A citizens’ agitation in Bihar and the state government’s promise to look at the privatization of the state’s electricity utilities have provided NTPC Ltd an opportunity to diversify into power distribution—a logical extension of business for the Central government owned power generation firm, the country’s largest.

This could provide an impetus to the company’s plans for the distribution business. NTPC has been exploring the idea of entering the business and even formed a distribution arm, NTPC Electric Supply Co. Ltd, or NESCL. As part of its forward integration move, NTPC had earlier planned to set up distribution networks in Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh and Mangalore in Karnataka. Neither, however, have come about yet.


As the local population in Bihar continues agitating against the lack of adequate power in the state, chief minister Nitish Kumar, in a bid to contain the political backlash, on Monday said it was NTPC’s duty to provide power to Bihar. Kumar’s statements were made following an agitation, which led to the death of three people in police firing on Friday near the NTPC-owned 1,340MW plant in Kahalgaon in south Bihar.
NTPC has two plants in Bihar, but these are not owned by the state government and their output can only be accessed indirectly by the state from a central pool.
A generation utility located in any of the five power regions in the country supplies power to the region’s load dispatch centre. In Bihar’s case, it is Eastern Region Load Dispatch Centre, or ERLDC, from where the state electricity board (SEB) purchases power.

Bihar has a power generation capacity of 584MW, compared with a demand of around 1,400MW. The deficit is made up by accessing the central pool.

Following the chief minister’s remarks, NTPC is readying to move into power distribution, provided it is issued a power distribution licence by the Bihar State Electricity Regulatory Commission (BSERC), a state government body.

“The state government is trying to divert the issue. Supplying power to Kahalgaon is not our responsibility as it is the job of the Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB). As per the law, we cannot distribute power. If they want us to do so, let them issue us a distribution licence and then we will consider it,” said T. Sankaralingam, chairman and managing director, NTPC.

The state government can do this only by privatizing power distribution.
Nitish Kumar, immediately after he become chief minister in November 2005, had promised to explore all options, including privatization, to revive the power sector in Bihar.

“BSEB is in a big mess with more than 51% power cut in Bihar. Our units at Kahalgaon are operating at maximum capacity. I will be visiting the state shortly to firm up our plans,” Sankaralingam said.

State government officials do not agree with NTPC’s view and argue that the firm cannot shy away from its responsibility of supplying power. “When you take away land and displace the people from there, these people are given a special status. You cannot treat them as ordinary consumers. While NTPC is maintaining 24-hour power supplies to its operational units, including the railway station used for handling coal (which comes to the plant), they are not willing to supply power to the consumers,” said H.C. Sirohi, divisional commissioner, Bhagalpur.

Analysts say NTPC’s entry into the distribution business will be significant, given the fact that it has a power generation capacity of 27,404MW and plans to increase this to 50,000MW by 2012.

A Delhi-based analyst who did not wish to be named said: “NTPC may negotiate with the state governments to get a distribution company. That is the way forward. There are very few good distribution companies in the sector such as Calcutta Electricity Supply Corp., Tata Power, Torrent Group and Reliance Power. Nothing stops NTPC from entering the power distribution sector. It is a strong player and SEBs have failed in certain respect in certain areas which are primarily managerial in nature.”
“Entering the distribution part of the business will not be a problem for NTPC as it has the access to power generation,” said a Union government official who did not wish to be named.

he state government of Bihar, India is working on six major e-Governance initiatives worth INR 1.6 million with Tata Consultancy services (TCS).

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said that these six initiatives include Comprehensive Treasury Management Information System (CTMIS), Value Added Tax Management Information System (VATMIS), citizen centric portal (Bihar online), Integrated Workflow and Document Management System (IWDMS), BRAIN- data centre and Bihar State Wide Area Network (Bihar-SWAN).

The state government is planning to initiate the pilot phase of all six projects in February and formally launch them in April.

Hariharpur (Vaishali), Jan. 23: Those diabetic or on a diet and yet fond of potatoes can thank Bihar farmers.

Vaishali and Patna markets will soon have a newly grown variety of the tuber with three to five per cent less starch than the usual variety.

Lady Roseletta or the LR variety is fast becoming a favourite with Vaishali farmers. Though LR has been around for many years, it’s found a permanent place in Bihar’s fields, mostly in Vaishali, last year. It’s yield has picked up with LR giving three times more yield than usual. Dozens of farmers at Hajipur, Vidupur and Lalganj have taken to growing the variety. Amod Kumar, a farmer of Hariharpur, said: “On an average, LR variety yields 400 mound per acre as against 150 mound from other variety. It’s greener than usual ones.”

Hariharpur grows LR on eight acres and the crop for this year is expected to be ready within a month.

