The Bihar government plans to provide each family in the state with proper toilet facilities in the next five to six years, with the target of constructing more than ten million toilets.
“Every family would be provided a toilet in the state as the government’s target is to construct over one crore toilets in next five years,” Bihar Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Minister Ashwani Kumar Choubey said.
The PHED plans to construct 1.12 crore (11.2 million) toilets by 2015 to provide toilets to all, he said.
Choubey said that 17 lakh (1.7 million) toilets have already been constructed in last 43 months. “The number of toilets constructed in the state during the period 2005 to the first half of 2009 was much more than 753 toilets constructed during 2001-2004,” he said.
The latest survey conducted by the PHED revealed that about 95.96 lakh (9.596 million) households, out of which 49.19 lakh (4.919 million) are from the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category still do not have toilets at their homes.
The state government is offering a grant of Rs.1700 to every BPL family for adding toilets in their huts.link
Thursday 16 July 2009
Criminals loot 3 rifles from GRP
Unidentified criminals looted three rifles from the Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel escorting Katihar-Sonepur train near Pasraha railway station in Bihar's Khagaria district, ADG (headquarters)Neelmani said.
Neelmani said the five criminals armed with guns boarded the train at Katihar last night. They attacked the escort party and looted those rifles, when the train was about to reach Pasraha railway station under Samastipur division of the East Central Railway.
They later pulled the chain and decamped with the weapons, Neelmani said and added that a GRP men who sustained injuries in the incident has been admitted to a hospital in Khagaria.
A search operation has been launched to arrest the criminals, Neelmani said.link
Neelmani said the five criminals armed with guns boarded the train at Katihar last night. They attacked the escort party and looted those rifles, when the train was about to reach Pasraha railway station under Samastipur division of the East Central Railway.
They later pulled the chain and decamped with the weapons, Neelmani said and added that a GRP men who sustained injuries in the incident has been admitted to a hospital in Khagaria.
A search operation has been launched to arrest the criminals, Neelmani said.link
Wednesday 15 July 2009
Bihar to take over road construction work under PMGSY
Central agencies engaged in the road construction work under the PM Gramin Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) have often faced criticism for their shoddy performance resulting in tardy and poor quality work. The state government has now asked them to hand over those roads which could not be completed for want of contractors.
Minister of rural works department Brishen Patel acknowledged the fact that a large number roads under PMGSY could not be completed ostensibly because contractors were not coming forward to file tenders.
The minister, who was replying to a short notice question of Ram Dev Verma (CPM), informed the Vidhan Sabha on Wednesday about the problems faced by central agencies in road construction.
"As per central government guidelines , there is no provision for revision in estimate and price adjustment in the road construction work. This is why contractors were not willing to file tenders floated by the central agencies. But we have now asked them to hand over the work to us," the minister said, adding the state government had a provision of Rs 653 crore from its kitty to meet additional cost.
The minister admitted that central agencies had accepted the proposal to hand over the work to state agencies which will be inviting tenders for ensuring speedy completion of work."Since the government was willing to revise the cost estimate, the state agencies will not face any problem in engaging the contractors," the minister said.
The minister informed the House that about 30000 km road was to be constructed under PMGSY and both central and state agencies were involved in construction work. "But construction work of the central agencies were of poor quality. More importantly, the work was executed in a tardy manner. So we requested the Centre to allow us to complete the work by our own agencies," the minister said. link
Minister of rural works department Brishen Patel acknowledged the fact that a large number roads under PMGSY could not be completed ostensibly because contractors were not coming forward to file tenders.
The minister, who was replying to a short notice question of Ram Dev Verma (CPM), informed the Vidhan Sabha on Wednesday about the problems faced by central agencies in road construction.
"As per central government guidelines , there is no provision for revision in estimate and price adjustment in the road construction work. This is why contractors were not willing to file tenders floated by the central agencies. But we have now asked them to hand over the work to us," the minister said, adding the state government had a provision of Rs 653 crore from its kitty to meet additional cost.
The minister admitted that central agencies had accepted the proposal to hand over the work to state agencies which will be inviting tenders for ensuring speedy completion of work."Since the government was willing to revise the cost estimate, the state agencies will not face any problem in engaging the contractors," the minister said.
The minister informed the House that about 30000 km road was to be constructed under PMGSY and both central and state agencies were involved in construction work. "But construction work of the central agencies were of poor quality. More importantly, the work was executed in a tardy manner. So we requested the Centre to allow us to complete the work by our own agencies," the minister said. link
Bihar gets Rs63.50 crore for police modernisation
The Bihar government today received Rs63.50 crore from the Centre for police modernisation in past four successive financial years. In reply to a question by RJD's Nawal Kishore Yadav, Water Resources Development minister Vijendra Prasad Yadav told the state Legislative Council on behalf of the government that the state received Rs11.50 crore in 2005-06, Rs51 lakh in 2006-07, Rs15 crore in 2007-08 and Rs36.49 crore in 2008-09 for police modernisation.
