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JUNE-2015

Ananth Kumar appointed BJP poll in-charge for Bihar
New Delhi, June 12 (IANS) The BJP on Friday appointed union minister Ananth Kumar as election in-charge of Bihar, where assembly elections are due later this year.

Most RJD candidates will have to take on sitting BJP MLAs
Patna,(BiharTimes): In the coming Assembly election in Bihar the Janata Dal (United) and RJD are likely to contest around 100 seats each leaving behind 43 for the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party. As the JD(U) will field almost all its sitting legislators––during the last trust vote in March Nitish Kumar got the support of 97 party MLAs––it would be RJD candidates who will have to take on the sitting BJP MLAs in most of the seats.

Learning from Delhi, BJP to keep Bihar unit in loop for poll
New Delhi, June 12 (IANS) Taking lessons from its humiliating defeat in Delhi assembly elections, the BJP leadership has decided to involve its state unit in every major decision - from selecting candidates to whether to announce a chief ministerial candidate - in the upcoming Bihar polls.

Tomar brought to Bihar for fake degree
Patna, June 12 (IANS) Delhi's former law minister Jitender Singh Tomar faced angry students on Friday when he was brought to Tilka Manjhi University in Bihar's Bhagalpur district, some of them throw eggs, tomatoes at him, police said.

Taking cue from Modi, Bihar parties take fight to 'virtual media'
Patna, June 12 (IANS) Impressed by the tremendous political benefits reaped by BJP and AAP due to high-voltage social media and high-end digital campaigning in the 2014 Lok Sabha and Delhi assembly elections, Bihar parties too are eagerly jumping on to the e-bandwagon.

Bihar college principal arrested for taking bribe
Patna, June 12 (IANS) The principal of a homeopathic medical college in Bihar's Munger district was arrested by the Vigilance Investigation Bureau (VIB) for allegedly taking bribe from a student, authorities said on Friday.


Nitish flays Union ministers’ comment on Myanmar operation
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Friday strongly criticized the boastful comments made by the ministers in Narendra Modi government on the army operation against NSCN-K hideouts in Myanmar.

Rise in temperature leads to the rise in crime: Bihar CM
Patna,(BiharTimes): If chief minister Nitish Kumar is to be believed rise in crime in the state has much to do with the rise in temperature.

Manjhi likely to join NDA, BJP initiates talks with allies
New Delhi, June 11 (IANS) In a bid to forge a "grand alliance" against the JD-U, the RJD and the Congress combine for the upcoming Bihar assembly polls, the BJP on Thursday succeeded in wooing former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.

BJP initiates talks with allies for Bihar polls
New Delhi June 11 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday initiated formal talks with its allies in view of the upcoming assembly polls in Bihar.

Nitish, Lallan greet 68-year ‘young’ Lalu on birthday
Patna,(BiharTimes): By claiming that he is still young Lalu Prasad on Thursday––that is his 68th birthday––wanted to convey the message––both to rivals and new-found friends––that he is sitll very much relevant in politics.


Bihar policeman arrested in kidnapping case
Patna, June 11 (IANS) A police constable was among three people arrested on Thursday for the kidnapping of a travel agent in the Bihar capital, an official said.

Still young, fully prepared to take on BJP: Lalu
Patna, June 11 (IANS) RJD chief Lalu Prasad said on Thursday that he was "still young" and fully prepared to take on the BJP in the Bihar assembly polls slated for September-October.

Raghuvansh flays Nitish’s NaMo style campaign
Patna,(BiharTimes): Even as RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Wednesday announced that he had put a ban on his party leaders issuing statement in the media against the alliance with JD(U) or on chief ministerial candidate party vice president Raghuvansh Prasad Singh flayed chief minister Nitish Kumar for copying the campaign style of Narendra Modi.

Ahead of election, Nitish opens 'war room'
Patna, June 10 (IANS) Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) has set up a "war room" ahead of assembly elections -- on the advice of a former aide to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Badh Chala Bihar towards a ‘novel’ election campaign
Patna,(BiharTimes): When he was sharing power with the BJP in the state Nitish Kumar would frequently launch Yatras. A couple of them were launched a few months before election. Once during the Yatra he even held a cabinet meeting in a village of Begusarai district.


RJD bans its leaders from issuing statement on grand alliance to media
Patna,(BiharTimes): Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad said on Wednesday that he had put a total ban on the RJD leaders on issuing any statement related to the grand alliance to media.

India should be declared Hindu nation: Pravin Togadia
Patna, June 10 (IANS) Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) president Pravin Togadia on Wednesday said the BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi should declare India a Hindu nation.

Nitish launches high-tech 'Badh Chala Bihar' ahead of assembly polls
Patna, June 9 (IANS) Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday launched a high-tech 'Badh Chala Bihar' (Bihar moving forward) initiative to directly reach out to the masses and seek their ideas and suggestions for the state's development.

Why EC has failed to curb money power in elections?
Ever since T N Seshan days the Election Commission has been talking about curbing money and muscle powers. To much extent it has succeeded in checking the muscle power, though at places voters are still terrorized and influenced through different means.

Political compulsions force Lalu to accept Nitish
Patna, June 9 (IANS) Political compulsions, not secular values, forced RJD chief Lalu Prasad to accept JD-U leader Nitish Kumar as the chief ministerial candidate in the coming Bihar elections, realizing that this alone could check the BJP in the politically crucial state.

Announce CM candidate by tomorrow, Lalu asks BJP
Patna,(BiharTimes): Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad on Tuesdaychallenged the BJP to announce its chief ministerial candidate by tomorrow Wednesday.


Mercury hits 46 degrees Celsius in Bihar
Patna, June 9 (IANS) Bihar continued to reel under an intense heat wave as the maximum temperature in Gaya district touched 46 degrees Celsius on Tuesday and 43.5 degrees in state capital Patna, the Met office said.

70,000 Home Guards in Bihar end strike
Patna, June 9 (IANS) Around 70,000 Home Guards in Bihar on Tuesday called off their over a month-long strike following the government assurance to fulfil their demands.

JD-U-RJD alliance unbreakable: Pawar
Patna, June 9 (IANS) NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said that the alliance of the JD-U, RJD, Congress and his own NCP was "unbreakable and strong".

Delhi law minister sent to 4-day police custody
New Delhi, June 9 (IANS) A court here on Tuesday sent Delhi Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar into four-day police custody following his arrest in an alleged fake degree case.

With Lalu backing, Nitish will lead charge in Bihar
New Delhi/Patna, June 8 (IANS) After days of talks brokered by Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Janata Parivar finally announced on Monday that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will lead the charge in the Bihar assembly polls with the support of foe-turned-friend Lalu Prasad.

Bihar poll: BJP uncertain on naming CM candidate
New Delhi, 8 June (IANS) In wake of Nitish Kumar's announcement as the chief ministerial candidate of JD-U-RJD-Congress combine for the upcoming Bihar assembly polls, the BJP is a dilemma whether it should also announce its candidate for the top post or bank on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity.

Patna records hottest temperature since 2006
Patna, June 8 (IANS) Bihar continued to reel under a heat wave with the mercury touching 44.9 degrees in Gaya district on Monday, followed by 44.7 degrees in Patna, where it broke a nearly 10-year-old record, met officials here said. No respite is in sight soon.

