Addressing the Patna University (PU) convocation of 2004 in the presence of the then President A P J Abdul Kalam, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had announced that PU would be provided facilities on a par with Central universities even if it was not upgraded as a Central university. Today, PU is being deprived even of the facilities given to other universities in the state.
The state cabinet recently sanctioned Rs 200 crore for payment of arrears to the teachers of all the universities in the state save PU. University teachers said they fail to understand the rationale behind ignoring the genuine claim of PU teachers.
A delegation of PU Retired Teachers' Association led by its president Bakshi Vidyanand Sinha and general secretary S K Ganguli met HRD minister Hari Narain Singh on Thursday to draw his attention towards this discriminatory attitude of the government. Surprisingly, even the minister was not aware of this fact.
When the minister wanted to ascertain the fact from the HRD secretary, he was informed that PU's claim for government grants was not entertained because of late submission of the proposal from the university.
PU's claim for arrears payment had been ignored even in December 2008 when the government had reportedly sanctioned the same amount for payment to the teachers of other universities.
It may be mentioned here that the Patna High Court has directed the university as well as the state government to ensure timely payment of arrears to the teachers, especially the retired ones.
The minister assured the delegation that a tripartite meeting of PU officials, HRD officials and association's representatives would be held shortly to sort out the matter.
Meanwhile, Federation of University Teachers' Associations of Bihar (FUTAB) secretary Arun Kumar has criticised the alleged discriminatory attitude of the Magadh University authorities towards the teachers of fourth-phase constituent colleges. He said though the state government had released less grants to the university for payment of salaries to the teachers, the teachers of fourth phase have been paid only 75% of their normal salary against 94% paid to other teachers. He demanded a fair deal to all categories of teachers of the university. link
Friday 29 May 2009
Banks' education loan doubles to over Rs 577 cr
The education loan provided to the needy and meritorious students of the state doubled in the financial year 2008-2009 with banks making the education loan a focused priority.
Bihari students had secured admission in technical institutions, particularly those outside the state, and the banks provided them the education loan after ensuring that the money would be recovered when they get the job.
The education loan to Bihari students doubled to over Rs 577 crore in 2008-2009 compared to Rs 280.93 crore in 2007-08 and this indicates not only the banks' gesture in affording the students more education loans, but is also a parameter to show that Bihari students excelled in getting admission to good institutions.
There was 130 per cent rise in the number of students getting education loan in 2008-09 when 23,348 students were given education loan of over Rs 577 crore for studies in Bihar and other states. In the previous financial year, 10,181 students were given education loan of Rs 280.93 crore.
UCO Bank executive director B M Mittal told on Thursday that banks should give loan to needy and meritorious students after ensuring that the money would be recovered from them once they get employment.
A large chunk of education loan of Rs 204.36 crore was given by the State Bank of India to 10,611 students during 2008-09, followed by the Punjab National Bank which provided Rs 72.60 crore to 2,437 students and Bank of India -- Rs 57.12 crore to 2,758 students. Besides, 19 other public sector banks, a private bank, HDFC Bank, and four rural banks provided education loan.
The Uttar Bihar Khsetriya Grameen Bank provided Rs 13.45 crore loan to 505 students, the Madhya Bihar Kshetriya Grameen Bank provided Rs 11.98 crore to 421 students, Bihar Kshetriya Grameen Bank Rs 7.89 crore to 357 students and Samastipur Kshetriya Grameen Bank Rs 2.68 crore loan to 122 students. link
Bihari students had secured admission in technical institutions, particularly those outside the state, and the banks provided them the education loan after ensuring that the money would be recovered when they get the job.
The education loan to Bihari students doubled to over Rs 577 crore in 2008-2009 compared to Rs 280.93 crore in 2007-08 and this indicates not only the banks' gesture in affording the students more education loans, but is also a parameter to show that Bihari students excelled in getting admission to good institutions.
There was 130 per cent rise in the number of students getting education loan in 2008-09 when 23,348 students were given education loan of over Rs 577 crore for studies in Bihar and other states. In the previous financial year, 10,181 students were given education loan of Rs 280.93 crore.
UCO Bank executive director B M Mittal told on Thursday that banks should give loan to needy and meritorious students after ensuring that the money would be recovered from them once they get employment.
A large chunk of education loan of Rs 204.36 crore was given by the State Bank of India to 10,611 students during 2008-09, followed by the Punjab National Bank which provided Rs 72.60 crore to 2,437 students and Bank of India -- Rs 57.12 crore to 2,758 students. Besides, 19 other public sector banks, a private bank, HDFC Bank, and four rural banks provided education loan.
