BIHAR

CMNitishKumar asked the officials and engineers concerned in the energy department to complete the installation of Smart Prepaid Meters (SPMs) at all the households across the state before 2025. He also ruled out giving free electricity to the consumers. The SPM installation would entail an expenditure of Rs12,657 crore, including Rs11,100 crore in the rural areas. As many as 3.5 lakh of SPMs have been installed in 19 towns till December.
The 19 towns where the SPM installation work has been going on are Bettiah,Raxaul,Motihari, Sitamarhi, Chhapra, Ara, Arwal, Rajgir, Hajipur, Patna, Masaurhi, Biharsharif, Samastipur, Dalsingsarai, Begusarai, Khagaria, Munger, Purnia and Katihar.

Nitish said just as the SPM installation work has begun on a big scale, some sections might demand free electricity. Ruling it out, he said the government has been purchasing power of Rs12,000 crore every year, but the revenue returns to the department is only Rs5,500 crore. The remaining sum is being given to power consumers as a huge relief. Anything beyond it will not be sustainable. This, I have said even at the election meetings, Nitish said, adding that the power consumption in the state has increased from 700MW in 2004-05 to 6,627MW at present.

The CM said his government has made remarkable achievements in the power sector and the Centre has also consented to let the state purchase power from its quota. He also noted that another achievement would be the entry of Bihar Development Agency (BREDA) in the production of renewable energy. He laid the foundation stone for its schemes worth Rs1,011.95 crore.

The Air Pollution scenario continued to remain grim in the state as air quality index (AQI) in 10 towns was either in “very poor” or “severe” categories on Friday. Apart from the Bihar towns, Muzaffarnagar inUttar Pradeshwas the only other town in the country where theAQIwas in “very poor” category.

Katihar and Purnia were the most polluted places in the country on Friday with “severe” AQI of 425 and 416, respectively, according to the daily AQI bulletin issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The AQI was in “poor” to “very poor” categories in eight state towns. An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”. According to CPCB, “severe” AQI level can affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing diseases, while the “very poor” air can cause respiratory illnesses on prolonged exposure.

The Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) has urged the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Bihar to end in the state.

It has also suggested several steps to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to ensure that his avowed goals of helping Women is achieved without adverse fallouts of prohibition.

The state’s development has been affected as it is losing out on revenue from the legitimate liquor trade which is pegged at around Rs 10,000 crore per annum.

The CIABC has also suggested a state-run wholesaling Corporation for close monitoring and control on the liquor trade in the state.

Over 300 youths from nine states will participate in the India Skills-2021, the regional contest for east and northeastern zones, to be organised by the Bihar Skill development Mission (BSDM) here from October 20 to 23, state labour Resources department minister Jibesh Kumar said.

The youths from Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Assam and Tripura will participate in the 42 skills covering various areas like Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture, electronics, prototype modelling, fashion and beauty and landscaping. The inaugural function will be held at Gyan Bhawan.

On account of this, the 11 states have been allowed, as an incentive, an opportunity to raise Rs15,721 crore overall through market borrowing from financial institutions. The so raised will be spent as Capital Expenditure for the creation of assets like bridges, hospitals and other infrastructural entities, as well as to meet the costs of loan repayment and other such expenditures.

This has been done after the first review of the capital expenditures made by the respective state governments. Subsequently, the reviews will be made in December to assess the capital expenditure made till September, followed by that in March next year, and finally in June.
The Centre allows the states to raise money from the open market, but the cap on the total amount that can be raised in a financial year is 4% of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP).
During the 2021-22 budget presented in the state assembly on February 22, the estimated GSDP was put at over Rs7.57 lakh crore. The estimated outlay for capital expenditure for the creation of assets and loan repayment was Rs41,231 crore, including Rs30,786 crore for expenditure on the creation of productive assets, sources said.

Bihar and the states concerned will be allowed to raise money in an incremental manner over the current fiscal in consonance with the achievement made in the subsequent quarters.

