Thursday 31 March 2011

US business houses heading to Bihar

Thursday , March 31 2011 Inbox Edition


  • US business houses heading to Bihar
    Guess where US businesses are turning to now for new opportunities in India: to Bihar, the new turnaround success story, and, depending on the outcome of the coming elections, West Bengal. “We would like to meet Nitish Kumar who has just won a sweeping mandate in favour of progress,” Ron Somers, president of the United [...] View More
  • Bihar first to grant voters the right to recall corporators
    The Nitish Kumar-government has decided to empower the voters of the urban civic body polls to call back their elected representatives if they are not satisfied with their performance. The state cabinet has agreed to the ‘right to recall’ proposal in this regard by giving its nod to the amendment to the Bihar Municipal Act. [...] View More
  • Bihar and UP-The journey of brotherhood
    LUCKNOW: UP and Bihar -- for long, the two states have been like country cousins, remembered in the same breath as models of underdevelopment; home to corrupt politicians and babus and, as exalted members of Bimaru states, symbols of everything that ailed the Indian economy. But then one man was introduced in the plot, as if [...] View More
  • UP taking healthy lesson from Bihar
    LUCKNOW: Rising from ashes, Bihar is India’s newphoenix. Recently it impressed the World Bankresulting in an aid worth several hundred crores for development of the state. And it has a number of lessons for neighbouring UP. In 2002-03, when census data was notified, UP fared better than Bihar. But, now the tortoise (read Bihar) has metamorphosed [...] View More
  • Bihar Govt to open logistic infrastructure support industry
    PATNA: A logistic support infrastructure industry will come up at Bihta in Patna district in place of a closed sugar mill. This was announced by deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi in the state assembly on Monday while intervening during the question hour. Sugarcane minister Awadhesh Prasad Kushwaha while replying to a question of Bhai Birendra (RJD) [...] View More

Bihar News, Latest News from Bihar, News of Bihar, Biharprabha News

Bihar News, Latest News from Bihar, News of Bihar, Biharprabha News


US business houses heading to Bihar

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 09:38 AM PDT

Guess where US businesses are turning to now for new opportunities in India: to Bihar, the new turnaround success story, and, depending on the outcome of the coming elections, West Bengal. “We would like to meet Nitish Kumar who has just won a sweeping mandate in favour of progress,” Ron Somers, president of the United States India Business Council (USIBC), told.

US is one of the largest foreign direct investors in India. The total US investments till July 2008 were $7.96 billion. FDI inflows from USA are about 8% of actual FDI inflows into India in rupees.

The USIBC, which is the leading advocacy organisation for promoting business ties between the two countries, believes the time has come for exploring business opportunities in the hinterland of the two countries.

Bihar and West Bengal are a part of this same narrative.

Somers said the interest in India is also moving to traditionally less enthusiastic states in the American heartland. “I have just come from Ohio, where a conference on business opportunities in India was attended by companies from all over, including Indiana,” he said.

“There is a yearning and a hunger for doing with business India,” Somers said, “across American and in parts of the country that have not had the benefit of being exposed to the India story.”

In 2011, the USIBC, will redouble its efforts in reaching out across America and touch the hinterland. “As part of that effort,” Somers said, “we have already launched a major initiative on the Capitol Hill (the US Congress).”

Armed with nothing more than a one-page brochure — just right for the attention span on the Hill — Somers has been meeting new senators and members of the House of Representatives, selling the India story.

If a company in your district wants to invest in India, he tells them, the USIBC will be happy to help. “And if an Indian company comes knocking at your door to invest in your state, be ready for that too.”

“Last year, Indian companies invested more in America than American companies did in India,” said Somers, reeling off the investments: Reliance “up and down the East Coast” and Essar in Minnesota and in Virginia.

“And I could go on…”

“Ours will be the first business delegation from the US to visit Bihar,” he said, adding, “likely in the second half of the year.” The intention is to expose US companies to business opportunities in a state that would welcome them, he said.

This is sure to come as a boost for Kumar, who has of late been showing up at all the right places — the Pravasi Divas, for instance — to woo businesses much as the chief ministers of historically more aggressive states have done.

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Bihar first to grant voters the right to recall corporators

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 07:37 AM PDT

The Nitish Kumar-government has decided to empower the voters of the urban civic body polls to call back their elected representatives if they are not satisfied with their performance.
The state cabinet has agreed to the ‘right to recall’ proposal in this regard by giving its nod to the amendment to the Bihar Municipal Act.