Nitish denies luring Prashant Kishor from BJP
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday conceded that he met Prashant Kishor, the brain behind ‘Chai Pe Charcha’ concept of Narendra Modi, six-seven months back. It was in that meeting that he expressed his desire to work for his home state, Bihar.

RJD, JD-U, Congress celebrate in Bihar
Patna, June 8 (IANS) The decision that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will lead the anti-BJP alliance in the assembly election triggered celebrations in the RJD, JD-U and Congress ranks in Bihar.

JD-U, RJD to fight Bihar polls together
New Delhi, June 7 (IANS) The Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) have decided to contest the forthcoming assembly election in Bihar in alliance, Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav said on Sunday.

Nitish calls on Rahul ahead of Janata Parivar meeting
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar called on the Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi at latter’s residence on Sunday mid-noon. The Rajya Sabha MP of Janata Dal (United), R C P Singh and Bihar in-charge of the Congress party, C P Joshi, were also present on the occasion.

Sushil Modi blames Nitish for encephalitis death Patna,(BiharTimes): Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Sunday held chief minister Nitish Kumar directly responsible for the death of children due to encephalitis in Muzaffarpur district.


India, Bangladesh not just 'paas-paas but saath-saath': Modi
Dhaka, June 7 (IANS) India and Bangladesh are not just "paas-paas" but also "saath saath", Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Sunday, stressing that the Land Boundary Agreement ratified by the two nations was an agreement to join hearts.

International Yoga Day: India will lead world from Rajpath
New Delhi, June 7 (IANS) Hundreds of thousands of health enthusiasts from 193 countries will perform various 'asanas' (yogic postures) at different places across the globe with some 35,000 to 40,000 people who would lead the celebrations from Rajpath in the heart of the Indian capital to mark the first International Yoga Day on June 21.

Siddiqui’s statement on minority CM: Was it given at Lalu’s behest?
atna,(BiharTimes): Leader of opposition in the state Assembly Abdul Bari Siddiqui’s statement that if Jitan Ram Manjhi, a Mahadalit, can become the chief minister why can not a minority came as a surprise as till date he was silent on the issue of alliance or merger.

No scope for minority becoming CM candidate in present situation: Siddiqui
Patna,(BiharTimes): Leader of Rashtriya Janata Dal in Bihar Assembly Abdul Bari Siddiqui said on Saturday that there is no scope in the present situation for a minority to become chief ministerial candidate of JD(U)-RJD combine in Bihar.

Alliance likely in next three-four days: Siddiqui
Patna,(BiharTimes): Leader of Rashtriya Janata Dal in Bihar Assembly Abdul Bari Siddiqui said on Saturday that all the hurdles on the path of alliance between JD(U) and his party may be sorted out in the next three-four days.

Mega-alliance against BJP soon, says Lalu
Patna,(BiharTimes): Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad on Saturday hinted that an understanding among all the parties of Janata Parivar have come and a final announcement in this regard would be made soon.

Maoists torch eight vehicles in Bihar
Patna, June 6 (IANS) Maoists set on fire eight vehicles of a private construction company in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district and assaulted two of its guards for not paying the levy they had demanded, police said on Saturday

This time both Nitish, Lalu skip common dais
Patna,(BiharTimes): This time both chief minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad skipped the function in which they were supposed to share the dais.

Paswan not NDA's CM candidate in Bihar, says LJP
Patna, June 6 (IANS) Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan will not be NDA's chief ministerial candidate in Bihar, his LJP party said here on Saturday.

Nitish, Lalu, Sharad to hold meeting in New Delhi on Sunday
Patna,(BiharTimes): JD(U) national president Sharad Yadav, chief minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad may hold a meeting in New Delhi on Sunday to discuss the issues related to mega-alliance among the parties of Janata Parivar.

Wild elephants kill four in Bihar
Patna, June 6 (IANS) Wild elephants went on a rampage in Bihar's Bhagalpur district on Saturday for the second consecutive day, killing at least four people and leaving five others injured, police said.


Former vice-chancellor of Magadh University arrested
Patna, June 5 (IANS) The Bihar Vigilance Bureau on Friday arrested former Magadh University vice-chancellor Arun Kumar for alleged irregularities in the appointments of 12 college principals in 2012-13, an official said.


Now a bottle of contention at Manjhi’s residence
Patna,(BiharTimes): After mango and litchi controversy the residence of former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi shot into news for an empty bottle of liquor found just behind his own room in the 1, Anney Marg bungalow.

Bihar bans Maggi for one month
Patna, June 5 (IANS) The Bihar government on Friday banned Maggi noodles for one month, an official said.

FIR filed against Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Preity Zinta
Patna, June 5 (IANS) An FIR was filed in Bihar on Friday against officials of Maggi noodles maker Nestle and Bollywood actors Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta, brand ambassadors of the food item, following a court order.


New ‘claimant’ to mango, litchi grown at CM’s residence
Patna,(BiharTimes): Two days after the mango-litchi controversy erupted another ‘claimant’ to these fruits has emerged.

No shahi litchis from Bihar for president, PM this summer
Patna, June 5 (IANS) The VVIPs living far away in Lutyen's Delhi would not be able to enjoy the aroma and taste of shahi (royal) litchis grown in Bihar as intense heatwave has affected the quality of fruit this season.

JD-U, RJD alliance will happen for sure: Sharad Yadav
New Delhi, June 4 (IANS) Janata Dal-United president Sharad Yadav said on Thursday that the alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) will happen for sure for the upcoming assembly polls.

Give litchis, mangoes of CM residence to Manjhi: Nitish Kumar
Patna, June 4 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday directed officials to hand over the fruits growing in the chief minister's official residence to its present occupant Jitan Ram Manjhi.

Nitish denies deploying police at mango orchard in Manjhi’s residence
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday strongly denied the allegation levelled by his predecessor Jitan Ram Manjhi that two dozen policemen have been deployed at his 1, AnneyMarg residence to prevent Dalits and poor visitors from taking away mangoes and litches from the orchard.

Bihar court sentences MLA, two ex-MPs to 10 years' jail
Patna, June 4 (IANS) A Bihar court on Thursday sentenced 15 people - including one BJP MLA and two former MPs - to ten years in jail for an attack on the Sitamarhi district collectorate and subsequent police firing in which five persons were killed in 1998, a government lawyer said.

Nestle withdraws Maggi noodles, still says safe
New Delhi, June 5 (IANS) Nestle India early on Friday said it was withdrawing Maggi noodles in the country amid nation-wide scrutiny over more-than-permissible limits of lead, but continued to maintain it was safe and that it would be back on store shelves soon.

Historic moment should not be wasted: Sharad
Patna,(BiharTimes): Janata Dal (United) national president Sharad Yadav on Thursday appealed to all the political parties to join hands and not let the historic moment go to decide the destiny of the country.

Accept Nitish as CM candidate for alliance, JD-U tells RJD
Patna June 3 (IANS) Bihar's ruling JD-U on Wednesday asked Lalu Prasad's RJD to accept Nitish Kumar as the chief ministerial candidate if it wanted an alliance in the coming assembly polls.

SuMo questions Bihar govt’s wisdom in sending officers to Delhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Even as deputy superintendent of police, Sanjay Bharati, expressed his inability to take up the new assignment inDelhi on medical ground senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi strongly criticized the state government for sending six of its officers on therequest of the Aam Admi Party government.