Amod’s father, Bindeshwar Prasad Singh, added that the LR variety contains less sugar because of less water content. He, however, could offer no scientific explanation as to why some farmers would sell it by calling it “sugar-free”.

Programme co-ordinator of Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Haripharpur, Brajesh Shahi, offers an answer to the “misplaced” notion of the sugar-free potato. “No variety of potato can be sugar-free. Bt LR contains two to three per cent less starch than usual local varieties,” said Shahi.

He said varieties such as Chandramukhi, Ashoka, Rajendra Aloo 1, 2 and 3, also have similar characteristics. “But LR seeds are easily available and Vaishali farmers have given it a shot successfully.” LR is also a favourite because its cultivation takes eight to 10 days less than the usual 90-day crop, said Shahi.

Farmers growing LR seem more than happy with the variety because of its “good” yield. Rakesh Singh, a Vidupur farmer, said: “Customers like it. We do not know if it is sugar-free, but I surely believe that it has less sugar.”

This man was once lauded by former chief minister Satyendra Narain Sinha for his "innovative agriculture brain". He was also called annadata at Lalganj where he tilled 14 acre land to grow high-yieldng wheat. But all that was forgotten. But this unsung green revolution man has of late turned to yellow cultivation that makes gold. And do not mistake those "yellow flames" in Hariharpur fields, barely 20 km from Patna, for mustard crops swaying in anticipation of spring.

It is a high-cost local variety of cauliflower seeds, sold across Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra under exclusive Vaishali brand of " satya beej (true seeds)" or Amrit for its absolute organic preparation.

The cauliflower seeds fields have two other simultaneous crops, potato and maize, sharing the same silty loam soil to ensure optimization. The three crops also contribute to each other's nutrition.

All this and more are happening in backyard of state capital at this non-descript Vaishali village.The yellow revolution man of Vaishali is Bindeshwar Prasad Singh (67), a farmer owning just 2.5 acre of land but still making gold. No matter he was not chosen for last year's Kisan Samman by Bihar government, the Indian Vegetable Research Institute at Varanasi gave him silver medal for year 2007.

Since 2001, he has been producing 1.5 quintal to 2 quintal cauliflower seeds from his two acre land. Of late, Singh purchased two more acres of land for Rs 10 lakh at his village to grow more crops. One cauliflower harvest at two acre of land costs him about one lakh rupees. But see his yield -- Rs 10-12 lakh for that. If government comes foward to help brand his seeds, it could go up to Rs 15 lakh. Cauliflower seeds, grown by this farmer, are sold at Rs 7,500-Rs Rs 8,000 per kg as gainst international price of Rs 12,000-Rs 15,000 per kg. Satyabeej producing Early Kuwari cauliflower, is an exclusive Vaishali variety and can well be patented on lines of our Shahi Litchi and Maldah Mango.

About 20 farmers of Hariharpur and surrounding villages have been growing cauliflower seeds.Farmers who emulate his multi-crop method would make fast money. His only son Amod, a first class science graduate, did not even think of looking for a job. "I am very happy helping out my father at fields and want to carry on the experiment a bit further to effect the "yellow revolution" in length and breath of Vaisahli,Samastipur and Darbhanga", said Amod adding "My father was a yard master with petty earning of Rs 700 per month. He had to sell most of our paternal land to support a family of seven".

But it has been a long journey for this unsung hero of Vaishali since 1965. After passing his matriculation in 1956, he took to cultivation out of choice at his share of 2.5 acre. By 1965, when green revolution swept Punjab, he became aware of high-quality seeds of wheat.

Sonra-64, a wheat variety, gave him yield of 28 quintal per acre and that became the turning point for this agriculture enthusiasm.

During 1966-67, he accepted a challenge from then minister Satyendra Narayan Sinha later Bihar CM to show "his feet at his 14 acre Langanj (Vaishali) plot". He stayed at Lalganj from 1966 to 1973 re-iterating his high-yielding feat. But no government laurel came his way. "I was local annadata (grain-provider) for my peers and fellow farmers for teaching them new cultivation method. But no one came forward to take my experimentation method at state level", he rued.

After Rajendra Agriculture Research Institute was set up at the village in 2007, he was provided with technical know-how".The institute's programme coordinator Brajesh Shahi lauded "incredible efforts" of Singh. "Bindeshwar's switching over from chemical cultivation to organic method has worked wonders and is highly sustainable.
The institute, he said, taught him laying Pheromone trap, which has female insects' hormone in a cotton wads, to catch pests. Wooden perches are also erected in fields to invite birds to eat insects.