The Uttar Bihar Khsetriya Grameen Bank provided Rs 13.45 crore loan to 505 students, the Madhya Bihar Kshetriya Grameen Bank provided Rs 11.98 crore to 421 students, Bihar Kshetriya Grameen Bank Rs 7.89 crore to 357 students and Samastipur Kshetriya Grameen Bank Rs 2.68 crore loan to 122 students. link
Kosi shows signs of flooding, Bihar worried
The Kosi is in spate again. The water discharge has risen suddenly from 20,000 cusecs to 95,000 cusecs per day because of the pre-monsoon rains, bringing back memories of last year's floods. And to make matters worse, Maoists in Nepal are now hampering last-minute repair work at the Kusaha barrage.
State Minister for Water Resources, Bijendra Yadav says, "The point is that India does not have a good relationship with any of its neighbours including Nepal."
The breach that caused last years floods has now been plugged, but officials say there are more such vulnerable points in the barrage, which might give way once the water discharge reaches last year's levels.
Nepal official, Amar Karki says, "This is very dangerous and so the spur needs to be extended or repaired as soon as possible. And the embankment needs to be repaired urgently."
Since October last year, large scale repair and restoration work has been going on, but as the monsoon approaches, anxiety levels are rising.
A villager, Babu Ram says, "The river has started flooding again and we can see signs of danger."
Meanwhile, Bijendra Yadav says,"The elections came and our, engineers, executive engineers and even the superintending engineer were used as election officials. Because of this, we are two weeks behind schedule."
Once bitten twice shy - that's the story of people in Bihar, especially those residing in the Kosi region. The monsoon thunders have their hearts pounding and assurances from the government fail to bring relief to their mental anxiety.link
State Minister for Water Resources, Bijendra Yadav says, "The point is that India does not have a good relationship with any of its neighbours including Nepal."
The breach that caused last years floods has now been plugged, but officials say there are more such vulnerable points in the barrage, which might give way once the water discharge reaches last year's levels.
Nepal official, Amar Karki says, "This is very dangerous and so the spur needs to be extended or repaired as soon as possible. And the embankment needs to be repaired urgently."
Since October last year, large scale repair and restoration work has been going on, but as the monsoon approaches, anxiety levels are rising.
A villager, Babu Ram says, "The river has started flooding again and we can see signs of danger."
Meanwhile, Bijendra Yadav says,"The elections came and our, engineers, executive engineers and even the superintending engineer were used as election officials. Because of this, we are two weeks behind schedule."
Once bitten twice shy - that's the story of people in Bihar, especially those residing in the Kosi region. The monsoon thunders have their hearts pounding and assurances from the government fail to bring relief to their mental anxiety.link
SBI's emphasis in rural, to open 900 more ATMs in Bihar, Jharkhand
By opening 750 rural and semi-urban branches of the 1014 bank branches in Jharkhand-Bihar, the State bank of India has shown its special emphasis in rural areas of the two still economically backward states, SBI (central office) Deputy Managing Director A.Krishna Kumar said today.
While inaugurating the 1014th branch of the SBI in Bihar and Jharkhand at the Barhi Sub Divisional headquarters of the Hazaribagh District, about 40 Km from here, he said all these new branches have 100 per cent CBS system enabling customer to make transactions from any SBI branches across the country.
By June 30, SBI will open 900 more ATMs in Bihar and Jharkhand for providing better facilities for its customers particularly the rural account holders, he said.
He said the bank has given linkage to one million SHGs (Self Help Group) in the country for facilitating the rural women to earn their livelihood through these SHGs, now playing a significant role in the rural economy.
In Ranchi Circle consisting of South Chhotonagpur and North Chotonagpur Divisions, the bank have provided linkage to 660 SHG units, which provided all facilities to rural women to prepare products mostly through cottage industry.
He said that this year in Jharkhand,the SBI will adopt 27 villages under its 'Apna Gaon' scheme for all round development of the adopted villages.link
While inaugurating the 1014th branch of the SBI in Bihar and Jharkhand at the Barhi Sub Divisional headquarters of the Hazaribagh District, about 40 Km from here, he said all these new branches have 100 per cent CBS system enabling customer to make transactions from any SBI branches across the country.
By June 30, SBI will open 900 more ATMs in Bihar and Jharkhand for providing better facilities for its customers particularly the rural account holders, he said.
He said the bank has given linkage to one million SHGs (Self Help Group) in the country for facilitating the rural women to earn their livelihood through these SHGs, now playing a significant role in the rural economy.
In Ranchi Circle consisting of South Chhotonagpur and North Chotonagpur Divisions, the bank have provided linkage to 660 SHG units, which provided all facilities to rural women to prepare products mostly through cottage industry.
He said that this year in Jharkhand,the SBI will adopt 27 villages under its 'Apna Gaon' scheme for all round development of the adopted villages.link
Thursday 28 May 2009
Lone representation in Team Manmohan disappoints Bihar
With no leader from Bihar making it to the Team Manmohan Thursday, many in the state, where the Congress won only two Lok Sabha seats, expressed disappointment over the decreasing number of Bihar ministers in the union cabinet - from 12 in 2004 to just one in 2009.
