Bihar - Projects and Development

[Babji]

Rajgir just 15 kms from Nalanda is located the complex of temples and monasteries. The place is called Rajgir. It is one of the most important tourist places in India. Being located in a valley, Rajgir is a very scenic place. The small hill grit town is covered with lush green forest which add to the beauty of the place. Rajgir was the capital of the Magadh Mahajanpad (State) when Patliputra was not formed. In those days it was called Rajgrih. Rajgir or Rajgrih means the home of Royalty.

This place has been associated with Lord Buddha and Buddhism. Buddha not only spent many years in Rajgir but also delivered sermons here and proselytized emperor Bimbisar at the Griddhakoota hill. The Jivekarmavan monastery was the favorite residence for Buddha. Even Bimbisar gave Venuvan Vihar to Buddha for his residence. It is said that it was at Rajgir that physician treated Buddha, Jivak after he was injured by his cousin Devdatta.The teachings of Buddha was penned down at Rajgir and it was also the venue for the first Buddhist Council. Today Rajgir has come up as one of the most important pilgrimage for the Buddhist.Rajgir also has some very beautiful Hindu and Jain temples which attracts Hindus and Jains also to the place. Not only as a place for worship, Rajgir has come up as health and winter resort with its warm water ponds. These ponds are said to contain some medicinal properties which help in the cure of many skin diseases. The added attraction of Rajgir is the Ropeway which takes you uphill to the Shanti Stupa and Monasteries built by the Japanese Devotees on top of the Ratnagiri hills.

Jarashand ka Akhara: This is the Ranbhumi where Bhima and Jarasandh fought one of the Mahabharat battles.

Jivakameavan Gardens: Seat of the Royal Physician's dispensary where Lord Buddha was once brought to have wound dressed by Jivaka, the royal physician during the reign of Ajatshatru and Bimbisara.

Ajatshatru Fort: Built by Ajatshatru (6th century B.C.), the king of Magadha during the Buddha's time. The 6.5 sq.meter Ajatshatru's Stupa is also believed to have been built by him.

Cyclopean Wall: Once 40 Km long, it encircled ancient Rajgir. Built of massive undressed stone carefully fitted together, the wall is one of the few important Pre-Maurayan stone structures ever to have been found. Traces of wall still subsist, particularly at the exit of Rajgir to Gaya.

Shanti Stupa: The Vishwa Shanti Stup is located on a 400 meter high hill. The stupa is built in marble and on the four corners of the stupa are four glimmering statues of Buddha. To reach the top of this hill one has to come through the “Ropeways”. This place is also called the GriddhKoot.

Venu Vana: Site of the monastery Venuvana Vihar built by king Bimbisara for Lord Buddha to reside. This was the king's first offering to Lord Buddha.

Karanda Tank: It is the tank in which Buddha used to bathe.

Sonbhandar Caves: Two rather strange cave chambers were hollowed out of a single massive rock. One of the chambers I believed to have been the guard room, the rear wall has two straight vertical lines and one horizontal line cut into the rock; the doorway is supposed to lead to king Bimbisara Treasury. Inscriptions in the Sankhlipi or shell script, etched into wall and so far undeciphered, are believed to give the clue to open the doorway. The treasure, according to folklore, is still intact. The second chambers bears a few traces of seated and standing etched into the outer wall.

Bimbisar jail: his impatient saon and heir, Ajatashatru, imprisoned King Bimbisara here. The captive king chose this site for his incarceration, for, from this spot he could see Lord Buddha climbing up to his mountain retreat atop the Griddhakuta hill. There is a clear view of the Japanese Pagoda. The stupa of peace was built on the top of the hill.

Veerayatan: A Jain Temple and Museum

Jain Temple: On hill crests around Rajgir, far in the distances one can see about 26 Jain Temples. They are difficult to approach for the untrained, but make exciting trekking for those in form.

Chariot Route Marks: The Chariot Route and hell inscriptions are worth a visit for the strangeness of the phenomenon, two parallel furrows cut deep into rock for about thirty feet giving credence to the local belief that they were "burnt" into the rock by the speed and power of Lord Krishna's chariot when he entered the city of Rajgir during the epic Mahabharata times. Several shell inscriptions, the undeciphered characters current in central and eastern India from the 1st to 5th centuries AD, and engraved in the rock around the chariot marks.