Bee-hives are also there to help in cross-pollination of cauliflower seeds. Ginger, neem and chilly solutions are used for pest control.Shahi said: "If we can provide farmers foundation seed, it will be automatically ratified by other states giving us international price". At present, Vaishali cauliflower seeds are sold at Rs 7,500 per kg as against branded seeds' rates of Rs 13,000 to Rs 15,000 per kg.Cauliflower seeds are grown between July and mid March, Potato between December and March and Maize between January and May. The field is minus crop only for one and a half month.
Here are the ones who claim to reap rich harvest from cauliflower gold: Alok Chandra Roy, Krishna Chandra Mohan, Rajendra Shah, Mohammed Nayeem and Rajesh Singh. They all salute this green revolution man and wish him fame of Hillman Dasrath Manjhi.

Dear Readers, we are posting this song to give you a break from normal News reporting on Bihar Today.

One of the very few heart touching Bhojpuri songs. It reminds the village and happy life around the place.

Your comments and inputs are welcome. If any one would like to share some more classic songs please send it to us.

See how ispiderman bhaiyaa is speaking Bhoijpuri in his New Movie SpiderMan 3.

There is always and end to a tunnel,which brings Light.ts welcome how small it is,looking at the gloomy picture.

Kaimur, Bihar: Azimuddin looks after the temple as devoutly as he offers namaz. With his faithful association with the Mundeshwari Temple atop Kaimur Hills in Bihar, Azimuddin has become a legend in his own way.

Unmoved by what happened to the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, on December 6, 1992 and how dozens of mosques were bulldozed during the 2002 Gujarat pogrom, Azimuddin , a Muslim by religion, has been looking after the temple and taking part in every religious ceremony held there.

The temple was built in 101 A.D. Thousands of devotees visit the shrine every year, believing that the Goddess fulfils their wishes.

“I am a Muslim and offer namaz daily but I have a great devotion to “Maa Mundeshwari,” says Azimuddin, caretaker of the temple.

He works overtime to ensure that tourists may not face any inconvenience visiting the shrine. According to locals, Azimuddin played a vital role in the construction of a concrete road to the temple.

Azimuddin is happy with the Bihar government’s decision to grant Rs 2 crore to the Bihar State Hindu Religious Trust Board for the construction of a ropeway. He says that the protection of relics of the temple is urgently needed, many of which have been stolen over the years.

On communal harmony, he says that people should have religious tolerance and politicians should not be let divide the society in the name of religion and caste.

NEW DELHI: Karan Billimoria-promoted Cobra Beer on Friday said it has acquired Bihar-based brewery Iceberg Industries at an undisclosed amount.

The UK-based company has acquired 76 per cent stake in Bihar-based brewery from the Katyal family-owned brewery with Amit Katyal retaining a 24 per cent share.

Iceberg, currently, has a manufacturing capacity of three million cases per annum and Cobra Beer intends to increase to seven million cases per annum to cater for its markets in north and east India, Cobra Beer said in a statement.

"The purchase of Iceberg will help us take Cobra to a whole new level in India, allowing us to increase and manage our capacity and to really focus our efforts on the Indian market," Cobra Beer Founder and Chairman Karan Billimoria said while commenting on the acquisition.

The new brewery comes in addition to existing manufacturing facilities in Poland, Belgium, Netherlands, UK and five other locations in India.

The move marks a significant stage in the company's ambitious global development strategy, Cobra Beer said in a statement.

"We look forward to strong and sustained growth for Iceberg and Cobra in the years ahead," Iceberg promoter Amit Katyal said.

Cobra will continue marketing of the existing brand of Iceberg and will also have full management control including operations, marketing, sales and brewing, it added.

PATNA: The Bihar government on Saturday sanctioned a sum of over Rs 188 crore for the construction of 1985 new Primary Health Centres (PHC) across the state.

Briefing reporters after a special cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar here, Secretary, Parliamentary Affairs and Public Grievances A K Giri told reporters that the state government would contribute Rs 120 crore as state's share and the rest amount would be provided by the Centre for the construction of PHCs, water supply, electrification and construction of approach roads to the health centres.

In another major decision, the state cabinet also decided to provide reservations in appointment and promotion with effect from 2000 for the employees belonging to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward castes.

The state cabinet today amended the Bihar Assembly (Appointment and Service Condition) Rules 1964 providing reservation in appointment and promotions of the assembly employees, Giri said.

The state cabinet also sanctioned a sum of Rs 13.90 crore for the payment of salary and other dues of 314 newly appointed judicial officers.

In another decision, the state cabinet decided to constitute a high level committee comprising officers of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) and Small Industrial Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to suggest measures for bringing sick micro and small scale units back on the rails.

The committee's recommendations for making the sick micro and SSI units would be implemented in toto by the government, Giri said.