It will enable the government to remove the elected representatives of the municipal corporations – Nagar Parishad and Nagar Panchayat -if two-thirds of the voters of their constituencies submit a signed petition to the urban development department against them. The department will look into the merit of the petition and take steps for the ouster of the councillors if it is convinced that they have lost the confidence of two-thirds of the voters.

The next urban bodies’ polls are due next year. Earlier, the Act had a provision for the removal of a councillor only if two-thirds of fellow councillors filed a written petition against him. But now, the government has vested the power directly with the voters.

There is already a provision under the Panchayati Raj system in the state for the recall of elected mukhiyas (village headmen). It will now be applicable to the elected representatives of the urban civic bodies as well.

It was the late Jayaprakash Narayan who had first given a call for the right to recall the elected representatives on November 4, 1974 during his Sampoorna Kranti (Total Revolution) movement against the Congress government headed by Indira Gandhi at the Centre.

But he had raised this demand to enable the constituents to recall the MPs and MLAs on the basis of their performance.

The state government has apparently taken this decision to make the elected representatives in the urban civic bodies accountable to the people in keeping with the spirit of JP’s call.

But the government’s decision has met with scepticism from majority of the corporators.

“The voters should also be given the right to recall the MPs and the MLAs who are the lawmakers. It would be better if the voters got the right to recall them,” Patna’s mayor Afzal Imam said.

Imam said JP had given a call to give the voters the right to recall the MPs and MLAs.

“The councilors or corporators are small fry compared to the MPs and MLAs,” he said.

“I think this provision should be introduced from the higher level to the lower level and not vice- versa,” he added.

Imam said in any case it would not be easy to implement this law.

“How will the government determine whether the petition submitted to it for the recall of the elected representatives carry the signatures of the genuine voters? How will it be ensured that the signatures of such a large number of people have not been forged?” Imam asked.

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Bihar and UP-The journey of brotherhood

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 05:37 AM PDT

LUCKNOW: UP and Bihar — for long, the two states have been like country cousins, remembered in the same breath as models of underdevelopment; home to corrupt politicians and babus and, as exalted members of Bimaru states, symbols of everything that ailed the Indian economy. But then one man was introduced in the plot, as if by divine intervention. And the script changed. As the chief minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar tried to pull Bihar out of the clutches of backwardness. Biharis raised a toast to his genuine attempts and he was given a rare second term with a historic mandate.

So, is Bihar developing so fast that it will leave Uttar Pradesh behind in the next few years? The Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) data between 2000 and 2009 categorically shows that Bihar has kind of outpaced UP in terms of growth indices in the last decade (pointedly since Nitish Kumar took the rein), triggering all-round appreciations from economists and public.

Although stats hardly present the real picture from the grass–roots, for the record sake, Bihar’s net state domestic product (NSDP) at constant prices grew by 68% between 2000 and 2009. The same for UP is 50%. In 2000-01, SDP for Bihar was Rs 53,656 crore. That went spiraling up to Rs 90,566 crore, a jump of 68%. On the other hand, UP had a NSDP of Rs 1,60,015 crore which rose to 2,40,039 crore, a rise of 50%. No wonder, Bihar is now considered to be the second fastest growing state after Gujarat.

In fact, in June 2009, the World Bank reported that Patna was the second best city in India to start a business, after Delhi. Between 1999 and 2008, state GDP grew by 5.1% a year, which was below the Indian average of 7.3%. However, in January 2010, the Central Statistics Organisation reported that in the five-year period between 2004–05 and 2008–09, Bihar’s GDP grew by 11.03%, which made Bihar the second fastest growing economy in India during that five-year period, just behind Gujarat’s growth of 11.05%.

Another survey conducted by Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) and National Sample Survey Organisation, showed that Bihar had 14.80% growth in factory output in 2007-08, which was slightly less than the Indian rate of 15.24%. “Bihar did not have a proper and systematic governance for many years. That affected its socio-economic development. Now, with a stable governance the state is showing a miraculous change,” said Shaiwal Gupta, member secretary of Patna-based Asian Development Research Institute (ADRI).

Bureaucrats in Uttar Pradesh however are not so impressed by the Bihar story. “Bihar was so backward that it started from negative growth. So, even small development looks significant,” says senior IAS officer Sailesh Krishna.

