Bihar CM Nitish Kumar inaugurates ‘B-Hub’ for startups

CM Nitish Kumar inaugurated ‘B-Hub’, the startup co-working space of industries department on the 5th floor of Maurya Lok Complex in the state capital.
Nitish also spoke to entrepreneurs and enquired about the works being done by them. He also enquired about the Services and products being provided or produced by the startup companies.

Established by the state industries department, the co-working space is being managed by the Chandragupt Institute of Management, Patna (CIMP) Business Incubation and Innovation Foundation. The B-Hub houses those startups which cannot afford their own offices.

Brick kilns want exemption from green norms

The red brick , which is accused of polluting the Environment, has appealed to policy-makers to weigh the pros and cons before making norms that are tough to follow. The brick manufacturers, who are ready to opt for cleaner technology, are sceptical that stringent laws may push the small and medium business owners out of the trade.

The manufacturers are also sceptical about their future in the wake of the carbon phase down policy of the Centre.

There are around 2,000 plus brick kilns in the state that provide direct and indirect EMPLOYMENT to over three lakh people. According to estimates, the industry gives employment for 120-150 days in a year at an Average wage of Rs 500 per head.

Despite opting for environment-friendly technology, the brick kilns are still considered as a polluting industry and they are often under the lens of environmental activists.

The zig-zag kilns are fitted with boosters to burn the coal efficiently, thereby reducing its consumption to 60% than what was required in the FCBT model.

10 worst polluted cities in country from Bihar

All the top ten cities with worst air quality in the country on Sunday were from Bihar. Patnaites breathed the worst air of the season as its air quality index (AQI) plunged to 402 in the ‘severe’ category due to poor dispersion of pollutants owing to weak winds, moisture incursion, drop in temperature, road dust or dust from construction sites and vehicular emission.

Begusarai recorded the worst AQI level at 474, closely followed by Darbhanga (446), Katihar (442), Siwan (429), Purnia (404), Saharsa (404), Patna (402) and Samastipur (399). Greater Noida and Ara had AQI at 398 and Bhagalpur at 388 while Delhi had it at 353.

As per the CPCB, severe AQI level can affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing diseases.

PHCs being strengthened in Bihar: Mangal Pandey

Health ministerMangal Pandey said medical facilities at urban primary health centres (PHCs) in the state are being improved with appointment of doctors, nurses and staff. So far, 89 medical officers have been appointed on contract basis. All the newly appointed medical officers have been asked to join duty in their allotted district by December 31, he said.

Pandey added urban PHCs are being established in selected cities under the Centres National Urban Health Mission to provide better healthcare facilities to the people of slum areas. At least 104 such centres are operating in the state. The process of increasing its number of such centres is on. The idea is to ensure quick treatment for people living in slum areas in various cities, he said.

Patients get treatment and medicines for free at these PHCs. Even during the Covid period, patients suffering from other ailments were treated at these PHCs. These PHCs were also made model vaccination centres,

Bihar ranks 3rd in saving water

Bihar was jointly awarded the third prize with Andhra Pradesh in the category of ‘Best State’, in the fourth National Water Awards by the Union Jalshakti Ministry on Saturday. Madhya Pradesh was adjudged the first and Odisha bagged the second prize.

Bihar got this award for its efforts towards conservation and management of Resources“>Water Resources under the ‘Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Abhiyan’ (JJHA).

The project is a collaborative effort of 15 departments and being monitored by Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Mission under the rural development department.

Under the campaign, 11 target interventions are being implemented, including removal of encroachment from public water bodies, rejuvenation of public water storage structures, rooftop rainwater harvesting, massive afforestation, promotion of and Solar Energy.

Besides, approximately 1.5 lakh soak pits have been constructed near public wells and hand pumps. The State Government has extended the JJHA till 2024-25.