PATNA: Efforts to lure NRIs to invest in creating infrastructure in Bihar may not have had the desired effect. However, the consistency of CM Nitish Kumar to attend the Pravasi Bharatiya meets appears to have convinced some NRIs to do something for the state.

A delegation of the American India Foundation (AIF) will be visiting Bihar on January 21 to see if more funds could be pumped into the state for welfare work. The Bihar-bound delegation consists of NRIs who had attended the Pravasi Bhartiya meet in Delhi recently.

The AIF was formed in 2001 by NRIs residing in the US and it has raised over US $ 45 million ever since its interception besides mobilising NRIs to do something for their motherland. The foundation is working on projects related to health care, women empowerment, livelihood and education. It has also sought to bridge the "digital divide" by providing computers, internet and training to undersourced schools. The foundation has already been funding a few NGOs and has shown interest in expanding its activities in Bihar.

The delegation scheduled to visit Bihar will include AIF’s president Lata Kishnan, foundation president and executive director Pradeep Kashyap. The delegation will also consist of NRIs who head corporate institutions in the US like Ravi Akhaury and Ram P Tukkaram.

"There are also some Bihari NRIs who have risen very fast on the corporate ladder in the state and are eager to do something for their home state," said Mohit Ahuja, who is co-ordinating the visit of the delegation. The delegation is expected to meet CM Nitish Kumar and senior Bihar officials apart from having an interactive session with social activists of the state.

The attempts of the state government to attract NRIs to invest in the state has been a frustrating one, thus far. The NRIs meet in Patna in 1995 and the Global Meet held last year has not had much of an impact. NRIs wanting to invest in Bihar have aired their frustration over red tape in clearance of their proposals.

PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday, accused his arch political rival and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad of trying to deter outside entrepreneurs from investing in the state.

"One day when I was in the middle of a meeting with a prospective entrepreneur, he received a call from the Railway Minister asking him not not to invest in Bihar. Lalu asked him what was the entrepreneur doing when RJD was in power in the state. Lalu is trying to hinder state's economic progress," Kumar told a meeting of NDA workers.

"I have a feeling that these people are trying to trouble the government. An attempt is being made to disrupt the process of development and all of you should be prepared to counter such elements," Kumar said.

"RJD is a constituent of the union government and its state leaders are burning my effigy against electricity shortage. If they can get power by burning my effigies, the JD(U) and BJP workers would help them in burning those in every nook and corner of the state," he said referring to the protests by RJD activists over power crisis.

PATNA: Bihar rarely hogs the limelight when it comes to making contribution to the national exchequer. However, the state, of late, appears to be on the path of role reversal, for, it has found a place in the top 10 states of the country on the front of central excise tax collection.

According to the Patna commissionerate of the central excise, revenue amounting to Rs 3,926 crore is likely to be generated as central excise in the current fiscal (2007-08) from the state.

"The department had collected Rs 2,831 crore till December 31, 2007 and we are likely to cross the target of the current fiscal," said central excise commissioner M S Badhan on Wednesday.

This is not for the first time that the state has generated so much of revenue as the collection in the previous fiscal (2006-07) too was quite healthy with the Patna commissionerate contributing Rs 3,400 crore as central excise.

Central excise apart, the commissionerate is also taking steps to meet the revenue collection target from service tax. Against a target of Rs 240 crore this fiscal, a collection of just Rs 115 crore was made till December last year, a clear indication of below par performance on this front. Excise commissioner Badhan, however, is hopeful of meeting target even on this front. "Service tax collection generally goes up in the last three months of the fiscal year, hence, we are expecting to meet the target by March," he said.

He, however, accepted that the shifting of headquarters of some of telecom companies from Bihar to other states did affect the volume of service tax collected from the state.

He said that field officials have been told to adopt a proactive approach for meeting the target and that they have also been provided with a booklet containing answers of all the frequently asked questions over which assessees have doubts.

Meanwhile, a workshop of field officials of five zones of the Patna commissionerate - Patna, Gaya, Laheriasarai, Muzaffarpur and Bhagalpur - was organized on Wednesday to give latest information about service tax.

A little-known village in Bihar has found fame and is set for a facelift as it has been officially identified as the native place of former Mauritius prime minister Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam.

Harigaon in Bhojpur district, about 60 km from here, was like any other village in rural Bihar without roads, electricity connection and a health centre.

The Bihar government will now develop it as a model village with basic infrastructure and turn it into a historical place to attract tourists, particularly from Mauritius.

Ahead of Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam's visit to the village Feb 19, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with top officials went to the village Saturday, and announced a spate of measures including construction of roads, a hospital, a school and other basic facilities.