Gupta, too, admits that Bihar had a low base. “And therefore any significant change shows up,” he says. The sectors powering growth in the state are construction at 35.8% growth per annum in the five-year period starting 2003, compared to 8.4% growth in the previous five years and services at 11.5% compared to 5.4% previously.

Significantly, it’s the service sector (banking, insurance) that provides the maximum push to Bihar’s growth. The sector grew by a whopping 117% as against 106% in case of Uttar Pradesh in the last decade. Bihar’s service sector contributed Rs 28,804 crore in 2000-01. By 2008-09 this scaled up to Rs 62,518 crore. UP, on the other hand, too performed well but not as good as its counterpart, at least in percentage terms. The state had its service sector contributing Rs 79,691 crore to the NSDP in 2000-01. By 2008-09, this figure notched up to Rs 1,64898 crore.

Notably, UP does well in the other two sectors — primary and secondary sectors. While UP’s primary sector, essentially agriculture, grew by 18.7%, in Bihar it grew by 11.6%. In case of secondary sector UP registered a growth of 187% while Bihar’s industrial growth remained at 20.3%. “The two states are alike and yet completely different,” says Arvind Mohan, an economist and a professor at Lucknow University. “Any investment in Bihar would mean a lot. That may not be the case with UP which has seen a sustained if not a sharp growth trajectory for the past many years,” he said.

Mohan, however, maintains that the annual growth rate of Bihar in past five years has been good enough to give UP a run for money. Economists point out per capita income (PCI) as another base to assess the socio-economic growth of a state. According to CSO data, Bihar’s PCI was Rs 6,197 at current prices (which takes into account inflation) in 2001-2002. This rose to Rs 13,663 as against the national average of Rs 37,490. In other words PCI of Bihar registered a growth of 120%. UP’s PCI was Rs 9781 in 2001-2002. This has now gone up to Rs 18,710. Or, a rise of 91%.In fact, in 2007, Patna recorded a per capita income of Rs 31,441. This was even higher than Bangalore orHyderabad, which are both leading centres for global software development. This also reflects how much the Bihar growth story is centered around the capital city. Says Gupta: “It was essentially because of the fact that Patna is the city which has attracted maximum investment.” He said that if one takes the case of UP, the state has its western part growing at a rapid pace. “There is NCR region which provides a growth impetus,” he says. This is the area which contributes maximum to UP’s industrial growth.

Despite a phenomenal growth in the past three-four years, there are two major areas where Bihar still lags behind – literacy and per capita power consumption. In fact, the total power demand in Bihar is almost as much as Gurgaon’s and its per capita income is still one of the lowest in the country. And as one travels through Bihar, one may not find a dramatic change in the lives of the people in general, but what has certainly changed is how the rest of India perceives Bihar now. There are stories galore of Bihari NRIs coming back to their roots to start a business; India Inc suddenly seems overtly interested in the pariah of the past and our finance minister makes in glowing terms a special mention of the once-most backward state in his speech. Even if one doesn’t go by stats, have we in UP witnessed any of such positive signs of late?

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UP taking healthy lesson from Bihar

Posted: 30 Mar 2011 09:32 PM PDT

LUCKNOW: Rising from ashes, Bihar is India’s newphoenix. Recently it impressed the World Bankresulting in an aid worth several hundred crores for development of the state. And it has a number of lessons for neighbouring UP. In 2002-03, when census data was notified, UP fared better than Bihar. But, now the tortoise (read Bihar) has metamorphosed to hare, leaving UP behind.

Consider figures from the National Rural Health Mission. Number of institutional deliveries – the chief tool to curb infant, neonatal and maternal mortality rates – in Bihar stood at 2.37 lakh in 2005. Five years since, a five-fold increase has been recorded for the state. In UP however, the progress hasn’t been much. Compared to a figure of 19.22 lakh in 2005, number of women delivering babies in recognised health care centres didn’t even double by 2010. Laggard state of routine immunisation could also be exemplified. As of now, four out of five children in UP aren’t fully immunised. In Bihar, the ratio of children protected with that of unimmunised is 2:3. What needs to be underlined is the progress made by Bihar on the front. Figures show that Bihar’s rate of immunisation stood just 10% during the first National Family Health Survey which grew to 33% in NFHS-3. In UP, 19.8% were fully immunised during the time of NFHS-1 while the figure rose to 23% in NFHS-3.