Meira Kumar is the lone face from Bihar in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s cabinet. She was sworn in May 22 when 19 ministers took oath in the first instalment of government formation.
Fifty-nine ministers were sworn in at Thursday’s oath ceremony but there was none from Bihar.
“It was shocking for us that Bihar found no place when 59 ministers took oath. It is first time in my memory,” said Amit Kumar, 20, a college student.
There were 13 ministers from Bihar in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in 1999. Ten ministers from the state were in the Deve Gowda-led government in 1996 and the same was the case in I.K. Gujral’s government.
“Nearly after two decades, representation of Bihar in the central ministry is very poor. It is a matter of concern,” said businessman Rajesh Kumar Singh, 50.
Marketing professional Jai Prakash Yadav, 40, feared that the “wrong” decision to have only one minister from Bihar will “effect (the) centre-state relationship”.
Many in the state were expecting that at least three newly elected MPs from the state will find a place in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
People were hoping that Congress MP from Kishanganj Maulana Asrarul Haque and two independent MPs Digvijay Singh and Om Prakash Yadav would be sworn in.
Haque, a Muslim cleric, is a first time MP from Muslim-dominated Kishanganj constituency. He defeated former central minister Mohammed Taslimuddin of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
“If the BJP can have Syed Shahnawaz Hussain as a minister after he won from Kishanganj in 1999, why the Congress cannot have Haque,” said Shamsher Ali, a Congress worker in the constituency.
The Congress won only two Lok Sabha seats from Bihar - Kishanganj and Sasaram. The party contested the elections alone after the seat sharing arrangement with Lalu Prasad’s RJD failed.
Meira Kumar is the lone face from Bihar in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s cabinet. She was sworn in May 22 when 19 ministers took oath in the first instalment of government formation.
Fifty-nine ministers were sworn in at Thursday’s oath ceremony but there was none from Bihar.
“It was shocking for us that Bihar found no place when 59 ministers took oath. It is first time in my memory,” said Amit Kumar, 20, a college student.
There were 13 ministers from Bihar in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in 1999. Ten ministers from the state were in the Deve Gowda-led government in 1996 and the same was the case in I.K. Gujral’s government.
“Nearly after two decades, representation of Bihar in the central ministry is very poor. It is a matter of concern,” said businessman Rajesh Kumar Singh, 50.
Marketing professional Jai Prakash Yadav, 40, feared that the “wrong” decision to have only one minister from Bihar will “effect (the) centre-state relationship”.
Many in the state were expecting that at least three newly elected MPs from the state will find a place in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
People were hoping that Congress MP from Kishanganj Maulana Asrarul Haque and two independent MPs Digvijay Singh and Om Prakash Yadav would be sworn in.
Haque, a Muslim cleric, is a first time MP from Muslim-dominated Kishanganj constituency. He defeated former central minister Mohammed Taslimuddin of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
“If the BJP can have Syed Shahnawaz Hussain as a minister after he won from Kishanganj in 1999, why the Congress cannot have Haque,” said Shamsher Ali, a Congress worker in the constituency.
The Congress won only two Lok Sabha seats from Bihar - Kishanganj and Sasaram. The party contested the elections alone after the seat sharing arrangement with Lalu Prasad’s RJD failed.
Dream home for the poorest closer to reality in Bihar
Rickshaw puller Haria Bhuiyan and daily wage labourer Mangru Manjhi are elated. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has said a housing scheme for the poorest of the poor is being finalised and will be implemented soon.
The Maha Dalits think their dream of owning their own home is a bit closer to reality.
For generations, the Maha Dalits - as the poorest of the Dalit sub-castes are called - have been dreaming of their own homes.
It has remained a dream with people like Manjhi, 46, and Bhuiyan, 42, struggling to feed their families after earning Rs.100 on a good day.
Manjhi, who has a small thatched hut in a village in Jehanabad district, 50 km from here, was waiting at a roadside tea shop for the day's employer. Somebody read out the news report about the housing scheme being finalised to him and he erupted in joy.
'We were told that Hindi papers published news that Nitish Kumar is serious to provide land and houses to Maha Dalit families,' an elated Manjhi told IANS near the tea stall at Gandhi Maidan in Patna.
'A house of our own will change the mindset of our children, our future. It is big news,' Manjhi said. 'Our forefathers died dreaming of their own house, but it seems their dream will be fulfilled soon.'
Bhuiyan has been spending his nights on the pavement. 'If the news is true, it will fulfil our dreams. My father, grandfather and his father died without a proper roof over their heads,' he said, flashing a smile after learning about the 'big news'.
Manjhi and Bhuiyan are among the thousands of poor, landless and homeless Dalits in Bihar who see the government decision as a beginning of a new life for them.