'Nitish Kumar visited Harigaon to take stock of the amenities available in the village before the Mauritius prime minister's visit,' a senior official of the Chief Minister's Office said here Sunday.

Nitish Kumar has invited Navinchandra Ramgoolam to visit his ancestors' village. Navinchandra Ramgoolam will also unveil a statue of Seewoosagur Ramgoolam in the heart of Patna.

Late Seewoosagur Ramgoolam was prime minister of Mauritius from 1961 to 1982. He is considered the father of the nation as he led his country to independence from Britain.

According to experts, his grandfather was one of the hundreds labourers from different villages across Bihar forcibly taken by the British to work in Malaysian sugarcane plantations in 1871.

A large number of people from Bihar travelled to various parts of the world, including Mauritius, in the 19th century to serve as indentured labourers - sometimes referred to as girmitiya - in sugarcane and rubber plantations.

Most of them were from districts like Bhojpur, Chapra, Gopalganj and East and West Champaran.

About 60 percent of the 1.2 million population of Mauritius is of Indian origin, a large number of them from Bihar with Bhojpuri as their mother tongue.

It may be one of the most literate states, but Kerala has the highest crime rate in the country and one of its districts, which is the flashpoint of CPI-M-RSS clashes, tops the list in riot cases.

According to the latest statistics on crime in India, Kerala has the highest crime rate of 20.19 per one lakh population regarding offences committed against public as against the national average of 5.82.

The state also registered a total of 6,365 riot cases in 2006, which is third in the ladder behind Bihar (8,259) and Maharashtra (7,453).

Regarding arson, Kerala with 435 cases is behind Maharashtra (1,188) Andhra Pradesh (1,012) Madhya Pradesh (815) and Bihar (785).

But Kannur in the state's north had 737 riot cases in 2006 and this is the highest number registered by any police district in the country.

The district, a bastion of the Marxists for long, had been witnessing frequent clashes between the activists of CPI-M and BJP-RSS with both sides claiming to have lost at least 150 cadres each.

A number of political clashes were charged under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code relating to rioting and this is the reason behind this kind of figures, a Kerala government official said.

The majority of the present state leadership of the CPI-M, including state party Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, hails from Kannur. State Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan also hails from Kannur.

Prominent Marxist leaders like A K Gopalan, who was the first Opposition Leader in Lok Sabha, kick started their political career in this district.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau, cases of rioting and arson are the major components under the category of crimes against public order and it constitutes 3.5 per cent of the total crimes registered under Indian Penal Code.

Incidence of crimes under this head has increased by 0.7 per cent from 64,686 in 2005 to 65,121 in the next year. Bihar, Maharashtra, Kerala and Karnataka account for about 47 per cent of cases of rioting and arson in the country.

In the national Capital, 87 cases of rioting and 33 cases of arson were registered in 2006.

Patna, Dec 31: The famous Madhubani painting of Bihar is now an exclusive brand as it has been registered under the provisions of Global Indications (GI) Act for patenting.

'The Madhubani painting of Bihar is the first item to be registered under the GI Act for patenting,' Abhijit Das, representative of United National Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), said here Saturday.

For ages, rural people, mostly women, of Mithila in Bihar have developed their own tradition of art, popularly known as Madhubani paintings and named after Madhubani district. This painting tradition dates back to the seventh century AD.

Traditionally, Madhubani paintings were made on the eve of certain rituals and ceremonies such as pujas (worships), vratas (fasts) or weddings. But in the last few decades, Madhubani paintings have been popularised the world over by master painters.

Das said after Madhubani paintings, the famous Shahi litchi of Muzaffarpur could become an exclusive brand of Bihar soon. 'The process is underway for GI registration of Shahi litchi too,' he said.

Bihar is also aiming to register tassar silk and aromatic Katarni rice of Bhagalpur under the provisions of GI Act for patenting.

Das was here to attend a workshop on 'Geographical Indications for Regional Development: Identifying Potential GIs for Bihar'.

Once the Bihar government gets exclusive right to the brand name Shahi litchi, no one else will be able to use it to market the fruit in India or abroad. Buyers anywhere would know that a litchi, with this brand name, has to be one of the famous litchis of Muzaffarpur, he said.

The horticulture department officials have prepared documents under the Geographical Indications clause of International Property Rights laws to prove their case that the Shahi litchi is unique and it grows only in Muzaffarpur.

They expect the registration of the brand name will benefit farmers, who will gain access to more markets and get better prices.

About 70 percent of all litchis produced in India are grown in Bihar. The number of farmers in the state growing litchis has increased in the last decade, especially in Muzaffarpur district.

But in a recent report, the World Bank noted that litchis were being grown in only about 10 percent of the 2,000-odd orchards in Muzaffarpur.