There could be many more examples. But more importantly, findings reasons behind the trend is needed. A former director general of health services, says that UP is the only state in India to have overridden NRHM’s guiding principle which relates to converging health and family welfare to effectively implement schemes.

”But here, first the ministers separated which was followed by principal secretaries and DGs. Last year, the division percolated to the level of chief medical officers. There is utter chaos,” he said. Associated with social work through Unicef in India especially UP and Bihar, Augustine Veliath held missing ‘M’s responsible for poor state of affairs in UP. The first ‘M’ is mindset while the second is motivation.

”In Bihar, the general mindset is that we can do it, but in UP everything looks unachievable. Lack of motivation discourages even more. Sometimes, I wonder what makes some policy-makers start all over again,” he said adding that frequent transfer of collectors doesn’t give them enough time to work for a cause, assess results and improve.

Patna based Asian Development Institute of India’s director Shaiwal Gupta, is hopeful of UP. ”Things may not be moving in the right direction as of now. But there is hope for UP on account of its robust institutional base. The only ingredient needed is strong political will and its effective implementation down the line,” he said.

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Wednesday 30 March 2011

Bihar News, Latest News from Bihar, News of Bihar, Biharprabha News

Bihar News, Latest News from Bihar, News of Bihar, Biharprabha News


Bihar Govt to open logistic infrastructure support industry

Posted: 30 Mar 2011 06:29 PM PDT

PATNA: A logistic support infrastructure industry will come up at Bihta in Patna district in place of a closed sugar mill. This was announced by deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi in the state assembly on Monday while intervening during the question hour.

Sugarcane minister Awadhesh Prasad Kushwaha while replying to a question of Bhai Birendra (RJD) said that the government was prepared to re-open the closed sugar mill, but nobody showed interest and did not come up for bidding.

The questioner and other members objected to giving the land to some industrial house for opening non-agri factory saying it would hurt the interest of the farmers who were growing sugarcane. Leader of Opposition Abdul Bari Siddiqui (RJD) wanted to know what type of industry was to be opened at Bihta.

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Bihar students to get e-scholarship now

Posted: 30 Mar 2011 07:32 AM PDT

PATNA: The Bihar government on Saturday introduced an innovative scheme of providing scholarship to college students belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), EBC and backward classes through e Z-Pay card. Bihar is second state after Andhra Pradesh to introduce this scheme.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar handed over the cards to some of the beneficiaries at a function here. In the first phase, 2.50 lakh students are being provided this ATM card for which the government has made agreement with the SBI. The students were in a jubilant mood and they experimented with their ATM cards at a specially set up ATM unit at Samwad where the function was held.

The CM said through the scheme, the monthly scholarship will be deposited in the account of each beneficiary and the students would be able to draw the money from ATMs by using their cards. This will rescue them from unnecessary harassment and save their time running from one place to another.

“This is a post-matric scheme and later it will be extended to school students too,” Nitish announced. He said the stipend had been raised three times and may be increased further in future. The aim of the scholarship is that the students should continue with their higher education and should not drop out due to financial restrain.

The CM, however, said he did not have good experience with the banks who initially had not cooperated with opening of account for school girls who were being paid money for purchasing uniform and bicycle. He said he rejected the idea of giving stitched uniform and bicycle to them as it could lead to scams. That was why he decided to give cash to the students for the purpose.

He advised the students to utilize the money properly and continue with their education, but he did not discourage them from indulging in some fun and frolic though.

SC, ST, EBC and backward classes welfare department secretary Ravi Parmar said 2.50 lakh beneficiaries had been provided with e Z-Pay card in the first phase. In the second phase, Parmar said, students from Class VII would be included in the scheme and then about a million students belonging to the group would get this pre-paid card which has a 10-year validity. The beneficiaries need not open bank account.

He said presently the students were getting monthly stipend between Rs 300 and 700 depending on their class and stream; likewise students of Class XI and XII were getting Rs 300 while students of technical education get Rs 700 per month. This card could be used at any of 23,000 SBI ATMs, he added.

“We will also include the beneficiaries of Mukhya Mantri Chhatra Vriti Yojna under this scheme. The students of SC, ST, EBC and backward classes get Rs 10,000 on passing matric exam with first division. This time the incentive will also be paid through cards,” Parmar said.