Other places of interest:
Hot Springs, Pippala cave, Swarn Bhandar, Gridhakuta, New Rajgir Walls, Bimbisar Road, Maniyar math, Saptarni Caves and Poppala Stone house are the sites of tourist interest.

[Babji]

PATNA: Universities in Bihar are likely to go hi-tech soon with the proposed computerisation of their examinations. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the vice-chancellors and other officials of all the universities held here on Sunday at Nalanda Open University. Governor R S Gavai chaired the meeting.

Ways and means to streamline university examinations and maintain the academic calendars were discussed at length and it was decided to computerise the examination system of all the universities completely. A Mumbai-based firm also demonstrated its software for examinations which was highly appreciated by the VCs.

Nalanda Open University (NOU) also displayed its examination software on the occasion. This software has helped NOU considerably in maintaining its examination schedule.

Stressing the need of regularising all the university examinations by March, 2007, Gavai tried to ascertain the specific constraints relating to examinations and academic sessions from each VC individually and directed them to take necessary steps for regularising teaching and examinations.

He clearly told the VCs that the academic calendars of the universities should spell out the exact dates of commencement of examinations and publication of results. In no case, the VCs would extend the dates of examinations as mentioned in the academic calendar. Only the chancellor would be authorised to change the date of examination in some exceptional circumstances.

The meeting was attended by the registrars and controllers of examinations of all the universities.

UGC team visit: A team of the UGC officials, led by its secretary and regional director, would be visiting Patna on Monday to assess the utilisation of grants sanctioned to different universities during the 10th Plan period and release the remaining grants. The team would meet Patna University (PU) officials at Raj Bhawan on Monday.

[gyrations95]

http://projectsmonitor.com/detailnews.asp?newsid=12191

Kahalgaon unit 6 by Dec. 06

NTPC Ltd is trying hard to commission the sixth unit at Kahalgaon power project by December 2006. The Union power secretary has asked BHEL, the main plant equipment supplier, to speed up the delivery of equipment required for commencing boiler light-up at unit-6. As per the schedule, BHEL was to complete the boiler light-up by September.
The Kahalgaon STPS stage II expansion scheme involves addition of capacity 2x500 mw as an extension to the existing stage I of 4x210 mw capacity at Kahalgaon, located about 25 km from Bhagalpur. The project was to cost Rs 4,002 crore. BHEL was awarded the contract of Rs 1,412 crore for engineering, procurement and construction in August 2003.

[Babji]

Rediff.com

Patna: Bihar is witnessing the largest ever employment drive for teachers in the state, and aspirants are lining up for what they say is the best step taken by the state government in years.

For many like Raj Kishore Mehta - the sole bread earner in his family of his five - this employment drive has come as a much-aspired dream come true.

“Every one in our family is filling up the forms and the one who is the best will get the job,” Mehta says.

The latest drive is aimed at improving the teacher-student ratio from the present 1:62 to the national average of 1:40.

Under the ongoing drive, over two lakh teachers are to be appointed in the state and the interestingly there’s no specified upper age limit.

"This is a welcome step by Bihar government. It’s been 20 years since my mother graduated and she is still unemployed. Even we have completed our stiudeis. Now the two of us will apply together,” says an applicant Mani Lal.

These enthusiastic responses are just a reflection of how starved the state had been of fresh recruitments in over 15 years.

The challenge before the fresh recruits now is to live up to the expectations of millions of Bihar students, all of whom are banking their hopes and betting their futures on the would-be teachers.

[Babji]

News From Webindia123.com
Air Deccan to connect more eastern cities
Kolkata | October 13, 2006 8:47:22 PM IST

Low cost carrier Air Deccan would shortly launch flights to Jamshedpur, Bodh-Gaya, Patna and Leelabari from here.

The Kolkata-Jamshedpur flight would be launched in a month's time, Airlines Managing Director Capt G R Gopinath said during a web-conference here today.

