'Rehmani Super', is a Patna based coaching institute, and is promoting education amongst the Muslim community. The institute had ten students and all have cleared the exam.
The institute is headed by the Additional Director General (ADG) of Police of Bihar, Abhayanand Singh.
The students of the 'Rehmani Super' credit their success to Abhayanand Singh, who is the chief administrator at the institute and Mohammad Wali Rehmani, the founder of the Rehmani foundation.
"We worked hard because of Abhayanand sir. Abhayanand sir has helped us like a father and our teacher, Mohammad Wali Rehmani. Their prayers and blessing were heard by the almighty and that's why we have been successful," said Naudesh Alam, a student.
Abhayanand Singh is thrilled with the thumping result which his institute has managed to achieve. Singh remarked that the success had been achieved after a lot of hard work and meticulous planning.
"This year, we started super 30 (group of IIT aspirants) in many places under various names. The results have been very encouraging." said Abhayanand Singh.
In the meantime, all the 30 students of 'Super 30', another coaching institute in Patna cleared the IIT exam.
The elated students mentioned that hard work, dedication and unconditional support of Anand and other teaching staff at the institute had helped them crack the entrance exam.
The students of 'Super 30' say that there mentor Anand always encouraged them even if they didn't do well in the internal tests conducted by the institute.
"The preparation was intense. For this, we should put in honest hard work.
We should obey the teacher who is teaching us because whatever the teacher tells us is out of the teacher's experience," said Namrata, student of 'Super 30'.
The jubilant students shared sweets with Anand, the director of 'Super 30' soon after the results were announced. By Ajay Kumar (ANI)
'Rehmani Super', is a Patna based coaching institute, and is promoting education amongst the Muslim community. The institute had ten students and all have cleared the exam.
The institute is headed by the Additional Director General (ADG) of Police of Bihar, Abhayanand Singh.
The students of the 'Rehmani Super' credit their success to Abhayanand Singh, who is the chief administrator at the institute and Mohammad Wali Rehmani, the founder of the Rehmani foundation.
"We worked hard because of Abhayanand sir. Abhayanand sir has helped us like a father and our teacher, Mohammad Wali Rehmani. Their prayers and blessing were heard by the almighty and that's why we have been successful," said Naudesh Alam, a student.
Abhayanand Singh is thrilled with the thumping result which his institute has managed to achieve. Singh remarked that the success had been achieved after a lot of hard work and meticulous planning.
"This year, we started super 30 (group of IIT aspirants) in many places under various names. The results have been very encouraging." said Abhayanand Singh.
In the meantime, all the 30 students of 'Super 30', another coaching institute in Patna cleared the IIT exam.
The elated students mentioned that hard work, dedication and unconditional support of Anand and other teaching staff at the institute had helped them crack the entrance exam.
The students of 'Super 30' say that there mentor Anand always encouraged them even if they didn't do well in the internal tests conducted by the institute.
"The preparation was intense. For this, we should put in honest hard work.
We should obey the teacher who is teaching us because whatever the teacher tells us is out of the teacher's experience," said Namrata, student of 'Super 30'.
The jubilant students shared sweets with Anand, the director of 'Super 30' soon after the results were announced. By Ajay Kumar (ANI)
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