Lalu emissary meets Nitish after differences
Patna, June 3 (IANS) An emissary of RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Wednesday met Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to sort out differences over forging an alliance ahead of assembly elections.

Manjhi’s condition to RJD for support: Bring down Nitish govt
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said that if Lalu Prasad expects any help from the Hindustani Awam Morcha hisparty, RJD, should bring down the Nitish Kumar government as it didbring down Manjhi’s government on the floor of the state Assembly.

CM should be of the party which wins more seats: Ramai Ram
Patna,(BiharTimes): Senior Janata Dal (United) leader and statetransport minister Ramai Ram said on Wednesday that the chief ministershould be from the alliance partner which wins more seat. This is normal practice in alliance.

BJP to provide interest-free loans to farmers
Patna,(BiharTimes): To remove the general impression of being anti-farmer the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday promisedinterest-free agriculture loans, if it comes to power in the state.


Delhi bans Maggi for 15 days; many states order tests
New Delhi, June 3 (IANS) The Delhi government on Wednesday banned Maggi noodles for 15 days as Nestle India, the manufacturer of the popular snack, battled controversy with many more states ordering tests following a lab report that samples of the noodles contained more than the permissible limit of lead.


Bihar sends 16 Maggi samples to Kolkata for testing
Patna, June 3 (IANS) As many as 16 samples of Maggi instant noodles have been collected in Bihar and sent to a Kolkata laboratory for testing, an official of state Directorate of Health said on Wednesday.


Social media addiction affecting sex life of young Indians: Experts
New Delhi, June 3 (IANS) Is sending 'kisses' on WhatsApp or posting intense love emojis on Facebook to your spouse replacing the real act between the sheets? It would seem so, according to leading experts on sex and behavioural sciences.

Google apologises over Modi image search results
New Delhi, June 3 (IANS) Internet giant Google on Wednesday apologised "for any confusion or misunderstanding" caused after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's images started appearing in image search results for query on "Top 10 criminals in India".


Well-prepared to tackle monsoon deficit: Government
New Delhi, June 3 (IANS) A day after a 12 percent deficit in monsoon rains this season was officially predicted, the government on Wednesday said it was well-prepared to tackle the situation with contingency plans for 580 districts.

RJD in dilemma after Congress, NCP back Nitish
Patna, June 2 (IANS) With the Congress and the NCP backing JD-U leader Nitish Kumar as the chief ministerial candidate in the coming Bihar elections, Lalu Prasad's RJD is in a dilemma.

Would certainly tie up with Congress: Nitish
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said on Mondaythat the Janata Dal (United) would certainly go with the Congressparty during the coming Assembly election of Bihar though its alliancetalks with the RJD is yet to reach any conclusion.

Ramai Ram supports Raghuvansh’s stand on Nitish
Patna,(BiharTimes): Senior Janata Dal (United) leader and state’stransport minister Ramai Ram agreed with RJD vice president RaghuvanshPrasad Singh’s statement that Nitish Kumar should not be projected asthe chief ministerial candidate for the coming Assembly election.

'Nitish to be CM candidate in Bihar polls'
Patna, June 2 (IANS) Bihar's ruling JD-U said on Tuesday that only Nitish Kumar will be the chief ministerial candidate of its alliance with the RJD, the Congress and the NCP in the next Bihar assembly polls.

 

Vashistha welcomes Congress stand on Nitish
Patna,(BiharTimes): State president of the Janata Dal (United),Vashistha Narayan Singh on Tuesday criticized RJD vice presidentRaghuvansh Prasad Singh’s remarks that projecting Nitish Kumar wouldharm the prospect of the JD(U)-RJD combine in the coming Assemblyelection.

Maggi noodles now in soup in national capital
New Delhi, June 2 (IANS) The Delhi government on Tuesday said it would initiate a case against Nestle after it found that tested samples of Maggi noodles were unsafe for consumption.

Jung-AAP row escalates - over anti-corruption wing
New Delhi, June 2 (IANS) A simmering row between Delhi's AAP government and Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung escalated on Tuesday after he challenged the government decision to appoint Bihar Police officials in the city's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), saying it was he who headed the anti-graft body.

BJP rules out alliance with JD-U
New Delhi, June 2 (IANS) The BJP on Tuesday ruled out any possibility of an alliance with the Janata Dal-United in Bihar and said the "door is shut" for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Nalanda varsity to float global tender for constructing campus
Patna, June 2 (IANS) The newly-revived Nalanda International University will take a major step forward when it floats a global tender later this month for constructing its new campus spread over 446 acres of land at Rajgir, 95 km from here, an official said.


Bihar court orders FIR against Amitabh, Madhuri
Patna, June 2 (IANS) A Bihar court on Tuesday directed authorities to file an FIR against officials of Maggi noodles maker Nestle and Bollywood actors Amitabh Bachchan and Madhuri Dixit, brand ambassadors of the food item.


Shyam Rajak flays Raghuvansh, accuses him of being on pay-roll of BJP
Patna,(BiharTimes): State food minister Shyam Rajak on Tuesday camedown heavily on RJD vice president Raghuvansh Prasad Singh. He went onto accuse him of working on the pay-roll of the BJP.

Not good to name Nitish as CM ahead of polls: RJD leader
Patna, June 1 (IANS) RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh on Monday said the projection of Nitish Kumar as chief ministerial candidate of the RJD-JD-U alliance for the Bihar elections will be harmful.

No easy options for Congress in Bihar
New Delhi, May 31 (IANS) Faced with no easy options in Bihar, where assembly polls are scheduled later this year, a section of the Congress is in favour of joining a possible alliance between the JD-U and RJD and another wanting to go it alone.

Contractual health workers in Bihar begin indefinite strike
Patna, June 1 (IANS) Nearly 80,000 contractual health employees in Bihar began an indefinite strike on Monday seeking job regularisation, officials said.

Hindu-Muslim bonhomie in Bihar town
Patna, June 1 (IANS) In a rare example of communal harmony, a Hindu man who brought up a Muslim girl for 20 years after she was deserted as a child by her poverty-stricken parents, has now married her to a groom from her own community.

After Indian origin Nobel Laureate a foreigner appointed as Chancellor of Nalanda University
Patna,(BiharTimes): First it was the Indian origin Nobel  Laureate Amartya Sen, who was made the Chancellor of Nalanda  University. The BJP was obviously not pleased with his views  on various issues. He withdrew from seeking a second term,  since the Narendra Modi government had not given its approval  to his nomination. Now the NDA government on Saturday  appointed a former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo as  the Chancellor of the University.

No easy options for Congress in Bihar
New Delhi, May 31 (IANS) Faced with no easy options in Bihar, where assembly polls are scheduled later this year, a section of the Congress is in favour of joining a possible alliance between the JD-U and RJD and another wanting to go it alone.


Rs 49 lakh looted from bank to pay dowry, four arrested
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Bhagalpur police on Saturday arrested  four persons, including a married woman, in connection with  Rs 49 lakh bank dacoity in Bhagalpur district. What is  amazing is that the dacoity was committed in the main branch  of Bihar Regional Rural Bank at the Clock Tower Chowk on May  26 to pay the dowry of Rs 10 lakh.