'' We will also launch flights between Kolkata-Bodh Gaya, Kolkata-Patna and Kolkata-Guwahati-Leelabari,'' Capt Gopinath said.

Air Deccan operates 38 aircraft from Kolkata and had been calling for a hanger in the NSCBI airport. He said he had discussions with Left leader Nilotpal Basu over setting up of low cost air terminals and he would meet West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on the issue.

The air carrier today announced an innovative financial deal to yield Rs 450 crore over the 15 months. Air Deccan has assigned its future aircraft supply contract in favour of a special purpose company (SPC) funded by international banks Investec Bank of UK and HSH Nord Bank AG of Germany.

The company had earlier placed orders with Airbus Industries and IAE (Rolls Royce and Pratt & Whitney) for supply of 60 Airbus A 320 aircraft to be delivered in seven years.
UNI TJP KK RA HT1757

[Babji]

Japanese Ambassador Keen to Invest in Buddhist Circuit
Patna: October 17, 2006

Japan's ambassador to India, Yasukuni Enoki, during his two day trip to Bihar on Monday, said his government was keen on investing in the development of the Buddhist circuit in Bihar in an attempt to turn it around the choice destinations for Buddhist pilgrims from around the world.

Enoki, who was accompanied by his wife, met with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday night and expressed the Japanese government's interest in the area. "Bodh Gaya, Nalanda, and Rajgir are of vital importance to Buddhists everywhere and we will study the feasibility of turning these places into world-class tourist spots that meet international standards," Enoki, who will leave for all three places of pilgrimage on Tuesday, told the Chief Minister.

The Japanese ambassador's visit comes five months after a seven-member delegate of the Japanese government met with the Chief Minister last May and proposed to develop the Nalanda University into a world-class seat of learning offering the best of everything – from the most qualified teachers to the highly-sophisticated teaching devices to restore the lost glories of the ancient university.

It may be noted that similar interests have been shown by leaders of other Buddhist nations including Singapore whose senior state Minister for External Affairs Balaji Sadashivan also visited Bihar in October to explore the possibilities of reviving the Nalanda University.

[Babji]

Pawar Opens Agriculture Research Center in Patna
Patna: October 17, 2006

Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, during the inauguration of the building/research center of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research in Patna on Monday, said major investment was required to boost production at all levels and the Central government was taking steps to provide high-quality seeds and fertilizer to small farmers to attain this goal.

The building was dedicated to the late socialist leader Jagjiwan Ram in the presence of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav.
Kumar, in his speech, said Bihar had high hopes from the Union Minister particularly in raising production, storage, and distribution of litchi and makhana in the domestic and international market.

Yadav said the research center would benefit Bihar in many ways as scientists would be able to conduct their experiments and research in more effective and efficient way.

Union Minister and the daughter of Jagjiwan Ram, Meira Kumar, thanked Pawar for dedicating the building to her father who died nearly 20 years ago.

Others present on the occasion included ICAR managing director Dr. Mangla Rai, state Agriculture Minister Dr. Akhilesh Prasad Singh, and Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh.

[Babji]

Japanese Bank Approves Rs. 584 Cr. Loan Package for Patna
Patna: October 21, 2006

The Japan Bank of International Corporation (JBIC), after being satisfied by the response of the Bihar government, has agreed to give a loan of Rs. 584 crore for complete development of the state capital bringing the city a step closer to the realization of the dream of a Greater Patna.

The JBIC will release the loan in the fiscal year of 2007-08 to improve sewage, water supply, and set up solid waste management system to improve the basic infrastructure of the city that has taken a solid beating in the lack of proper and required maintenance work in last few decades.

The bank, however, did not approve loan for the development of underground drainage saying it would be nearly impossible to recover money in this project.

Not to be disappointed by this minor setback, the state government has decided to use Rs. 731 crore from the Nehru National Urban Modernization scheme fund for development of underground drainage system while using Rs. 207 crore from the Japanese loan for water supply scheme, Rs. 252 crore on sewage, and Rs. 124 crore on developing solid waste management plan, officials said on Friday.

