Tuesday 29 March 2011

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.

 

Get growth and development stories of Bihar daily to your inbox



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.

 

Get growth and development stories of Bihar daily to your inbox



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.

 

 

Get growth and development stories of Bihar daily to your inbox



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.

Related Stories
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.

Get growth and development stories of Bihar daily to your inbox



No comments:

Post a Comment