Shortly after the Patna high courts flak over inconsistencies in the Covid-19 related death toll, the Bihar Health department has set up a three-tier committee to compile, verify and update the details of Covid-19 deaths in the second wave of the pandemic.

The state-level committee, comprising administrative officer of the state health societies and the additional director, health department, has been asked by the department to scrutinise the claims of deaths recommended by the district magistrates (DMs) based on reports submitted by the committees set up at medical colleges and hospitals and the district levels.

Biharhas become the fifth state in the country to implement national transit pass system (NTPS), a digital platform monitoring and keeping records of transit permits for interstate and intrastate transportation of forest products from private and public lands.

The state is committed to embracing development, particularly in the forest sector. The NTPS benefits the farmers and traders, as it allows online issuance transit permits, no-objection certificates, and other related documents, eliminating the need to physically visit forest offices.

Through the NTPS, people can apply for and receive e-passes on their cellphones. The system offers a desktop web portal and mobile application for online registration and submission of applications. It includes provisions for exempted and non-exempted species on private lands, allows driver details updates, accepts online payments, and enables vehicle movement verification via QR codes. The NTPS simplifies processes, strengthens digital connectivity, and facilitates efficient transportation of forest produce.

State Education minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary questioned the ranking of states in the Goals (SDG) India Index 2021 released by NITI Aayog on June 3. Bihar has been adjudged as the worst performer state in the ranking.

Choudhary alleged that the methodology of collection of data, its assessment and presentation is unbalanced for developing economies.

The condition of Bihar has improved on many parameters as compared to previous years.

As per the SDG India Index 2021, Bihar scored 52 out of 100 marks on different parameters and came under performer category (with scores in the range of 50-64). Bihar is in the frontrunner category on five parameters. It has scored 91 points in sanitation and clean water category, which is eight points higher than the national Average and two points above Kerala.

As per the SDG dashboard, Bihars performance has improved in hunger, Health and well-being, education, gender Equality, water and sanitation, cities and communities and Justice and institutions.

The state has made remarkable achievement in good health and well-being (SDG3). Entire country knows the works done in Bihar for Gender Equality (SGD5), including promotional schemes for girl students and parallel reservation for Women among others.

The categories in which states performance have been the lowest include POVERTY, hunger, gender equality, Industry, innovation and Infrastructure, reduction of inequalities and Climate action.

The may have allocated huge amount for Jal Jivan Haryali scheme, however, it is going too slow to frame a comprehensive action plan to deal with the issues of Climate-change”>Climate Change and its devastating impact on Resources“>Natural Resources.

Chief minister (CM) Nitish Kumar, during the conclave of eastern zone states on climate change, had in 2018 termed the issue crucial for Bihar particularly in view of continued decline in rains and asked the department of forest and Environment to get a climate action plan in place so that emission of greenhouse gases could be curtailed significantly. He had also favoured setting up of a fully equipped climate change cell in the department.

Although a separate cell to deal with climate change issues was set up within the forest and environment department in 2019, its technical wing (a unit of the cell that comprises technical staff, analysts and researchers) is yet to be constituted for want of recruitment of suitable candidates.

DFID submitted draft action plan on climate change to state government in 2019

State forest and climate change department set up special wing on climate change in 2019

Bihar govt signed pact with UNEP for climate resilience and carbon check strategy in 2021

Proposed action plan, being framed by UNEP, will aim to make Bihar carbon neutral by 2040

Twenty-three of 45 startups, which took part in the two-day BiharConnect expo organised by state industries department here have been selected for the next round of evaluation for funding by the investors.
The aim of the event was to give entrepreneurs a platform to connect with investors and pitch their creative products and ideas. Budding entrepreneurs from the state, along with investors and professionals, took part in the event.

The startup culture in Bihar is expanding rapidly. We are offering our startups technical and Marketing training, co-working spaces, and financial support.

A startup session on Secrets of million-dollar pitch deck” by Kailash Pinjani, an investor, was the highlight of the day. He discussed the essential Elements of a pitch deck and shared tips on how to effectively communicate the business model, market opportunity, and Growth potential.