In A major move, which will benefit the rural people in the state of Bihar, state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced setting up of a relief as well as an animal shelter in each village at the cost of Rs 52 lakh. The chief minister said that one billion rupees have been allocated for construction of these sheds.
These sheds will be put under the control of village panchayat and they will serve the village community in lieu of some money, which will be used for upkeep of these shelters.
Speaking at the national seminar on disaster management for the protection of livestock at Veterinary College, Patna, Nitish said that this plan has been approved by the cabinet and soon the tenders will be floated for this purpose.
The chief minister said that 28 districts of Bihar are flood affected as such it is imperative for the Union government to announce relief for the people of Bihar.
He exhorted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to declare the Kosi floods as national disaster.
Kumar said that the government had learnt a number of lessons during the Kosi floods. The government machinery has realised that in addition to measures taken for human beings, effective steps have to be taken up for welfare and rescue of livestock.
The proposed shelters, he said, are being built keeping this finding in mind and these will help the people during floods.
The government has also invited public private partnership to construct these shelters, he informed. He asked the Vice Chancellor Dr ML Choudhary to make a road map for the protection of livestock with the help of disaster experts.
During the programme, Philip Russel, director of the World Society for the protection of animals promised to help the university in helping them to learn various aspects of disaster management.
Dr Chowdhury, vice chancellor appreciated Bihar government's commitment to the agricultural sector. Animal Husbandry minister Ramanarayan Mandal was present on the occasion and said that the board is now ready to deal with any calamity. Renu Kumari, Minister of Agriculture said agriculture road map is also ready to be implemented.
Dr JN Singh, dean of Rajendra Agriculture University expressed gratitude towards the guests.link
Thursday 16 July 2009
Bihar plans to provide toilets to all families
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
“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
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
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