Earlier, minister of SC, ST welfare Jitan Ram Manjhi and minister of EBC and backward classes welfare Hari Prasad Sah thanked the CM for introducing the scheme saying it will encourage the students from poor and backward sections of society.

 

 

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Railways keen to launch phone booking

Posted: 30 Mar 2011 04:17 AM PDT

PATNA: Railway ticket booking through cellphones is picking up fast these days, particularly in the metros. On an average about 800 to 1,000 tickets are being booked through cellphones daily in the metros.

Cellphone savvy people, particularly from metropolitan cities, have been using this new system without any hassle. The new system has almost ended travails of the long wait in the queue to procure railway computerized journey tickets. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC ) Ltd has taken the lead in introducing this system.

According to a Railway Board official, the newly developed ultra modrn system has not been introduced in Bihar and adjoining states. The railways is keen to create awareness about this new facility among passengers of the East Central Railway (ECR). he said.

Under this system, people booking railway tickets, however, need to have Java-enabled handsets to access internet services. This facility will enable people to book their journey tickets in advance. Delivery of the tickets could be had through couriers. But those having their own mail ID could get the booked tickets online also, sources said.

Since the use of cellphone has become common these days, people would find it convenient to book their journey tickets well in advance even from remote places. Besides, they could also seek information related to berth availability and journey plan through cellphones. The IRCTC has provided the facility of using credit cards and cash cards for booking tickets through cellphones, a Board official said.

According to sources, the IRCTC had introduced this system way back in 2003. But it could not click due to some technical reasons. Earlier, this system was brought into service through cellphones on voice mail and SMS only. But, it could not evoke good response from passengers using cellphones. Thus, the railways has decided to introduce the new system based on Java-enabled handsets as well as on all those sets having internet facilities, sources said.

A Board official admitted that the railways seems to be keen to ensure availability of railway journey tickets at doorsteps of the people across the country without charging any additional cost. The Board had approved this new cell system in December last year after getting mandatory clearance from the RBI, he said.

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Bihar to have Mobile trauma centres soon

Posted: 30 Mar 2011 12:15 AM PDT

PATNA: Concerned over growing road accidents and rising percentage of mortality across the state, state health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey on Sunday announced the government would set-up mobile trauma centres along national and state highways soon.

The health minister was speaking after inaugurating “Trauma Symposium 2011″ here, organized by the Bihar branch of Central Zone of Indian Orthopaedic Association (CZIOA).

“Bihar government is concerned at the rising mortality rates in road accidents and we are working to increase the chances of saving lives. Currently, six trauma centres are in the final phase of being set up in the state. They will be dedicated to the people soon,” Choubey informed 300 and odd surgeons who have come as delegates from across the country to participate in the symposium.

The health minister also announced that the government would open trauma centres at primary health centres. “We have to make sure that better orthopaedic treatment reaches every person in the state. To achieve this objective, trauma centres are needed in remotest parts of the state,” he said.

“The government plans to pursue this objective in parallel with improving existing machinery to improve orthopaedic treatment system further,” the minister said.

The day-long symposium witnessed exchange of ideas, and sharing of knowledge and experience among reputed orthopaedic surgeons. More than 50 stalls of artificial limbs and medicines were put up by different companies.

Proudly elaborating the improvement in medicare in Bihar, Choubey told the delegates: “The government’s aim is not only to make available quality medicare facilities but also to keep pace with rapid technological developments in the field of medicine to provide medical facilities of the highest order.”

The minister also spoke about the success of various ambitious schemes of his department. “About 32 lakh patients were treated under a month-long campaign, “Gram Swasthya Chetna Yatra”. Health camps were organised at 10,500 places in 38 districts under this scheme,” he added.

Principal secretary, health, Bihar, Amarjeet Sinha said the government has prepared a “Nayee Peedhi Swasth Guarantee Karyakram” programme, wherein comprehensive health check-up of young boys and girls would be done and health cards given to them. The scheme would cover boys below 14 years of age and girls below 18 years of age.

Vice-chancellor, LNMU University, Darbhanga, S P Singh, who was the guest of honour, also underlined the need of increasing the network of trauma centres in the state.

Head of orthopaedic department, Patna Medical College and Hospital, Dr Arjun Singh, felicitated the guests on the occasion. A vote of thanks was proposed by the CZIOA organizing secretary, Dr Amulya Kumar Singh.