Farming in Bihar hit by siltation in major canal systems: CAG

Heavy siltation of major canal systems, including the EasternKosiCanal System (EKCS), the largest major Irrigation project of Bihar, is now proving to be a bane for the state since it has resulted in low water discharge and ultimately affecting the crop production, the (CAG) report on the outcomes of surface irrigation projects inBiharrevealed.
As per the report, a total of 85.41 lakh hectares were to be irrigated during the period of 2015-2021 against which irrigation was provided to 59.87 lakh hectares (70%) only. However, the audit observed that the report of theWater Resources Departmentwas not correct.

The report states that due to heavy siltation in Kosi river, canal flow capacity of the head reaches of the main canal and branch canal have gradually reduced. The Kosi project is an international project between India and Nepal in accordance with the Indo-Nepal Agreement of 1954, subsequently revised in 1966. The barrage, canal head works and head reaches of the canal fall in Nepal and lower reaches of canal in Indian territory. The project was finally closed in March 1985 after an expenditure of Rs187.16 crore, the report states.

The audit also found that though the post-project yield increased in the areas covered by this project, yet this was not mainly attributable to the surface irrigation.

Barn Owl Sighting in Bihar

In a surprising sighting on 15 December, forest personnel rescued a barn owl in the Supaul area of Bihar.

Highlights:

Barn owls are typically found in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other parts of Europe and are rare in the Indian subcontinent.

Barn Owl

Tyto alba, the scientific name for the Barn Owl, is the world’s most widely spread owl species. Except for the arctic and desert regions, Indonesia, the Pacific Islands, and Asia north of the Himalayas, the species can be found practically wherever.

For the most part, the Barn owl is nocturnal. However, the owl hunts throughout the day in parts of the United Kingdom and the Pacific Islands.

They specialize in hunting animals on the ground. Small mammals are their only source of food, which they track down via Sound.

Bagless’ Saturday in all govt schools in Bihar

Children studying in government-run schools inBiharwill now have to carry school bags only five days a week, as the introduced ‘Bagless Safe Saturday’ scheme on the occasion of ‘Shiksha Diwas’, which is observed since 2007 on the birth anniversary of the country’s first Education minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.

CM Nitish Kumar formally launched the ‘Bagless Safe Saturday’ scheme and also unveiled a book of its guidelines at an event on the occasion. He also launched a ‘Best Plus App’ which will be used by education department officials for real-time monitoring and tracking of activities and presence of teachers in over 80,000 primary and upper primary schools across the state. The CM also transferred the amount of incentives in the bank account of students through DBT under different schemes of the education department for FY 2022-23.

Birsa Munda’s biography to release in December

An authoritative biography of tribal leader Birsa Munda (Nov15, 1875-June 9, 1900), who, in the words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi “shook the British empire” with his traditional bow and arrow, will be published in December, the publisher said on his birth anniversary on Monday while releasing the trailer of the book.

Modi declared that henceforth, Birsa Munda’s birth anniversary would be celebrated in line with that of Mahatma Gandhi and other freedom fighters who had sacrificed their lives for the nation.

In 19th century India, deep in the heart of what is now the state of Jharkhand, the Adivasis have been leading a life of absolute misery and darkness. The colonial state, with the help of its scheming local collaborators, has cast a net of abuse and exploitation that is tightening around these Adivasis, much like a hangman’s noose does. Everything they hold dear their land, homes, HISTORY, traditions, religion, families has fallen victim to the grand colonial plan of building a magnificent but merciless empire for the Queen.

State art, culture and youth affairs ministerAlok Ranjan Jha said the government was committed to establishing a sports university inBiharby April next year. The minister made the statement while addressing an event organised by theBihar Industries Association(BIA).

The government is making all efforts to establish a Sports university in Bihar by April next year in order to promote all types of sports. Steps will also be taken for more facilities at Patliputra Sports Complex in Patna and other stadiums elsewhere in the state.

The BIA acts as a bridge between the government and youth and this scheme covers training in tally, computer and basics of accounting.