Countries that import litchis from India are the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Canada, Russia and Yemen.

PATNA: A couple here has claimed to have invented a car engine, which could run without petrol, diesel or battery.

Likely to cost around Rs 35,000, the engine is the result of an experiment based on the principle of inter-convertibility of energy, which means energy can neither be created nor destroyed, but can only be changed from one form to another.

Kanishk and Lipika Sinha, managing director and chairman respectively of Kolkata-based Jasper Motor Vehicle Company, told reporters here that they had invented the technology three years ago and approached the Tata Motors and Microsoft for an agreement for setting up a motor vehicle plant at Sonepur in Bihar.

Showing a letter purportedly from the Tata Motors, they claimed that the company had desired signing an agreement, the papers for which would be sent.

Kanishk Sinha recently got the engine patented with Big Patents India, a body supported by the Ford Foundation.

The couple, post-graduates in Physics from the North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, claimed to have carried out research for three to four years before concluding that a chemical reaction with zinc and pure oxygen causes energy to run a dynamo recycling the energy, which would lead a vehicle to run without conventional fuel. After running 4.5 lakh km the engine would need servicing.

Bihar Today team greets you a very happy New Year - 2008 !

Good News ! Bihar !

team -

Bihar Today

Patna, Dec. 31: Agriculture would top Bihar government’s list of priority for 2008, the Bihar chief minister announced at a meeting with district magistrates and superintendents of police today.

The second priority, for the government, would be rebuilding all houses destroyed by floods in 2007, under the Indira Awas Yojna by May 2008, and then provide ration cards to those living below poverty line. Government’s wish list also includes a “more accountable” bureaucracy in the year ahead.

Perhaps the strongest line taken by the CM was that in 2008 the government would hold district magistrates and SPs responsible for the “communal and social tensions” in their jurisdictions.

Briefing the media at the end of the close door meeting, cabinet secretary Girish Shankar said: “The district magistrates would also be held responsible for holding the timely elections of the rural school committees.”

The state’s bureaucracy stayed under fire in 2007 from the people’s representatives from all parties, including the JD(U) for the “Baboo’s improper treatment to the elected representatives during 2007”. Many legislators complained against the bureaucrats for the latter’s “maltreatment” of the peoples’ representatives.

The government today specifically directed the district magistrates and other bureaucrats to stay “respectful” of all elected peoples’ representatives including those belonging to panchayats and municipal bodies. Besides, safety, security and desired status to women will also stay on the top in the government's agenda in the year ahead. “The Bihar government directed the authorities concerned to take quick action in the cases related to atrocities on women", Shankar said.

The chief minister conceded at the meeting that the government had got only a "limited control" on the incidents like kidnapping for ransom, dacoity, murder and other forms of crime. "The DMs and SPs are supposed to tighten their socks further to ensure better law and order in the state", the CM said at the meeting.

The government directed the district officials to camp in the villages persuading the farmers to donate lands for the construction of school buildings and health centres for the "all round development of the society".

PATNA: The Bihar State Board of Religious Trusts (BSBRT) has submitted a proposal to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for immediate renovation and restoration of the famous Mundeshwari temple in Kaimur district.

One of the oldest living monuments in the country, the sanctum sanctorum of the octagonal stone Mundeshwari temple is still intact today. A huge heap of temple materials along with large number of idols lie scattered in the area.

Experts say that the temple atop the hill has been subject of archaeological study for quite some time now. While the sanctum sanctorum has a "devi" idol situated in a corner, a "chaturmukhi Shivalinga" adorns the centre.

Under the proposal, the BSBRT has earmarked Rs 2.4 crore for the renovation and restoration of the temple. "We will deposit an amount of Rs 2.4 crore in the National Culture Fund (NCF) for the purpose once the ASI approves the proposal," BSBRT administrator Kishore Kunal told TOI on his return here after submitting the proposal to the ASI in New Delhi.

Kunal said the nature of funding has been made flexible with the donor having an option to either execute the selected project directly wherein the donor can appoint and monitor the executing agencies to carry out the project work subject to the pre-defined technical conditions laid down by the ASI.

A project implementation committee would be set up with experts and representatives of institutions concerned to monitor and implement the project, Kunal said, adding "The ASI has also expressed keen interest in the project."
"The ASI has also accepted that this temple is the oldest in the country in view of its historicity," Kunal added.

Interestingly, a few years back noted BHU historian I S Roy found a Ceylonese seal while walking on a field adjacent to the hill near Mundeshwari temple. The pyramid-shaped stone seal with inscriptions in Brahmi script along with photograph also find mention in one of Roy's articles in a Numismatic Society of India journal published in 2004.