 

 

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Super-30 founder to speak in Dubai

Posted: 29 Mar 2011 08:16 PM PDT

Patna: Bihar’s maths wizard Anand Kumar, founder of “Super-30″, a free coaching institute which has helped many unprivileged children clear the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology Joint Entrance Examination, is set to motivate students during a four-day mega education conference in the UAE.

Kumar, who will share the platform with former British premier Tony Blair, Nobel laureate Albert Fert and other global greats, has been invited by the UAE’s Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi, which is organising a four-day mega conference titled “Education Without Borders”, which starts today.

Around 3,700 students from 129 countries from across the globe will attend the function and benefit from the lectures of the dignitaries invited to the conference. The opening ceremony will be held at the Burj Khalifa, with an adventurous show of Alain Robert, dubbed the French Spiderman.

Kumar will speak about his childhood struggle and the evolution of “Super-30″ — an initiative he launched which has helped hundreds of talented students from the unprivileged and poor classes to gain admission into the highly competitive IITs through his free coaching and constant motivation. He will highlight how education can be the biggest tool of social change.

“The prime objective of the conference is to inspire a commitment to use education and technology to design solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges,” Kumar said yesterday, expressing his happiness over being invited to the conference. “It endeavours to engage students and experts from around the world in an active dialogue.”

Ironically, Kumar’s very own life has been full of struggles and “Super-30″ had its genesis in his own childhood struggles, which ultimately saw him reject an offer to study in the UK’s Cambridge University owing to financial constraints after the sudden demise of his father. To make ends meet and continue hos studies, his mother prepared snacks which Kumar sold door to door.

In 1994, Kumar formed the Ramanujam School of Mathematics to help poor children study further and in 2002, he started the “Super-30″ institute, with free food, free stay and free coaching for 30 poor, talented students selected though rigorous tests.

In the past eight years, the novel initiative of the mathematician has helped a total of 212 students clear the IIT entrance tests while in the last three years, all the 30 students in the annual intake of the centre have made it to the IITs, inviting world-wide acclaim.

“Super-30″, was recently featured by Time magazine as the “best school in Asia”

 

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Tuesday 29 March 2011

Super-30 founder to speak in Dubai

Tuesday , March 29 2011 Inbox Edition


  • Super-30 founder to speak in Dubai
    Patna: Bihar’s maths wizard Anand Kumar, founder of “Super-30″, a free coaching institute which has helped many unprivileged children clear the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology Joint Entrance Examination, is set to motivate students during a four-day mega education conference in the UAE. Kumar, who will share the platform with former British premier Tony Blair, [...] View More
  • IFC, Gates Foundation work with Bihar to improve health system
    IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are working with the government of Bihar state to find ways to make government payments to health workers and health beneficiaries more efficient, transparent, and timely. Government officials, health practitioners, banks and service providers discussed the findings of a statewide [...] View More
  • Reliance to launch Hindi TV channel in Bihar and around
    Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group's Reliance Broadcast Network Monday said it is entering the regional entertainment space and will launch BIG Magic, a television channel targeted at the Hindi heartland of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, on April 4. The channel will feature locally relevant entertainment around humor, entertainment and music, the company said in a press release. [...] View More
  • Nitish says, he is not in the race of becoming a Prime Minister
    PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today reiterated that he did not harbour the ambition of becoming Prime Minister as people of the state had given him the responsibilities to serve them to help build up a developed Bihar. “I don’t dream of becoming Prime Minister… people of the state has thrust a great responsibility [...] View More
  • XLRI confers Jehangir Gold Medal to Nitish Kumar
    Jamshedpur: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been conferred the prestigious Sir Jehangir Ghandy Medal for Industrial and Social Peace 2011 by XLRI-Jamshedpur (Xavier Labour Relations Institute) “for his role in effecting Bihar’s turnaround within a short span.” The medal, presented on the occasion of the 55th annual convocation of the leading business school last [...] View More

Bihar News, Latest News from Bihar, News of Bihar, Biharprabha News

Bihar News, Latest News from Bihar, News of Bihar, Biharprabha News


IFC, Gates Foundation work with Bihar to improve health system

Posted: 29 Mar 2011 06:11 PM PDT

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are working with the government of Bihar state to find ways to make government payments to health workers and health beneficiaries more efficient, transparent, and timely.