Lalu, Sharad share dais as Nitish eyes political development after surgery
Patna,(BiharTimes): Though chief minister Nitish Kumar kept  himself away from the Nishad Maharally in Patna on Saturday  afternoon RJD chief Lalu Prasad and JD(U) president Sharad  Yadav shared the dais. They publicly declared their resolve  to contest the election jointly.

Lalu, Shyam Rajak blame Narendra Modi for ban on Dalit body  in IIT-Madras
Patna,(BiharTimes): RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Bihar’s food  minister and a Janata Dal (United) leader belonging to  Scheduled Castes, Shyam Rajak, on Friday strongly denounced  the action of banning a Dalit outfit by IIT-Madras management  on the directive of the Union human resources development  ministry.

Nand Kishore uses BiharTimes ‘Ni-La’ expression to hit out at  Nitish, Lalu 
Patna,(BiharTimes): Once again it is the expression first  coined by BiharTimes, which has been borrowed by political  leaders as well as other media organizations. A few days back BiharTimes used the term Ni-La, for Nitish  Kumar and Lalu Prasad, in the headline.

Woman burnt alive for opposing husband's affair
Patna, May 30 (IANS) A woman was allegedly burnt alive after she objected to her husband's extra-marital affair with his sister-in-law in Bihar's Nalanda district, police said on Saturday.

MAY-2015
Nitish govt now implementing cancelled decisions of Manjhi  cabinet
Patna,(BiharTimes): Though immediately after coming to power  again on February 22 last Nitish Kumar cancelled all the 34  decisions taken by the Jitan Ram Manjhi cabinet in its last  three meetings the chief minister is now one-by-one  implementing most of them.

Not in the race for the post of CM, says dejected Shatrughan  Sinha
Patna,(BiharTimes): Though he said that he is not in the race  for the post of chief minister BJP’s Patna Saheb MP  Shatrughan Sinha appears to be upset over the manner in which  he is being treated by his own party leadership.

Bihar can leap-frog in terms of development: Arvind  Subramanian
Patna,(BiharTimes): “Bihar is amongst the few states in India  that can leap-frog in terms of development,” said Government  of India’s Chief Economic Advisor, Dr Arvind Subramanian.  Speaking at the Economic Survey Outreach Session in Patna on  Friday he suggested that Bihar is bound to benefit from the  recommendations of 14th Finance Commission about the  devolution of fund from the divisible pool of taxes.


Manjhi meets Modi, fuels speculation of tie-up with BJP
New Delhi, May 28 (IANS) Former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Thursday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, fuelling speculation of a tie-up between his party and the BJP for the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar.

Raghuvansh keeps option of CM candidate open
Patna,(BiharTimes): Senior RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh said on Thursday that there is no doubt that Nitish Kumar is the chief minister of Bihar and nobody is going to remove him, but added that this may not be the case after the merger or alliance of the two parties.

Nitish has derailed Bihar, say two union ministers
Patna, May 28 (IANS) Union ministers Radha Mohan Singh and Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday slammed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, saying he has derailed the development process in the state.

Janata Parivar merger will certainly happen, says Shivpal
Patna, May 28 (IANS) The merger of the six parties of the Janata Parivar will certainly take place, Samajwadi Party leader and Uttar Pradesh minister Shivpal Yadav said here on Thursday.

No respite from heat wave in Bihar
Patna, May 28 (IANS) There will no respite from the heat wave condition in Bihar in the 24 hours till Friday evening, with mercury touching 41.7 degree Celsius in Gaya district, the hottest place in the state and Patna recording 39.0 degree Celsius, met officials said Thursday.

Manjhi calls on PM, seeks CBI probe into paddy scam
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Thursday and demanded CBI probe into the multi-crore paddy scam in the state.

Lalu says Jayalalithaa type acquittal can bring him back in CM race
Patna,(BiharTimes): Though RJD chief Lalu Prasad said on Wednesday that neither he nor any member of his family is in the race for the post of chief minister he dropped enough hint that in future his candidature can not be ruled out.

No rift between RJD, JD-U: Lalu Prasad
Patna, May 27 (IANS) Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad on Wednesday said there was no rift between his party and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United (JD-U) over the merger of the Janata Parivar.

Maoists torch two buses in Bihar Patna, May 27 (IANS) Maoists burnt down two buses in Bihar's Sheohar district on Wednesday, police said.


Nitish ridicules selfie leadership of Narendra Modi
Patna,(BiharTimes): “The Prime Minister has more pictures than possibly all other Prime Ministers combined, and yes, he has more selfies than all the ministers in his cabinet put together. Apparently, some of this has created a new global recognition for India. Really? Is this the kind of agenda people voted for?

‘Charcha’ before Nitish’s ‘chai’ is ready for offer
Patna,(BiharTimes): Contrary to the media reports that Prashant Kishor, the brain behind Narendra Modi’s Chai Pe Charcha campaign, is in talks with Nitish Kumar reports from New Delhi say that the Janata Dal (United) has already chalked out a strategy for the CM and is working on it.

The long and short of JD(U)-RJD ties
Patna,(BiharTimes): Senior RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh repeatedly said that his party had established lead over Janata Dal (United) in 145 Assembly segments in the last year Lok Sabha election, therefore, it has much stronger claim at the time of seat-sharing arrangement.


Gadkari announces Rs.50,000 crore for Bihar roads
Patna, May 26 (IANS) Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday announced the provision of Rs.50,000 crore for development of roads in Bihar.


Modi government removed 'loot lobby': Naqvi
Patna, May 26 (IANS) Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Tuesday said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government has succeeded in removing the deep-rooted 'loot lobby' and 'champions of corruption' from the corridors of power in Delhi.

Gadkari announces water-port in Patna
Patna,(BiharTimes): Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari announced on Tuesday that a water-port would be constructed along river Ganga in Patna to connect it with Kolkata through water way.

JD-U leader's bodyguard killed in parcel bomb blast
Patna, May 26 (IANS) The bodyguard of a Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader was killed on Tuesday in Bihar's Gaya district when a bomb - wrapped in a parcel - exploded at the politician's house, police said.<


No change in my or anyone’s tune, says Nitish
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Nitish Kumar said on Monday that neither has his tune nor of anyone else changed on the issue of merger of parties of Janata Parivar.Talking to the media after holding meeting with the officials and political leaders he said that at present there is no need for ‘chinta’ (worry). The situation is very much as it was.

Nitish best face for Bihar CM, says BPCC chief
Patna,(BiharTimes): The president of the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee, Ashok Chaudhary, said that Nitish Kumar is the best face for the post of chief minister for the secular parties of Bihar.

Manjhi not acceptable to us: Vashistha
Patna,(BiharTimes): State Janata Dal (United) chief Vashistha Narayan Singh said that former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi may be acceptable to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad but not to his party.

Government to launch 'Nai Manzil' scheme from Bihar
New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) In a move to woo minority voters, the BJP-led NDA government is all set to launch its 'Nai Manzil' scheme from poll-bound Bihar next month.

Two held with Rs.2 lakh in fake currency in Bihar
Patna, May 25 (IANS) Two members of a gang involved in printing fake currency were arrested on Monday in Bihar's Patna district along with counterfeit notes with a face value of Rs.2 lakh and a printing machine, police said.


Flood alert sounded in Bihar after landslides in Nepal
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Bihar government on Sunday sounded flood alert in advance in five districts of the north-western part of the state following the creation of a big lake after a massive landslides, triggered by recent earthquakes.