Earlier in July, the Bihar State Water Board, under the Integrated Development Project, had sent out an overall finance package of over Rs. 1,488 crore to the JBIC for infrastructural development in the state capital. Satisfied by the state government's response to its queries, the bank has approved Rs. 584 crore with other plans still under consideration, a senior state official said.

[Babji]

Patna Palaces to be Converted into Heritage Hotels
Patna: October 26, 2006

The Nitish government has decided to resuscitate the two palaces now in dilapidated condition in Patna and turn them into world class heritage hotels on the patterns of similar scheme already implemented in the state of Rajasthan.

Details to convert the Rizwan Palace and Sultan Palace located on Frazer Road and Bir Chand Patel Marg respectively into heritage hotel under the Tourism Department has already started, Tourism Minister Nandkishore Yadav said adding it was part of the government's efforts to restore the past glories of Bihar.

Besides the two heritage hotels, the government is also working out details to build an international convention center on a ten-acre land at the cost of Rs. 5 crore, the Minister said.

A 50-acre, Rs. 10 crore plan to build an amusement park in Patna is also in the pipeline and the government is seeking assistance from outside investors to realize this objective, Yadav said.

Work to connect the Harmandir Takht Gurudwara in Patna City with the Bypass Road has already begun, the Minister informed.

[Babji]

Bihar to make the e-leap into IT age
Saturday October 28 2006 00:00 IST Newindpress
IANS

PATNA: Bihar, where once former chief minister Lalu Prasad saw IT as an elitist preoccupation, has approved a proposal to introduce e-governance in all its 8,479 panchayats at a huge cost of Rs.252 million (Rs25.2 crores).

But his successor government of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar approved a sweeping proposal late on Thursday that will enable villagers to connect with the outside world and get easy information access, state Cabinet Secretary A K Chauhan said Friday.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and the Bihar State Electronics Development Corporation, a state-owned IT body, are to design the software for the e-governance project. The Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (ILFS) will monitor its implementation.

Under the project, panchayat information centres, or panchayat portals called Vasudha Kendras, will be set up. This will enable villagers to connect with the outside world and provide affordable and easy access to information about the government and its policies, said Chauhan.

He said the Vasudha Kendras would be connected to all state departments through the Internet and the government will provide computers and Internet connections at the panchayat level centre.

According to the plan, eight government departments, including the chief minister secretariat, will be linked to the State-wide Area Network (SWAN).

The project aims at establishing direct contact with villagers and making the functioning of the government more transparent.

“People will come to know the progress of developmental projects, their implementation, costs incurred and can seek redressal of their problems with the click of a mouse,” Chauhan said.

It was on the advice of President A P J Abdul Kalam, during his visit to the state earlier this year, that the state took the e-governance project seriously.

Kalam had suggested that Bihar use e-governance as a tool for development and to ensure a corruption free administration.

The chief minister’s official residence is to be the main operational hub for e-governance.

A few months ago, top administrative officials and ministers were provided with laptops as part of the e-governance drive. Video-conferencing facility has also been set up in the state’s 38 district headquarters.

[Babji]

New Children's Park to Open on Nov. 14
Patna: October 30, 2006

Children of Patna will soon have a new park to play in as the government prepares to open a brand new recreational area near Gandhi Maidan completely equipped with a mountain, a pond with colorful fishes, and giant size animals including dinosaurs to strike the fancy of children on the birth anniversary of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on November 14.

With over three dozen workers called in from West Bengal and various parts of Bihar, the work is going ahead full steam to meet the Nov. 14 deadline, officials in Patna said.

The park, a joint private-public venture, will cost Rs. 10 lakh and will be maintained by a private company.

With its official opening on the Children's Day, the park will also have a restaurant offering snack items and soft drinks at very reasonable price, officials said.

[Babji]

Bihar to have 8 pvt medical colleges

Press Trust of India

PATNA, Nov. 4. — Decks have been cleared for opening eight new medical colleges in the private sector in Bihar with the State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) approving the proposals.

The SIPB approved the proposals for setting up four medical colleges in the private sector in Patna, two at Bettiah and one each at Ara and Saharsa.
The SIPB also cleared a proposal for opening a dental college at Ara, official sources said.