A government commission set up two years ago for the welfare of certain Dalit groups, which are socially and educationally more backward than others, painted a bleak picture of their lives in its first interim report submitted a few months ago.
Dalits constitute nearly 15 percent of Bihar's 83 million people. The commission identified 18 of the 22 Dalit sub-castes, including Musahar, Bhuiyan, Dom and Nat, as the most backward. They constitute 31 percent of the Dalit population in the state.
On Wednesday, Nitish Kumar discussed with top government officials to finalise the modalities of the implementation of the special scheme launched last year to give 120 sq metres of land to the poorest families in the state. The government has also promised to provide funds to these families so that they can build their houses.
'Now the Lok Sabha elections are over, Nitish Kumar at a meeting with the members of the Maha Dalit Vikas Mission directed to speed up the implementation of the scheme,' an official in the chief minister's office said.
The mission has identified the number of families who would benefit from the schemes, according to the official. Nitish Kumar asked his officials to re-check and complete the survey by June end.
Nearly 160,000 Maha Dalit families would benefit from the housing scheme. The government has earmarked Rs.8.15 billion for the purpose. Around 9,500 acres of land is required. At present, however, the government has only 4,055 acres. The rest will be acquired soon, officials said.link
The Maha Dalits think their dream of owning their own home is a bit closer to reality.
For generations, the Maha Dalits - as the poorest of the Dalit sub-castes are called - have been dreaming of their own homes.
It has remained a dream with people like Manjhi, 46, and Bhuiyan, 42, struggling to feed their families after earning Rs.100 on a good day.
Manjhi, who has a small thatched hut in a village in Jehanabad district, 50 km from here, was waiting at a roadside tea shop for the day's employer. Somebody read out the news report about the housing scheme being finalised to him and he erupted in joy.
'We were told that Hindi papers published news that Nitish Kumar is serious to provide land and houses to Maha Dalit families,' an elated Manjhi told IANS near the tea stall at Gandhi Maidan in Patna.
'A house of our own will change the mindset of our children, our future. It is big news,' Manjhi said. 'Our forefathers died dreaming of their own house, but it seems their dream will be fulfilled soon.'
Bhuiyan has been spending his nights on the pavement. 'If the news is true, it will fulfil our dreams. My father, grandfather and his father died without a proper roof over their heads,' he said, flashing a smile after learning about the 'big news'.
Manjhi and Bhuiyan are among the thousands of poor, landless and homeless Dalits in Bihar who see the government decision as a beginning of a new life for them.
A government commission set up two years ago for the welfare of certain Dalit groups, which are socially and educationally more backward than others, painted a bleak picture of their lives in its first interim report submitted a few months ago.
Dalits constitute nearly 15 percent of Bihar's 83 million people. The commission identified 18 of the 22 Dalit sub-castes, including Musahar, Bhuiyan, Dom and Nat, as the most backward. They constitute 31 percent of the Dalit population in the state.
On Wednesday, Nitish Kumar discussed with top government officials to finalise the modalities of the implementation of the special scheme launched last year to give 120 sq metres of land to the poorest families in the state. The government has also promised to provide funds to these families so that they can build their houses.
'Now the Lok Sabha elections are over, Nitish Kumar at a meeting with the members of the Maha Dalit Vikas Mission directed to speed up the implementation of the scheme,' an official in the chief minister's office said.
The mission has identified the number of families who would benefit from the schemes, according to the official. Nitish Kumar asked his officials to re-check and complete the survey by June end.
Nearly 160,000 Maha Dalit families would benefit from the housing scheme. The government has earmarked Rs.8.15 billion for the purpose. Around 9,500 acres of land is required. At present, however, the government has only 4,055 acres. The rest will be acquired soon, officials said.link
Wednesday 27 May 2009
Darbhanga in Bihar to be brought on tourist map of the country
Bihar government has decided to promote Darbhanga district as one of the most sought-after tourist spot in the state. District Magistrate of Darbhanga, Pran Mohan Thakur yesterday said the state government had approved a proposal for upgrading the district as one of the most important tourist spots of the country. Delving into the details of the proposal, Thakur said Ahilya Sthan was an important place for tourists visiting from other parts of the country and steps would be taken to make it more attractive besides providing comfort to the visitors by improving the required infrastructural facilities.
“Kusheshwar Temple complex and Harahi Pokhar Sankat Mochan Mandir are the other two spots which will be developed into tourist places for visitors, Thakur told adding, quality roads, better accommodation, facilities and un-interrupted power supply will be ensured in the area.link
“Kusheshwar Temple complex and Harahi Pokhar Sankat Mochan Mandir are the other two spots which will be developed into tourist places for visitors, Thakur told adding, quality roads, better accommodation, facilities and un-interrupted power supply will be ensured in the area.link
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