Maoists torch 32 vehicles in Bihar, enforce shutdown
Patna, May 25 (IANS) Maoists burnt 32 vehicles in Bihar's Gaya district to enforce a two-day shutdown beginning Monday to protest the killing of a woman Maoist leader, police said.

Special premium trains to run between Patna and Anand Vihar from May 26
Patna,(BiharTimes): To clear the rush of passengers Railways will run a couple of premium special train between Patna and Anand Vihar and Patna and Secunderabad fromMay 26. According to Danapur PRO R K Singh, (02365-02366) will run between Patna and Anand Vihar (Delhi) from May 26 to June 30.

JAM not to join hands with any party: Pappu
Patna,(BiharTimes): Expelled RJD MP Pappu Yadav said on Sunday that his party, Jan Adhikar Morcha (JAM), would not join hands with any other party for the coming Assembly election.

SuMo adopting NaMo’s strategy in playing caste card
Patna,(BiharTimes): All the top Bihar BJP leaders attended the Goswami Mahasamellan in Patna on Saturday, just a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to people of Bihar to rise above caste affiliations.

Castiesm is in DNA of Modi, says JD-U
Patna, May 24 (IANS) Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United spokesperson Neeraj Kumar on Sunday said 'castiesm' is in the DNA of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and his call for an end to caste-based politics in Bihar is full of contradictions.


Salman Khurshid flays PM’s “ashamed of being born in India” remarks
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former external affairs minister Salman Khurshid said prime minister Narendra Modi’s remarks in China (as well as in South Korea) that “Indians were ashamed of having been born in India” till he took over will be remembered by Chinese for years to come.

JD(U) inducts Gaya don ahead of election
Patna,(BiharTimes): Keeping an eye on the coming Assembly election the Janata Dal (United) has inducted into the party fold the notorious strongman of Gaya, Bindeshwari Yadav alias Bindi Yadav. The party is likely to field his wife, Manorama Devi, to contest the coming Bihar Legislative Council election from the Gaya local bodies seat.

Lalu, Nitish play bargaining game as alliance talks flounder
Patna,(BiharTimes): With no possibility whatsoever of merger among the parties of Janata parivar Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has adopted a new political strategy to bargain his position vis-à-vis Lalu Prasad.

No alliance with JD-U in Bihar: BJP
Patna, May 23 (IANS) The BJP would not join hands with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ahead of the state assembly polls, former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi said here on Saturday.

Encephalitis claims first victim in Bihar this year
Patna, May 23 (IANS) A child has died due to the deadly mosquito-borne disease Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district - the first in the state this year, an official said on Saturday.

Seven children injured in Bihar blast
Patna, May 23 (IANS) Seven children were injured on Saturday when a bomb they found in a field in Bihar's Bhagalpur district accidentally exploded, police said.

Indian politics to revolve around BJP, says Jaitley
New Delhi, May 23 (IANS) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has become the central pole of Indian politics and, in future, Indian politics will be guided along pro or anti BJP lines.

Lalu pops Manjhi's name, Nitish skips meeting
New Delhi, May 22 (IANS) Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav here on Friday proposed roping in former Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal-United rebel Jitan Ram Manjhi for upcoming Bihar assembly polls, according to sources.


Modi reaches out to Bihar ahead of assembly polls
New Delhi, May 22 (IANS) Ahead of Bihar assembly elections later this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that for the nation to progress, it was essential that eastern India, including the state, caught up with the western parts of the country


NDA graft-free government, boosting cooperative federalism: Jaitley
New Delhi, May 22 (IANS) With one year of transparent, graft-free and decisive governance under the NDA, global business confidence in India is on the upswing and the economy poised to go on to a higher growth path, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Thursday.

Centre says LG has last word in postings, Kejriwal attacks Modi
New Delhi, May 22 (IANS) As the central government made it clear on Friday that lt.governor will have the last word in posting and transferring of bureaucrats in Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal made a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "trying to run" the state through the backdoor, back-stabbing people of Delhi and seeking to protect the corrupt.

Ashamed of being Indian, or Bihari: NaMo, Nitish two sides of the same coin
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar may be right in criticizing prime minister Narendra Modi’s statement given in China and South Korea that earlier “Indians were ashamed of being born in the country until he took office”.

AAP not to contest Assembly election in Bihar
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will not contest the Assembly election of Bihar to be held later this year.

NaMo’s Chai Pe Charcha man now in Nitish’s tea-party
Patna,(BiharTimes): Prime minister Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar resemble each other in more than one way. Though they are critical of each other, they copy each other’s style of politics too
.

No assembly polls duty for striking Bihar home guards
Patna, May 22 (IANS) Bihar government has decided not to deploy the Home Guards, who are on strike for the past one week, on duty for assembly polls due later this year, an official said on Friday.

Charge framed against BJP MP in murder case
Patna, May 21 (IANS) A charge t was framed against BJP's MP from Bihar Satish Chandra Dubey and five others in a 15-year-old murder case, police said on Thursday.

Fear-struck Bihar inter-caste couple leaves village
Patna, May 22 (IANS) A couple in Bihar belonging to different castes has left their village fearing a threat to their life after a strongman had demanded Rs.50,000 as protection money to allow them to settle down, the head of a village body said on Friday.

Tiger kills five-year-old in Bihar national park
Patna, May 22 (IANS) A tiger mauled a five-year-old child to death in a national park in Bihar's West Champaran district, a forest official said on Friday.

Delhi Police reunite runaway boy with his Bihar family
New Delhi, May 22 (IANS) An 11-year-old boy from Bihar living in shelter homes in the national capital has been reunited with his family, Delhi Police said here on Wednesday.

JD-U disagrees with Lalu's invitation to Manjhi
Patna, May 21 (IANS) Bihar's ruling JD-U has expressed strong reservation over ally RJD chief Lalu Prasad's invitation to former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi to join the Janata Parivar to defeat the BJP in the state assembly polls in later this year.

Ravi Mittal is new finance secretary of Bihar
Patna,(BiharTimes): Ravi Mittal, principal secretary, commercial-taxes department, is the new finance secretary of Bihar. He will, however, continue to hold the additional charge of commercial taxes department.Mittal replaces Rameshwar Singh, who, on Wednesday, was made adviser to the government (good governance), director general of Centre for Good Governance Society, Bihar. The latter had been the finance department since 2010.

BJP will win Bihar: Amit Shah
New Delhi, May 21 (IANS) BJP president Amit Shah on Thursday expressed confidence that his party will win the upcoming Bihar assembly polls.

Nitish denounces PM’s statement of ‘ashamed of being Indian’
Patna,(BiharTimes): Denouncing prime minister Narendra Modi’s statement in China and South Korea that earlier “Indians were ashamed of being born in the country until he took office” Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said on Wednesday: “I think every Indian feels proud of being born in India.”


Batch of Maggi ordered off-shelf, Nestle says safety norms strict
Lucknow/New Delhi, May 21 (IANS) Amid concerns over "dangerous levels" of some substances in the popular snack Maggi noodles, the Uttar Pradesh food safety body on Thursday said its manufacturer Nestle was asked to recall the said batch, while the company assured it followed strict norms.