Two American companies had submitted separate proposals for setting up the medical colleges in Patna and its adjoining areas. The board gave its nod to the proposal of the Medical World4u, an American company owned by an Indian, for setting up a medical college and super-speciality hospital at Patna with an investment of Rs 148.87 crore.

[kronik]

Nalanda opens window for Bihar to look East & global

Bihar’s priceless Buddhist heritage is emerging as an entirely unexpected but powerful bond between India’s most backward regions and the world’s most dynamic economies of East Asia.

Three high-profile events this month, including the Chinese President Hu Jintao’s visit to India, will converge on a far-reaching proposal to build an international university at Bihar’s ancient seat of learning, Nalanda.

For the prosperous East Asians, including the Communist Chinese, who are rediscovering Buddhism, the Nalanda project is a labour of love and a spiritual debt.

For Bihar it could be that single big idea to kickstart economic reconstruction in the long neglected state and put it back at the heart of a re-integrating Asia.

If New Delhi and Patna can get their act together in the coming months, the East Asian enthusiasm for the Nalanda university project and the development of Buddhist circuit could change the face of not just Bihar but much of the Eastern Subcontinent that is home to the largest number of world’s poor.

Highlighting the new Chinese enthusiasm for Buddhism and the enduring links with the Indian civilisation are two Buddhist monks who arrive in Nalanda in the next few days.

The monks, one from mainland China and the other from Taiwan, are retracing the steps of Xuan Zang (better known in India as Hieun Tsang) who visited India in the seventh century when the Nalanda school was at the height of its intellectual influence all across Asia. Traveling overland, the two monks will be at Nalanda in the next few days.

Once China is on board, the rest of Asia is expected to join in what could be unprecedented multi-national Asian project to build the Nalanda University. Meanwhile, an international seminar on the Nalanda University, kicking off in Singapore next Sunday, is expected to focus on the many themes of the project.

The Singapore government, especially its foreign minister George Yeo, had been at the forefront of the Asian initiative on the Nalanda project. Singapore sees the university as the cutting edge of the important effort to re-establish the ancient links between the Subcontinent and East Asia.

Singapore believes an international university, with centres of excellence on science, religion, and humanities, all of which flourished in ancient Nalanda, could become the symbol of renewed cultural vigour in Asia along with its widely admired prosperity.

While Nalanda is yet to wake up to what’s in store for it, in a secluded corner, workers are now racing to meet the December deadline for completion of a Xuan Zang Memorial Hall being built jointly by the Indian and Chinese governments.

Why can't India build the university on its own? IMHO, India would be better served if we looked to Japan, Taiwan and Singapore to develop our Buddhist infrastructure.

[Naga_Solidus]

Exactly! I dont wanna sound nationalist, but allowing too much Chinese investment will turn India into a Chinese colony since India is unable to compete with them on any significant front that matters, from infra to literacy to the overall standard of living. In fact, the development gap between India and China is comparable to the gap between the USA and Mexico, in China's favor.

[kronik]

Developmental issues aside, Naga, I just don't trust them messing in our internal affairs. There are a lot of border issues that need to be solved before Chinese should be allowed access to our hinterlands, and especially for religious reasons.

Besides, I am really curious to know where this journalist picked up the information that the Communist party is interested in Buddhism again.

[Naga_Solidus]

Coomunists? Oh man, someone really needs to flush out that ideology, it's been shown to be an unworkable dream. Communal ownership of resources is ok, but having it forced upon everyone by the government is wrong.

The Korean peninsula is a perfect example of why Communism fails. It has two countries of the same heritage and culture until 50 years ago. South Korea, a free-market capitalist state, is a 1st-world country that transformed itself in just about 30 years. Communist North Korea, on the other hand, is a failed state with a lower standard of living than Ethiopia, thanks to really inefficient management.

Also, it is important to note that China's recent boom didnt start until they started introducing free-market concepts (more like making them legal again after 20-something years). China's past prosperity was a product of capitalism, its downfall was a product of cultural arrogance (they got a little self-assured of their civilization's very impressive acheivements), and the free market is what is now getting them back on track.