Government officials, health practitioners, banks and service providers discussed the findings of a statewide study of the payment processes associated with state health programs. The study recommends that health records be maintained in a centralized system called the Health Operations Payment Engine (HOPE). Such a system would provide a variety of benefits—not only to health workers and beneficiaries but also to the state.

For example, to help achieve the objectives of health programs, the state would be able to compute incentive payments according to program guidelines. The HOPE system would also provide an integrated platform that would allow payment service providers and banks to credit incentive payments directly into the accounts of beneficiaries, health workers, and private health care providers.

"Efficient, transparent, and accountable payment mechanisms are needed to enforce program guidelines, specifically ones relating to phased payments for beneficiaries," said P.K. Pradhan, Special Secretary and Mission Director of India's National Rural Health Mission. "IFC's proposed solution, HOPE, should be taken beyond Bihar to other Indian states.”

Jennifer Isern, IFC's Head of Financial Sector Advisory for South Asia said, "With this proposed solution that will ensure timely, accurate payments, IFC hopes to bring much-needed health support closer to those who need it most. Our diagnostic in Bihar identified key opportunities to improve health payments that could be expanded across India."

The study, conducted over three weeks in five state districts, was led jointly by IFC, the World Bank, the Gates Foundation, and Bihar's State Health Society. It included interviews and focus-group discussions with more than 285 people including health officials at the state, district and block levels, health workers, health program beneficiaries, private providers, technical experts, development organizations, and financial service providers.

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in developing countries. We create opportunity for people to escape poverty and improve their lives. We do so by providing financing to help businesses employ more people and supply essential services, by mobilizing capital from others, and by delivering advisory services to ensure sustainable development. In a time of global economic uncertainty, our new investments climbed to a record $18 billion in fiscal 2010.

 

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Reliance to launch Hindi TV channel in Bihar and around

Posted: 29 Mar 2011 07:11 AM PDT

Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group's Reliance Broadcast Network Monday said it is entering the regional entertainment space and will launch BIG Magic, a television channel targeted at the Hindi heartland of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, on April 4.

The channel will feature locally relevant entertainment around humor, entertainment and music, the company said in a press release.

Reliance Broadcast Network shares rose following the announcement, and at 11:00 hrs were traded at Rs 75.80, up 2.7% from previous close, on National Stock Exchange.

"The Hindi heartland represents 30% of India's population and by far the most attractive market for advertisers. This underserviced market offers an excellent opportunity to offer audiences entertainment that is tailored to meet their preferences," Tarun Katial, chief executive officer, Reliance Broadcast Network said.

The three states together account for 13% of the national advertising spends, which is pegged at Rs 23,000 crore, Reliance Broadcast said.

The BIG Magic entertainment channel will be distributed across all cable operators across UP, MP and Bihar, it said.

The company's foray into regional entertainment television comes on the back of its launch of English language entertainment channels in tie-up with US-based CBS Corp, over the last few months.

Reliance Broadcast had recently also announced that it aims to operate a portfolio of TV channels in tie-up with European entertainment network RTL.

 

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Nitish says, he is not in the race of becoming a Prime Minister

Posted: 29 Mar 2011 04:06 AM PDT

PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today reiterated that he did not harbour the ambition of becoming Prime Minister as people of the state had given him the responsibilities to serve them to help build up a developed Bihar.

“I don’t dream of becoming Prime Minister… people of the state has thrust a great responsibility upon me to serve them and help build up a developed Bihar,” Kumar said while addressing a conference for extremely backward Muslim community here.

“I know the fact well that there have been several Chief Ministers in the country who harboured the ambitions of holding the post of Prime Minister but ultimately they failed to achieve the dream and also lost the post of Chief Ministership,” he said.

“No body knows what will happen in future… whatever assignments I have in my hand I have to carry forward till logical end… I know only one thing that I have to work for the people of Bihar,” Kumar said.

“I don’t get influenced by slogans projecting me as future PM,” he said.

Kumar accused the Centre of not extending help for the uplift of minorities. “I have asked the authorities here that they should not not depend on allocation of funds from the Centre and should try to execute the welfare programmes for minorities through the Minority Financial Corporation,” he said.

 

 

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XLRI confers Jehangir Gold Medal to Nitish Kumar

Posted: 29 Mar 2011 12:11 AM PDT

Jamshedpur: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been conferred the prestigious Sir Jehangir Ghandy Medal for Industrial and Social Peace 2011 by XLRI-Jamshedpur (Xavier Labour Relations Institute) “for his role in effecting Bihar’s turnaround within a short span.”