JD(U), BJP trade charge over farmer’s suicide
Patna,(BiharTimes): The suicide by a farmer of Bihta in Patna district took a political turn with the Janata Dal (United) secretary general, K C Tyagi, and state’s parliamentary affairs minister, Shrawan Kumar, squarely blaming the ‘anti-farmer’ policy of the Narendra Modi government.

Bihar: Protesting Home Guards halt trains, block roads
Patna, May 20 (IANS) Thousands of protesting Home Guards in Bihar forcibly halted dozens of trains and blocked major roads on Wednesday to protest the state government's failure to fulfil their demands.

Urban local bodies representatives to get allowances
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Bihar cabinet on Tuesday gave its consent to the proposal to provide allowances, including daily allowance and travelling allowance, to the elected representatives of local urban bodies on monthly basis instead of on daily basis. Each ward councillor will get Rs 1,500 per month and Nagar Panchayat ward members Rs 1,000 per month with effect from April 1, 2015.


Farmer commits suicide in Bihar
Patna, May 20 (IANS) Worried over financial crisis, a farmer has committed suicide by consuming poison at a village near here, police said on Wednesday.

After merger, Janata Parivar discussing other issues: Sharad Yadav
Patna, May 19 (IANS) Janata Dal-United president Sharad Yadav on Tuesday said merger of six parties of Janata Parivar has been already announced, now talks are on remaining issues.


Bihar legislators get gifts from different departments Patna,(BiharTimes): If media reports are to be believed 19 departments, headed by senior ministers of the Nitish Kumar cabinet, gave ‘gifts’ to MLAs and MLCs during the budget session of the Bihar Legislature that concluded on April 22.

Nitish govt hikes DA for employees, pensioners
Patna, May 19 The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar today announced a pre-election sop for government employees and pensioners by hiking Dearness Allowance by six to 11 per cent.

Bihar's Muslims donate land for world's largest Hindu temple
Patna, May 19 (IANS) Muslims in Bihar, in a stellar demonstration of communal harmony, have donated land to help build the world's largest Hindu temple which will have the capacity to seat a staggering 20,000 people.

Nitish backs Kejriwal, accuses Modi govt of creating obstacle
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday came out openly in favour of his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal on the issue of choosing chief secretary.He asked as to how in a democracy a chief minister can not be allowed to chose his own chief secretary. The CM has every right to do so. Nitish also called for giving Delhi a full statehood.

Nitish urges Mulayam to call meeting of the merger committee Patna,(BiharTimes): Stating that he perceived no technical hitch over merger of the parties of Janata Parivar, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday urged Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav to convene a meeting of the merger

JD(U)-RJD deadlock: More than technical problem Patna,(BiharTimes): The origin of the latest muscle-flexing by the ruling Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Janata Dal in Bihar can be traced in mid-April, that is just a couple of days after the announcement of merger of Janata Parivar was made by Samajwadi Party supremo, Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Bihar government challenges single bench order on SC, ST quota in promotion Patna,(BiharTimes): The state government on Monday filed an appeal before a double-bench of Patna high court against the May 4 order of a single bench of Justice V Nath setting aside the provisions for reservation with consequential seniority in promotions to government employees belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).

Patna HC orders probe over teachers with fake degreesPatna, May 18 (IANS) The Patna High Court on Monday directed the director of Bihar vigilance department to probe the recruitment of nearly 40,000 government teachers who allegedly used fake degree certificates to get the jobs, a lawyer said.

JD-U, RJD to fight Bihar legislative council polls togetherPatna, May 18 (IANS) Bihar's ruling JD-U and its ally RJD will contest 24 seats of the state legislative council together, overcoming some "technical problems" in the merger of the Janata Parivar parties.

India to move ahead of China in coming days: Jayant Sinha Patna, May 18 (IANS) India would leave China behind in terms of growth and development in the coming days, union Minister of state for Finance Jayant Sinha said on Monday

Bihar elections may be held in Sept-Oct: CEC
The Assembly elections in Bihar are likely to be held in September or October.


Parties ‘ready’ for Bihar Assembly election
Patna,(BiharTimes): Leaders of different political parties said on Sunday that they are ready to contest the Assembly election.

Pappu floats new front to fight Nitish, Lalu
Patna,(BiharTimes): Expelled RJD MP from Madhepura, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, on Sunday floated a new outfit named, Jan Kranti Abhiyan Morcha.

'Postal system being developed on lines of Digital India'
Patna, May 16 (IANS) Union Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday said that the postal system was being developed on the lines of Digital India but assured that not a single employee would lose his job as a consequence.

DPS principal denies BJP MP’s charge, says school is open to probe
Patna,(BiharTimes): Denying the charge that Delhi Public School, Patna, is deliberately failing the students to cough up money its principal, B Vinod, said that his institution is ready for a probe into such allegations.

Postal stamp on emperor Ashoka soon: Ravi Shankar Prasad
Patna, May 17 (IANS) Union Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Sunday announced that a postal stamp would be released in honour of erstwhile Indian emperor Ashoka.

Bee attack injures 200 women and children in Bihar
Patna, May 17 (IANS) Nearly 200 women and children were injured in a bee attack on Sunday in Bihar's Arwal district, about 75 km from here, police said.

IAS Officers’ Association donates Rs 2.65 lakh for quake victims
Patna,(BiharTimes): A delegation of IAS Officers’ Association of Bihar on Saturday called on the chief minister Nitish Kumar and donated Rs 2.65 lakh to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to help the earthquake-hit people of the state.
An earthquake hits Bihar again
Patna, May 16 (IANS) A mild earthquake was felt in major parts of Bihar on Saturday evening, causing widespread panic among the people, who rushed out of their houses, shops and offices, officials said.

MPLADS funds of 25 Lok Sabha MPs in Bihar untouched
Patna, May 16 (IANS) Twenty five of the 40 Lok Sabha MPs in Bihar failed to spend even a single paisa from their Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) fund in the past one year, an official said on Saturday.


RJD should contest all 243 seats: Nitish
Patna, May 15 (IANS) Unhappy over RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh's claim that his party will contest 143 seats in Bihar, a peeved Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday asked the RJD to contest all 243 seats in the state instead.

Nitish rejects Raghuvansh’s demand of 145 seats for RJD
Patna,(BiharTimes): Rejecting the demand of 145 seats made by the RJD vice president, Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, chief minister, Nitish Kumar, said on Friday that there are 243 seats available to contest in Bihar.

Technical problems in Janata Parivar merger: Lalu
Patna, May 14 (IANS) Some "technical problems" have come in the way of the merger of the Janata Parivar parties, but the RJD and the JD-U will contest the Bihar assembly polls this year in alliance to defeat the BJP, RJD chief Lalu Prasad said on Thursday.

Home Guards go on indefinite strike in Bihar
Patna, May 15 (IANS) Over 70,000 Home Guard personnel in Bihar began an indefinite strike on Friday to press the state government into meeting their demands which include a pay hike and insurance cover.

Bihar jail inmates learning to play musical instruments
Patna, May 15 (IANS) Inmates of a Bihar jail are being trained to play different musical instruments, officials said on Friday.

Over 2.5 lakh contractual teachers in Bihar end strike
Patna, May 13 (IANS) The over a month-old-strike by some 2.5 lakh contractual school teachers in Bihar ended on Wednesday following a written assurance by the government to fulfil their demands, officials said.