The minister said that the state government has utilised the funds to purchase 8932 rifles, 185 LMGs, 14 Mortars, 168 carbines, 946 pistols, 572 grenade rifles and various types of 17,88,860 cartridges and 960 bomb mortars to modernise its police force. The purchased arms and ammunitions have been distributed amongst the policemen, Yadav said. link
The minister said that the state government has utilised the funds to purchase 8932 rifles, 185 LMGs, 14 Mortars, 168 carbines, 946 pistols, 572 grenade rifles and various types of 17,88,860 cartridges and 960 bomb mortars to modernise its police force. The purchased arms and ammunitions have been distributed amongst the policemen, Yadav said. link
21st Century's Best Solar Eclipse View in Taregna
People in Taregna, which is just 35 km from Patna, are gearing up for a rare sight on July 22. They will witness the longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century on July 22. A large number of astrophysicists, solar scientists and astronomers from across the country, will gather in Taregna to witness the rare solar eclipse.
Among the top scientists, who will visit Taregna on July 22, are NASA's solar scientist Sandeep Das Gupta, his wife Ratnashri, who is the Director of the Nehru Planetarium and some scientists from Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR)-Mumbai.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is also expected to visit Taregna to view the solar eclipse. Renowned astronomer Amitabh Pandey will accompany him. Indira Gandhi Planetarium, Patna has joined hands with a Delhi-based SPACE to help the scientists cover the entire solar eclipse event.
Special arrangements are being made in Patna for the mass viweing of the solar eclipse. The live telecast of the event will be jointly shown by DDK-Bhopal, Patna and Dibrugarh.link
Among the top scientists, who will visit Taregna on July 22, are NASA's solar scientist Sandeep Das Gupta, his wife Ratnashri, who is the Director of the Nehru Planetarium and some scientists from Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR)-Mumbai.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is also expected to visit Taregna to view the solar eclipse. Renowned astronomer Amitabh Pandey will accompany him. Indira Gandhi Planetarium, Patna has joined hands with a Delhi-based SPACE to help the scientists cover the entire solar eclipse event.
Special arrangements are being made in Patna for the mass viweing of the solar eclipse. The live telecast of the event will be jointly shown by DDK-Bhopal, Patna and Dibrugarh.link
Tuesday 14 July 2009
Asian Art Museum: Mithila Women painters of India
The Frey Norris Gallery has been featuring the work of Shalinee Kumari, a contemporary Indian woman artist painting in the style commonly referred to as “Mithila” or “Madhubani” painting. Mithila is a region in Bihar, in India. Madhubani is the name of a town in this region
Traditionally (and still today), these graphically engaging paintings were done by women as mural art decorating the walls of their homes, often marking an important celebrations, a wedding or the birth of a child, for example, or religious themes. The show at the Frey Norris Gallery shows the transformation of this painting style into a contemporary form of expression on paper and canvas that is now sold to art collectors. While stylistically linked to traditional forms, some Mithila artists are exploring a wider range of issues.
The Asian Art Museum also has a collection of Mithila paintings some of which are currently on view on the 3rd floor. This installation includes a male painter in this genre, who is among those encouraged by the economic success of the women artists to enter this once purely local, folk art tradition. The museum installation of Mithila paintings closes after Sunday, July 26 and conservation policy states that these light sensitive works go into dark storage to rest for five years so that they may retain their brilliant colors for generations to come.link
Traditionally (and still today), these graphically engaging paintings were done by women as mural art decorating the walls of their homes, often marking an important celebrations, a wedding or the birth of a child, for example, or religious themes. The show at the Frey Norris Gallery shows the transformation of this painting style into a contemporary form of expression on paper and canvas that is now sold to art collectors. While stylistically linked to traditional forms, some Mithila artists are exploring a wider range of issues.
The Asian Art Museum also has a collection of Mithila paintings some of which are currently on view on the 3rd floor. This installation includes a male painter in this genre, who is among those encouraged by the economic success of the women artists to enter this once purely local, folk art tradition. The museum installation of Mithila paintings closes after Sunday, July 26 and conservation policy states that these light sensitive works go into dark storage to rest for five years so that they may retain their brilliant colors for generations to come.link
Metro's accident has not deterred Lattipur youths from dreaming of work in Metro
Pappu Yadav had planted a cactus in a tin pot on the terrace of his house here before he set out for Delhi seven months ago to join work. The 25-year-old had also promised his father he would make the family house a pucca structure when he next visits home, in Lattipur village of Bhagalpur district.
Two days after he became one of the three fatal victims from Lattipur in Sunday’s accident at Delhi Metro’s construction site in South Delhi, the family is still looking at the cactus and the half-built house to find strength and come to terms with reality.
Besides Pappu Yadav, Amit Yadav, 25, and Niranjan Yadav, 18, were the other victims from Lattipur among six fatalities in the Zamrudpur mishap. All three were labourers at the construction site — among 45 from Lattipur working to put the Metro on track in time, according to villagers.
