BIHAR

The (NGT) has imposed an environmental compensation or fine of Rs4,000 crore on Bihar government for failing to scientifically manage solid and liquid waste.

The principal bench comprising NGT chairperson Justice A K Goel, in its hearing, directed that the amount be deposited in a “ring-fenced account” within two months and to be operated according to the chief secretary’s directions only for Waste Management in the state. The NGT bench further stated that the amount should be kept as “non-lapsable”, meaning it should not lapse beyond the stipulated deadline. The amount will be used for setting up solid waste processing facilities, remediation oflegacy wasteand setting up of sewage treatment Plants and faecal sludge and septage treatment plants so that there remains no gap, it ordered.

The NGT bench hoped the State Government will take further measures in the matter by innovative approach and stringent monitoring. The NGT has been levying compensations on various states for failure in scientifically managing solid and liquid waste.

The alarming rise in number of Covid-19 positive cases in the state has refreshed the memory of last years lockdown. Experts and residents, however, believe re-imposition of lockdown is not a suitable option. Instead, stricter surveillance, containment and caution are the way forward.

While states like Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have already imposed weekend lockdowns, night curfews and stricter curbs to break the chain of transmission, the Bihar government has so far not announced any major step to contain the pandemic.

Bihar Industries Association (BIA) president Ram Lal Khaitan said small businesses which bore the brunt of the pandemic last year can no longer survive another lockdown.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar said in the legislative council that land for the states second Aiims was selected at Shobhan in Darbhanga keeping in mind the advantage of connectivity.
He said the upcoming Health facility would usher in development in the region. The CM informed the House that he has instructed the officials concerned to complete the project expeditiously.

Union power and new and ministerR KSingh said engineering students need to understand the challenges before the country and come forward with solutions for the development of the nation.

Launching the three-day workshop on Promotion of research Infrastructure and Entrepreneurship in Science and Technology and product launch at Indian Institute of Technology-Patna, the minister said the Centre would provide funds to the institute for research and development work and also for the Infrastructure Development.

Singh jointly launched the event with state industries ministerSyed Shahnawaz Hussain, building construction ministerAshok KumarChoudhary and secretary ofTechnology Development Board(TDB), government of India, RajeshKumar Pathak. The workshop was organised by IIT-Patna in association TDB.

Newlyweds of the state will now be presented special kits, having items of make-up, tips on family planning, post-delivery Health care and also a congratulatory message, from the on their marriages. These kits have been prepared by Jeevika under the health department’s mission of family development.

State health Society executive director, Sanjay Kumar Singh and executive officer of Jeevika, Rahul Kumar, signed a MoU on this new initiative aimed at helping newlyweds in leading happy and healthy lives. Each of these kits contains a grooming bag, comb, mirror, hand-towel, packet of bindis, contraceptives pills and pregnancy test kit.

Biharhas urged the Centre to allot Rs 20,000 crore in the 2023-24 Union budget for development and creation of assets in the state and suggested 90:10 ratio of the central and state Shares of funding for the centrally sponsored schemes (CSS). The state also suggested to the Centre to increase the state’s Fiscal Deficit to 4% of the gross state domestic product (GSDP).

Similarly, Choudhary suggested that the Cess and Surcharge collected by the Centre should be included in the central divisible pool to transfer a part of it to the states.

Noting that the central fiscal deficit has been periodically increased in the past far beyond 6%, Choudhary said the Centre should permit the state to have its fiscal deficit 1% more than the mandatory 3% of the GSDP for a backward state like Bihar.

Choudhary said the Centre had provided Rs12,000 crore under Bihar specific plan (BSP) in the 2012 Budget for use in Infrastructure Development and on the creation of assets.

While 95% of the BSP fund provided in 2012 had been utilised, another chunk of Rs20,000 crore should be allotted in the forthcoming Union budget as BSP-Phase II, Choudhary said.

The minister also included a memorandum of the demands of the state. He asked for the transfer to the State Government the central fund meant for the repair and maintenance of thePMGSYroads, also separate allotment for the state to be used on the linking of panchayats, villages and haats/bazaars with the district headquarters.

Further, Choudhary demanded one-nation, one-tariff in the power sector and permission to raise Money from the specific fund ofNABARDfor use by the power distribution companies for fixing smart prepaid meters.

The RAILWAY Board has nominated 52 stations falling under the jurisdiction of the East Central Railway (ECR) for making them more Environment-friendly and eco-smart. It intends to get ISO 14001:2015 certificates from the pollution control boards of the cities concerned by maintaining better hygiene and cleanliness at these stations.
According to ECRs chief public relations officer (CPRO), the 52 stations include the Patna Junction,Rajendra NagarTerminal,Muzaffarpur Junctionand Gaya Junction in Bihar.

Besides, the railways has installed water harvesting and recycling treatment Plants at the Danapur, Rajendra Nagar and Barauni stations to keep them neat and clean. It has also carried out electrical energy and water audits at most ECR stations to ensure pure water supply and prevent power wastage.

The has planned to shiftPatliputra University(PPU) headquarters on a sprawling 10 acre land of the agricultural farm near Bakhtiyarpur Engineering College at Bakhtiyarpur, evoking sharp reactions from PPU teachers’ body.

State Education department secretary, Asangba Chuba Ao, in a recent letter to the Patna collector-cum-DM, has informed that the government has decided to allot 10 acre land of the Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture farm to the PPU for construction of its ‘permanent campus’. The education secretary further asked the Patna collector to take necessary action for allotment of the land to the PPU.

Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday exhorted the students, who have passed out from Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture University (DRPCAU), to strive and excel in their chosen domains and contribute to the Growth of the country.

Naidu said it was a pleasure for him to be part of the convocation in the historically important land of Champaran where Mahatma Gandhi had experimented his first satyagrah in support of poor farmers in 1917.

Piprakothi has become Home to multiple farmer-centric institutes, such as Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay and Forestry College and the Centre of Excellence in Embryo Transfer Technology.