Five lakh will die if Patna quake epicentre: Nitish
Patna, May 13 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday warned that five lakh people would die if the epicentre of an earthquake was in Patna, and stressed the need to make buildings quake-proof.

Why Greenpeace is first on the chopping block
New Delhi, May 13 (IANS) As Greenpeace India struggles to stay afloat, the real reason why the government wants to shut down the global environmental NGO hasn’t got much attention: Coal, the single biggest source of primary energy in India, is at the heart of the Narendra Modi government’s ambitious plans to ramp up industrial production in the country.

SC prohibits politicians' photos on government ads
New Delhi, May 13 (IANS) In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court on Wednesday prohibited the use of photographs of political leaders, including ministers, in advertisements issued by the government and its agencies, saying that it leads to promotion of a personality cult.

 

Quake prediction of school-teacher proved true: Report
Patna,(BiharTimes): The prediction of Motihari school-teacher Umesh Prasad Verma, a seismologist, proved exactly true on Tuesday noon.Based on his calculations, Verma on Monday evening predicted an earthquake of a magnitude of above Richter scale 6 would hit Nepal within 48 hours.

BJP MP accuses DPS Patna of failing students to extract money
Patna,(BiharTimes): Raising the issue in Lok Sabha on Wednesday BJP MP from Bihar Sanjay Jaiswal accused the Delhi Public School (DPS), Patna of deliberately failing students or not promoting them to higher classes so that it could force parents to cough up money.

Arrest Delhi law minister for fake degrees: BJP
New Delhi, May 13 (IANS) The BJP on Wednesday demanded the arrest of Delhi Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar for allegedly furnishing fake provisional certificate of his law degree and holding a fake graduate degree as well.

Hindu population up in US, becomes fourth-largest faith
New York, May 13 (IANS) Fueled by immigration, America's Hindu population has reached 2.23 million, an increase of about one million or 85.8 percent since 2007, making Hinduism the fourth-largest faith, according to estimates based on wide-ranging study of religions in the nation.

Black Money Bill clears parliament
New Delhi, May 13 (IANS) Parliament on Wednesday approved the Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets Bill providing for heavy penalties for stashing black money away in foreign accounts with the Rajya Sabha passing the measure, two days after the Lok Sabha had done so.


Fresh earthquake kills 57 in Nepal, 10 in India
Kathmandu/New Delhi, May 12 (IANS) At least 57 people were killed and over 1,000 others injured when a massive earthquake and 14 aftershocks shook Nepal on Tuesday causing panic in the Himalayan nation which is still recovering from the devastating April 25 temblor.

Bihar orders summer vacation in schools from May 13
Patna, May 12 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday ordered closure of all schools from Wednesday in view of a massive earthquake that struck the state and caused heavy loss of life and property.

Do not get panicky, avoid rumours: Nitish
Patna,(BiharTimes): Even as the death toll in earthquake in Bihar on Tuesday (May 12) rose to 20––including two in Patna––chief minister Nitish Kumar appealed to the people not to get panicky and be carried away by the rumours, especially generated by the social media.

‘Disadvantaged among upper castes need special attention’
Patna,(BiharTimes): The disadvantaged among the upper caste population need special attention while implementing various welfare programmes of the government.According to a recent study of economic and educational status of upper caste population in Bihar done by the Asian Development Research Institute (ADRI)

Bihar announces compensation for farmers commiting suicide
Patna,(BiharTimes): The state cabinet on Tuesday announced a compensation of Rs four lakhs to the relatives of the farmers who committs suicide because of crop failure.

SuMo ridicules Nitish’s statement quoting Rahim
Patna,(BiharTimes): Commenting on the tree-fruit statement of chief minister Nitish Kumar on the merger of Janata Parivar senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Tuesday said that a ‘storm’ has uprooted all the trees and destroyed all the flowers on them; so there is no question of bearing any fruit.

Eight killed as quake strikes Bihar
Patna May 12 (IANS) At least eight people, including three children, were killed and nearly two dozen people were injured when a massive earthquake caused walls to collapse in parts of Bihar on Tuesday, officials said.

Ni-La see no wrong in Ram Gopal’s red signal to merger
Patna,(BiharTimes): Though both the ruling Janata Dal (United) and RJD rank and file appeared somewhat upset over the Sunday’s statement of the Samajwadi Party general secretary, Ram Gopal Yadav, that there is a ‘technical problem’ in the merger of six parties in a huury, yet the leaders of the two parties see no wrong in it
.

Nitish gives no marks to one-year of NDA govt
Patna,(BiharTimes): Stating that the Narendra Modi government has totally flopped Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday refused to give it any marks on the plea that they can be given only when the examinee has appeared in the exam. Talking to the media on the sidelines of the Janata Darbar he said marks can be given only when an answer-sheet is submitted.

No question of going back on Janata Parivar: Nitish Kumar
Patna, May 11 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said there was no question of going back on the merger of six parties of the Janata Parivar.

Nitish govt transfers a dozen IAS officers
Patna,(BiharTimes): The state government on Sunday night transferred a dozen IAS officials, including the divisional commissioners of Patna, and gave additional charge to five others.


Merger not possible before Assembly election: Ram Gopal Yadav
Patna,(BiharTimes): Senior Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav, who is also the younger brother of the party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, said on Sunday that the merger of Janata Parivar would not be possible before the Bihar Assembly election due later this year.


BJP does not fear RJD-JD (U) combine in Bihar: SuMo
Patna,(BiharTimes): Commenting on the reported failure of the merger talks between JD(U) and RJD former deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi said on Sunday that the BJP does not fear them whether they fight in alliance or as a merged party. Instead, these two parties fear the BJP’s growing strength.

Lightning kills five in Bihar
Patna, May 10 (IANS) At least five people, including two children and a woman, were killed on Sunday when they were struck by lightning in Bihar's Madhepura district, officials said.


10 idol smugglers arrested in Bihar
Patna, May 10 (IANS) A gang of idol smugglers was busted on Sunday with the arrest of 10 people and seizure of four precious Ashtadhatu statues from their possession in Bihar's Jehanabad district, police said.

JD(U), RJD on verge of seat-sharing agreement before merger
Patna,(BiharTimes): Before dissolving their identity into the much larger Janata Parivar the Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Janata Dal leadership have almost reached an agreement for 50:50 seat arrangement for the respective party for the coming Assembly election in Bihar.

Police officer commits suicide in Bihar police station
Patna, May 9 (IANS) A officer of the Bihar Police committed suicide on Saturday within the premises of a police station in Buxar district, an official said.

Dadasaheb Phalke Award conferred on Shashi Kapoor
Mumbai, May 10 (IANS) Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday conferred the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award on veteran actor-filmmaker Shashi Kapoor before an august gathering at the Prithvi Theatre here.

Parched summer again for Bihar Mountain Man's village
Dashrath Nagar(Bihar), May 10 (IANS) Bhagirath Manjhi and his neighbor Ramesh Manjhi are struggling to get drinking water for themselves and their families as the heat goes up. They are two among hundreds of dalits, the poorest of the poor, in Bihar's famed Mountain Man's village here.


Muzaffarpur court orders lodging of FIR against singer, jewellery designer
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM), Muzaffarpur, Ram Chandra Prasad on Friday ordered that an FIR be registered against singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya and jewellery designer Farah Ali Khan for their remarks against people sleeping on roads.