Maharaja Dutthagamani (101-77 BC), a powerful independent king of Ceylon (Sri Lanka), had constructed a great stupa and a large assembly of priests attended its consecration ceremony in the Mundeshwari hills. According to experts, the seal acted as passport for Ceylonese pilgrims and ensured safe passage during their long journey through various kingdoms to Buddhist pilgrimage centres in India. Experts believe that earlier routes to Buddhist centres at Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh and Kapilvastu in Nepal were via Mundeshwari temple in Bihar's Kaimur district.

By Abhinandan Mishra ( A Positive journalist )


We have time and again read and heard the the concept of Prejudiced reporting. Those who have gone through this week's Tehelka magazine ( December 29, 2007) would have surely read the article “Two years On, no new deal” on the state of governance in Bihar by Tehelka’s Bihar correspondent. And one would not find a better example of ‘prejudiced reporting’ than the above mentioned article.

Those who are not aware of the ground realities in Bihar are sure to rise in unison and call for the rolling of Nitish ‘s head after reading Tehelka’s write up. The writer has left no further scope for criticizing Nitish Kumar-led JD (U) government and he has through manipulative use of facts turned every work of progress and development that has been taken up by Nitish into that of misdeed.

The article says that the ‘people of Bihar are wondering whether they did the right thing in electing Nitish as a CM’? The writer has failed to answer on what is the parameter that he has has used while constituting ‘the people of Bihar’ in the present case.

The writer has embarked on a “feel bad” drive while criticizing the state government and made sure that by the end of the article people start feeling that “Nitish is the worst thing that has happened to Bihar”.

It would have been better if the writer had acknowledged the efforts that are being taken up by Nitish to improve the situation Bihar which has been result of 15 years of ‘‘susasan’’ by RJD. (pun intended)

It has been only two years since the JD(U) assumed power in Bihar. The Correspondent at one place says that Nitish has formed commissions after commissions to implement policies.and to conduct inquiries into the various social and legal misdeeds of the previous state government. What else he expects? Does he expects that all mis-adventures of the previous government should be ignored?

For the records one of the commission was on the 1989-90 Bhagalpur riots. The Justice N N Singh Commission of Inquiry which was constituted in February 2006 recommended that victims of the 1989-90 Bhagalpur riots should be compensated on par with those of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Later after the JD(U) came into power a Bihar court sentenced Kameshwar Yadav, the prime accused to rigorous life imprisonment. The police had earlier closed the case against Yadav, citing lack of evidence. In fact, he was later given a citation for maintaining communal harmony by the state police in 2004 when the state was ruled by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) government of Rabri Devi.
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Chief Minister Nitish Kumar last year ordered a fresh probe into the 27 riots cases that were closed by police citing lack of evidence. So much for bad governance.

Later the writer says that although the crime rate has gone down in the state after the new government yet crime committed has increased. He states that this is due to the fact that the police machinery has been told not to register cases. If this arguments has any substance then I am sure that the previous government also had enough ‘clout’ over the police to stop them from registering cases. But under the RJD rule both the crime rate as well as crimes committed increased.

The writer further quotes a PUCL worker to substantiate his claim. With due respect it is illogical to expect that a human rights activist will say that all’s well in the state. Better choice would have been a local trader or a local journalist.

The biasness continues to gain strength as we turn the pages. The magazine goes on to criticize Nitish Kumar on the ground that by setting up speedy trial courts he is targeting his political adversaries. They further say that the CM is targeting leaders from particular castes. One of the so called ‘target’ was Anand Mohan , a JD(U) leader and a former MP. He was ‘targeted’ by Nitish for inciting a mob to lynch the then district magistrate of Gopalganj, Krishnaiah 13 years ago.

Then the magazine dwells on the issues of development. The appointment of 3.12 lakhs of teacher comes up ; but even in this case Nitish earns negative input. He uses this number to point out that only 1 lakh post of policeman and engineer have been filled up till now. Nobody not even a CM possesses a magic-wand these days and expecting him to bring the golden days of patliputra back in a short period of 2 years is a bit too much.

The most childish of the magazine claims is embedded in the first paragraph of the article. The writer says that Nitish and company are worried after around 2 lakh disenchanted people turned up for a “Chetavni rally’ of Lalu yadav.

Those who were in Patna at that time will tell that these rallyist were not the ‘dis-enchanted lot’ and by no stretch of imagination they numbered 2 lakhs. As a matter of fact that rally was supposed to go on till 5 PM but when the RJD leaders saw the sparse crowd they decided that it was in their best interest to windup the rally by 2 PM but not before Laluji dedicated his two sons to the service of the nation.