The medal, presented on the occasion of the 55th annual convocation of the leading business school last evening, was received by IAS officer S Siddharth, on behalf of Kumar, as the chief minister had to attend the ongoing session of the state assembly.

In his acceptance speech read out by Siddharth, Kumar emphasised the vital role of the people of Bihar in the state's overall development.

Kumar also brought forth the concept of ‘development with justice’ and elaborated on the same.

The decision to confer the medal was taken by the XLRI's Board of Governors to recognize Kumar's inclusive vision as the architect of Bihar's turnaround story, the institute said in its note.

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I don`t dream of becoming PM: Nitish Kumar
The Chairman, Board of Governors, XLRI and Vice Chairman, Tata Steel, B Muthuraman dwelt was present.

Altogether 240 students from the Jamshedpur campus and 60 students from Dubai and Singapore campuses were awarded medals for their outstanding performance in post-graduatation in business management, personnel management and industrial relations disciplines.

XLRI also felicitated its alumnus Jaspal Bindra, Group Executive Director & CEO, Standard Chartered Bank, Asia, by presenting him the ‘Distinguished Alumnus Award (Industry)’ for the year 2010.

Sir Jehangir, who was awarded the ‘Padma Bhushan’ on the Republic Day in 1958, was one of those who built up Jamshedpur. He became deeply involved in institutions like the XLRI and the institute awards a gold medal in his honour every year for outstanding contributions.

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Monday 28 March 2011

Bihar News, Latest News from Bihar, News of Bihar, Biharprabha News

Bihar News, Latest News from Bihar, News of Bihar, Biharprabha News


Bihar Cabinet okays Rs 360 cr for UID scheme

Posted: 28 Mar 2011 02:58 PM PDT

PATNA: The state cabinet sanctioned Rs 360 crore for unique identification number cards at its meeting held here on Monday. It also sanctioned a grant of Rs 12 crore for the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences ( IGIMS) for purchase of sophisticated medical instruments.

As the Centre’s Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana will cease to exist from the next financial year, the state cabinet decided to start a scheme of its own with the nomenclature of Rashtriya Gramin Ajiwika Karyakram ( National Rural LivelihoodProgramme) with the help of World Bank from April 1.

The cabinet also decided to make rural works department the nodal agency for all works related to creation of livelihood in rural areas through self-help groups (SHGs), according to sources.

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Bihar Deputy Chief Minister inaugurates Employment Fair in Patna

Posted: 28 Mar 2011 01:43 AM PDT

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi inaugurated a two-day employment-cum-training fair at Industrial Training Institute at Digha in Patna on March 25, 2011. Bihar Janata Dal (United) president Vashistha Narayan Singh was present on the occasion.

Addressing the function, Modi said State Government was preparing a new technical policy which would pave the way for achieving satisfactory progress in setting up new technical institutes in Bihar.

He said the state government had decided to open an ITI centre in every block, a polytechnic centre in every district and an Engineering College in every division of the state.

Photo: Aftab Alam Siddiqui

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar meets children from Qatar

Posted: 26 Mar 2011 01:45 PM PDT

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met 20 children from Qatar who performed on the occasion of the three-day Bihar Diwas celebrations in Patna on March 24, 2011.

The children led by an NRI from Bihar Shakeel Ahmed Kakvi of Jehanabad, called on the Chief Minister at his office at the State Assembly.

The Chief Minister also felicitated Kakvi and the children for their excellent performance during the celebrations.

Photo: Aftab Alam Siddiqui

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar flags off Bihar heritage car run

Posted: 26 Mar 2011 12:54 PM PDT

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar flagged off a Bihar heritage car run from Rajendra Chowk near Raj Bhavan in Patna on March 24, 2011. The run has been organized to showcase the state's cultural and historical treasures as part of the 99th foundation day celebrations.

16 vehicles have been participating in the run that will culminate at Siri Fort auditorium in New Delhi on March 28.

The vehicles participating in the run have been painted tastefully with the theme of Bihar's rich heritage to catch the attention of the people during their journey to and from Delhi.

Bihar Human Resources Development Minister P K Sahi and Information and Public Relations Minister Brishen Patel, besides senior officials were present in the flag off ceremony.

Photo: Aftab Alam Siddiqui