[Babji]

Mahavir Sansthan to Build Ten New Hospitals in Bihar
Patna: November 6, 2006

The president of Bihar State Board of Religious Trust Acharya Kishore Kunal, on the 18th anniversary of the Mahavir Arogya Sansthan in Patna on Sunday, said the Council, in next couple of years would construct ten new hospitals in a number of districts from the money received at temples and mutths.

A cancer care center in Hajipur at an estimated cost of Rs. 2.2 crore, Vatsalya hospital in Sitamarhi, a heart hospital in Muzaffarpur, and a medical college in Begusarai are some of the projects that the Trust is currently working on, Kunal, a former IPS officer said.

Kunal earlier inaugurated the addition of a maternity ward, a waiting room, an optometry, and a reception room at the Mahavir Arogya Sansthan in the presence of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nitin Navin, former Vice Chancellor S. N. P. Sinha Sinha, Justice Prem Shankar Sahay, director S. C. Mishra, Dr. Jitendra Kumar Singh and a number of doctors and physicians.

Kunal also expressed his frustration with the latest revelation that the management of a number of temples and other religious establishments have been illegally 'outsourced' to third parties, including some criminal elements who share the profit with the temple chief.

"We are preparing a list of such temples and would take legal actions against the erring temple priests," Kunal said.

[Babji]

Cabinet sanctions Rs 180 crore for sugar park project

Created on : 11/08/2006 7:44:36 PM (NORMAL )

Patna, Nov 8 (UNI) Bihar government today sanctioned Rs 180 crore sugar park project to be set up in Supaul district.

The state cabinet in a meeting gave its nod to the sugar park project of Bihar Cooperative Sugar park Federation Limited BISCOMAN. The sugar park would be set up in Supaul.

The cabinet also sanctioned implementation of Rs 4934.42 lakh centrally sponsored schemes for modernisation of state police. The implementation of the scheme would start in the current financial year.

The cabinet gave its nod to hike the sales tax on indigenously prepared liquor and also simplified that tax structure on it. With the new decision the sales tax would be fifty per cent and it would be collected only in single phase instead of three phases.

The cabinet changed the academic sessions of all government primary and middle schools. Instead of January to December, the academic calender would be from April to March.

The cabinet extended the period of Bihar Law Commission for three years and appointed retired justice of Patna High Court Radhamohan Prasad.
UNI RS KK RN1931

[Babji]

Trade Expo to Open in Patna on December 24
Patna: November 9, 2006

Patna will be hosting the National Trade Fair – Expo 2007 between Dec. 24-Jan 7 at Miller School ground attracting businessmen not only from various parts of the country but also from nations like Nepal, China, Bhutan, Malaysia and a number of other countries, fair organizers said on Wednesday.

The announcement came at a press meet organized by fair sponsor Northeast Consumer Expo and attended by its director Shabbir Ahmed, director Rishi Raj, co-sponsor Bihar Women's Industry Organization president Pushpa Chopra and secretary Usha Jha.

Emphasis will be given on products from Bihar in an attempt to establish a brand-image for the economically-strapped state, the organizers said.

The fair will also feature a fashion show, an art exhibition, and shows highlighting traditional culture of Bihar, they said.

More than 250 pavilions are expected to be featured in the expo including appearances from the Bhojpuri film star Manoj Tiwari and noted Bihar folk singer Sharda Sinha, the organizers said.

[Babji]

Nitish Says No Star Show to Mark 1st Anniversary
Patna: November 9, 2006

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, on Wednesday, ordered a stop on the mega-star show in Patna planned by the Information and Public Relations Department to celebrate the first anniversary of the NDA assuming power after trouncing the RJD-led coalition in the state.

Kumar said the people of Bihar had put their trusts in the NDA government in Bihar hoping for development and prosperity and it would be pompous to mark the anniversary with such a mega show when so much more has to be done yet.

"One year has passed and four more years have to go; anniversaries come and go, this is normal so what's the point in having a mega star show?" he enquired.

"On the completion of the first year of our governance, we would be presenting a report card to the people of Bihar that would highlight our achievements in the last year and what we plan to do in next four years," Kumar said.