Most of the rallyists were composed of rural people who came in buses and tractors, not because they wanted a change in the state but because it was better to earn some bucks and have a good time in the city rather than idling away a Sunday afternoon.

Quoting opposition leaders and local activist for describing two years rule may give a picture but it will not be a true and complete picture.

I have time and again reiterated that a mess that took 15 years to be done cannot be undone in 2 years. At least Nitish is trying and putting efforts to put things back on track. Let us save our critiques for 3 more years and till then let Nitish do his job and let Bihar live in peace for the state has already earned more than its share of bad name.

by J P Yadav ( a positive Journalist )


Patna, December 31: • 4.4% is Bihar’s growth in agriculture this year, the fastest in the country, reports a study by Punjab Agricultural University


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• 265% is the rise in corporate tax collection in the Patna circle alone, according to Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)

• Reliance, Tata and oil PSUs are in the queue to take over Bihar’s state-owned sugar mills to develop alternate fuel

• $225 million is the loan sanctioned by World Bank to boost economic growth in Bihar

The foundation is slowly falling into place, and if it holds together into the next new year, the state that has long been held up as a mirror to what’s wrong with the country will soon be ready for a dramatic makeover. In infrastructure, public health, tax revenue and most significantly, agriculture.

“Fifteen years into India’s economic reforms, the country’s poorest state Bihar, is finally gearing itself to catch up with rest of India. A slew of fiscal and legislative reforms implemented in the recent past stand testimony to this silent transformation taking place in a state that has, for long, been stereotyped as a failed state,” says a recent study by World Bank.

From abolishing the Agricultural Product Marketing Control (APMC) Act and checking exploitation of farmers by traders to repealing the Urban Land Ceiling Act and opening a “hassle-free” road for real estate development. From keeping aside Rs 18,000 crore for developing roads to harnessing new avenues of growth like ethanol-based fuel.

The reasons for Bihar’s changing face are many, say experts and officials. “Legislative backing to most of the reforms has also boosted investor confidence... Major international donor agencies are thus gearing up to contribute to the state’s development,” says the World Bank report.

But according to Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi, whose NDA government under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar took over last year, the first big step was the collective decision to delegate power from top down. “It is yielding huge results,” says Modi.

The most tangible growth has been in the agriculture growth rate. According to the PAU study, this has hinged on vegetables and fruits, apart from traditional crops. This highlights the fact that Bihar’s farmers are beginning to wake up to the commercial prospects in the sector.

Here, an unexpected boost has come from the Centre’s green signal to promote new forms of bio-fuel, especially in blending sugar-generated ethanol and petrol. The result: Hindustan Petroleum, India Glycols and Birla Sugar have touched base with the government on taking over closed sugar mills on lease. “Bihar is sure to emerge as an ethanol hub,” says Sugarcane Minister Nitish Mishra.

The other area that the government has zeroed in on is infrastructure. Consider this:

• Record 30% allocation of plan money for road construction

• Utilisation of Rs 8,647 crore on development works in 2006-07, 102 % of the annual expenditure target.

“We intend to spend Rs 18,000 crore in the next three years in the road sector. Massive work is already underway to construct and improve our national and state highways and our district and rural roads. Along with the Prime Minister’s Gram Sadak Yojana, we have also launched or own road project called the Chief Minister’s Gram Sadak Yojana,” says Deputy Chairperson of the State Planning Board N K Singh, in the World Bank report.

Dy CM Modi says some administrative tweaking has also helped. “Earlier, a Superintendent Engineer had the power to sanction a project amounting to just Rs 20 lakh. That has been increased to Rs 1 crore, which has resulted in quick decisions,” says Modi.

State expenditure, however, is most visible in the public health sector. From 39 patients in January 2006, the number of patients visiting Public Health Centres jumped to 4,524 per month in October 2007.

And, the drastic rise in corporate tax collection reflects the “deepening business activity” in the state, say Income Tax officials. “The figures certainly mean that economic activity has increased manifold. A sharp rise in tax collected at source too confirms that individuals are benefiting from the changing economic scenario,” says a senior I-T official based in Patna.

In its report, the Bank also appreciates the government’s decision to implement the Single Window Clearance Act and a State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) to facilitate industrial investment.

Other international donor agencies too have come forward to chip in. Along with the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the UK-based Department for International Development (DFID) are jointly working to support the development agenda.

“As we move forward, we are working closely with the ADB and DFID to define a joint framework for a coordinated approach to our assistance,” says Dipak Dasgupta, World Bank’s Lead Economist in New Delhi.

“Abolishing APMC has checked exploitation of traders. However, the land belonging to marketing boards will be best utilised when big companies like Reliance and ITC come to Bihar for contract farming,” says Modi.