Barely out of her teens, Pappu’s wife Nitu has just come to her in-laws’ place and sits ashen-faced. Amid sobs, his mother Sita Devi says Pappu had promised to take his wife to Delhi one day. “That day would never come now.”
Eldest of three sons, Pappu was the family’s sole earning member.
Similar is the scene at houses of Amit Yadav and Niranjan Yadav: burst of rage at the authorities amid the mourning.
The duo’s mothers want to see their bodies one last time before cremation at the Ganga ghats here.
The river, though, has emerged as a scourge for the village of around 8,000. Locals blame the Ganga, flowing barely a kilometre from the village and eroding cultivable land every year, for making almost a third of the local youths to migrate to cities like Delhi, Ludhiana and Surat in search of livelihood.
In the last 40 years, villagers say, annual floods have eroded more than 600 bighas of cultivable land. And when the water recedes, it leaves behind sand that cannot grow anything.
To Delhi, with dreams
Niranjan’s father Awadesh Yadav, 47, says lack of cultivable land made him pull out his son from school after Class VIII. The family, he says, needed the money: “But there was no work here, so he went to Delhi.”
Villagers estimate at least 1,000 Lattipur youths work in the Capital, with 45 employed with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) alone.
Niranjan’s uncle Arvind Yadav says the youths who initially got a job with DMRC said the corporation pays better than most organisations. In areas like Lattipur, with unemployment staring youths at every street corner, that spread like wildfire and more made a beeline for work with DMRC, Arvind says. “Once the chain was built, migration continued — even we began enjoying it since money suddenly started flowing in to the village.”
According to him, barely two out of every ten villagers can be called “well-placed”, with a job either in the Army, or schools and banks. The village, he points out, does not have a “full pucca” house.
Though Lattipur has a high school and colleges in neighbouring Bhagalpur, few continue their education beyond matriculation. Pappu Yadav was in fact among the few who cleared Intermediate from the village.
Though the village elders blame almost everyone — from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to “our MP” Shahnawaz Hussain, and local authorities to DMRC officials — Sunday’s accident has not deterred Lattipur youths from still dreaming of work outside. Many in fact are open to working with DMRC. “We have to leave the village some day — staying here will mean only playing cards and wasting our life,” Class X student Nilesh says.link
Two days after he became one of the three fatal victims from Lattipur in Sunday’s accident at Delhi Metro’s construction site in South Delhi, the family is still looking at the cactus and the half-built house to find strength and come to terms with reality.
Besides Pappu Yadav, Amit Yadav, 25, and Niranjan Yadav, 18, were the other victims from Lattipur among six fatalities in the Zamrudpur mishap. All three were labourers at the construction site — among 45 from Lattipur working to put the Metro on track in time, according to villagers.
Barely out of her teens, Pappu’s wife Nitu has just come to her in-laws’ place and sits ashen-faced. Amid sobs, his mother Sita Devi says Pappu had promised to take his wife to Delhi one day. “That day would never come now.”
Eldest of three sons, Pappu was the family’s sole earning member.
Similar is the scene at houses of Amit Yadav and Niranjan Yadav: burst of rage at the authorities amid the mourning.
The duo’s mothers want to see their bodies one last time before cremation at the Ganga ghats here.
The river, though, has emerged as a scourge for the village of around 8,000. Locals blame the Ganga, flowing barely a kilometre from the village and eroding cultivable land every year, for making almost a third of the local youths to migrate to cities like Delhi, Ludhiana and Surat in search of livelihood.
In the last 40 years, villagers say, annual floods have eroded more than 600 bighas of cultivable land. And when the water recedes, it leaves behind sand that cannot grow anything.
To Delhi, with dreams
Niranjan’s father Awadesh Yadav, 47, says lack of cultivable land made him pull out his son from school after Class VIII. The family, he says, needed the money: “But there was no work here, so he went to Delhi.”
Villagers estimate at least 1,000 Lattipur youths work in the Capital, with 45 employed with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) alone.
Niranjan’s uncle Arvind Yadav says the youths who initially got a job with DMRC said the corporation pays better than most organisations. In areas like Lattipur, with unemployment staring youths at every street corner, that spread like wildfire and more made a beeline for work with DMRC, Arvind says. “Once the chain was built, migration continued — even we began enjoying it since money suddenly started flowing in to the village.”
According to him, barely two out of every ten villagers can be called “well-placed”, with a job either in the Army, or schools and banks. The village, he points out, does not have a “full pucca” house.
Though Lattipur has a high school and colleges in neighbouring Bhagalpur, few continue their education beyond matriculation. Pappu Yadav was in fact among the few who cleared Intermediate from the village.
Though the village elders blame almost everyone — from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to “our MP” Shahnawaz Hussain, and local authorities to DMRC officials — Sunday’s accident has not deterred Lattipur youths from still dreaming of work outside. Many in fact are open to working with DMRC. “We have to leave the village some day — staying here will mean only playing cards and wasting our life,” Class X student Nilesh says.link
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