India to gift Bodhi Tree sapling to China, Mongolia
Patna, May 9 (IANS) India will gift a sapling of the sacred Bodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya to China and Mongolia this month, a temple official said on Saturday.

Maoists' training camp busted in Bihar
Patna, May 9 (IANS) A training camp of Maoists was demolished by security forces in Bihar's Jamui district on Saturday, police said.

Red signal to Greenpeace projects in Bihar
Patna,(BiharTimes): Uncertainty looms large over the fate of projects undertaken by Greenpeace India in Bihar after the Narendra Modi government decided to block its bank accounts in India.

Couple killed for witchcraft in Bihar
Patna, May 9 (IANS) An elderly couple has been killed by their neighbours for allegedly practicing witchcraft in a Bihar village.

Why no judicial or political activism in paddy scam?
Patna,(BiharTimes): The recent decision of the Patna High Court to dismiss a petition seeking a CBI probe into the alleged swindling of over Rs 4,000 crores in the name of paddy processing by private mill-owners has come as a big surprise.

24 bogies of goods train derail in Bihar
Patna, May 8 (IANS) At least 24 bogies of a goods train were derailed in Bihar's Sasaram district on Friday,disrupting rail traffic on the busy Mughalsarai-Howrah route, officials said. No injuries were reported.


Pappu threatens legal action against RJD leadership
Patna,(BiharTimes): Expelled Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav on Friday threatened to resort to legal action against the party leadership as its chief Lalu Prasad has no right to throw him out after its merger.

Manjhi floats new party in Bihar
Patna, May 8 (IANS) Former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Friday formally launched a new party, Hindustan Awami Morcha (HAM), which will contest all the 243 seats in the coming assembly polls.

Bihar scores over Jharkhand on doctor’s release, but questions remain unanswered
Patna,(BiharTimes): Apparently the Bihar government has scored brownie points over Jharkhand, where only the body of abducted doctor, Ram Bachan Chaudhary, could reach home just three days earlier.

No ransom paid for our release, says Bihar doctor
Patna, May 7 (IANS) The Gaya-based doctor and his wife, who were freed on Thursday after being abducted six days back, on Friday denied any ransom was paid for their release.

RJD expels Pappu Yadav for six years
Patna, May 7 (IANS) The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Thursday expelled its MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav for six years for anti-party activities.

Kidnapped doctor, wife freed in Bihar
Patna, May 6 (IANS) A Gaya-based doctor and his wife, who were abducted six days ago, were freed on Wednesday in Bihar's Gaya district. The couple have returned to their home, police said.

Salman jailed for five years in hit-and-run case
Mumbai, May 6 (IANS) Bollywood superstar Salman Khan was on Wednesday sentenced to five years in jail for a 2002 hit-and-run accident here that left one man dead and four others injured.

Recovering doctor couple a challenge for my government: Nitish
Patna,(BiharTimes): Reiterating that good governance continues to be the basic mantra of his government chief minister Nitish Kumar said on Tuesday that recovering the abducted Gaya doctor and his wife is a challenge which it has accepted.

Bihar town protests abduction of doctor, wife
Patna, May 5 (IANS) Hundreds of people on Tuesday took to streets in Bihar's Gaya district to protest the abduction of a doctor and his wife.

17 IPS officers transferred in Bihar
Patna, May 5 (IANS) Following the recent spurt in crimes, including the abduction of a doctor and his wife in Gaya district, the Bihar government on Tuesday transferred 17 IPS officers including Gaya senior superintendent of police (SSP), officials said.

Bihar hospital superintendent suspended over 'bhukamp' stickers
Patna, May 5 (IANS) The superintendent of Darbhanga Medical College Hospital (DMCH), Shankar Jha, was suspended on Tuesday after stickers inscribed with the word "bhukamp" (earthquake) were found pasted on the foreheads of quake victims last month, officials said.


It was wrong not to let me go to Nepal: Nitish
Patna, May 5 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday criticised the central government for not letting him visit quake-ravaged Nepal.


Outdated Bihar equipment prevented forecast of Nepal quake: Geologist
Patna, May 5 (IANS) A Bihar-based geologist has claimed that he and his team of scientists could have predicted the killer earthquake which hit Nepal on April 25 if they had been provided with the latest equipment.


Nepal asks foreign rescuers to go, India lists assistance
Kathmandu, May 4 (IANS) Nepal on Monday told all countries to withdraw their rescuers from the quake-ravaged country as India said it had carried out its biggest ever response to any natural calamity abroad.

Patna HC axes SC/ST quota in promotions
Patna, May 4 (IANS) The Patna High Court on Monday quashed Bihar's decision to provide reservation in promotions to the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) government employees.


BHEL commissions 195-MW thermal unit in Bihar
Mumbai, May 4 (IANS) State-owned electrical equipment maker Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) on Monday said it has commissioned a 195-MW thermal unit in Muzzafarpur district in Bihar.

Buddha Purnima celebrated at Bodh Gaya
Pat May 4 (IANS) Thousands of Buddhists from across the world, including the monks, on Monday morning celebrated Buddha Purnima at Bodh Gaya in Bihar, where Lord Budhdha attained enlightenment.

Centre refuses Nitish permission to visit Janakpur in Nepal
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Nitish Kumar was on Sunday not granted permission by the Centre to visit Janakpur district in Nepal on the border with Bihar. The Bihar CM wanted to visit the place to review the quake relief work. As Nitish has been touring a number of earthquake hit districts of Bihar he deemed it fit to pay a visit to Nepal too, but the external affairs ministry did not grant him the permission at the last moment.

Foreign Ministry Asks Nitish to Defer Trip to Nepal
Patna (BiharTimes)The External Affairs Ministry has suggested to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to defer his visit to Nepal and undertake it at a "more opportune" time


Former Union minister passes away

Patna,(BiharTimes)a: Former Union minister and seasoned Congress leader, Baleshwar Ram, died due to kidney-related ailments in a private hospital in Patna late on Saturday night. He was 87.

Five from Bihar in 100 smart cities
Patna,(BiharTimes): Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Biharsharif and Muzaffarpur are among the 100 urban centres included in the list of smart cities of the country.They would get assistance from the central government to improve the urban living facilities for the common citizens.

Kejriwal defends Tomar, seeks trial of media
New Delhi, May 3 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday defended his Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar, accused of faking his law degree, and called for a "public trial" of the media.

HAM leaders put up united face amidst reports of differences
Patna,(BiharTimes): In spite of reports of serious differences all the senior leaders of Hindustani Awam Morcha, who met for three hours on Saturday evening, put up a united face and apparently reposed full faith in the leadership of former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.

JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP asks Manjhi to return to party fold
Patna,(BiharTimes): Rajya Sabha MP of Janata Dal (United), Ramnath Thakur on Saturday urged the former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi to return to the party fold and work to strengthen it, especially in this hour of crisis.

Bihar bus driver dies in Nepal
Patna, May 3 (IANS) A bus driver sent by Bihar government for relief and rescue operations in earthquake-ravaged Nepal died on Sunday, triggering protests by his colleagues, officials said.

Here's a low-cost water purifier for villages
Bengaluru, May 4 (IANS) A discarded sari, a few glass pipes and freely available sunlight are the only requirements for an innovative system that can provide safe drinking water to a rural household.

CM to inaugurate light & sound show in Buddha Smriti Park
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Nitish Kumar would inaugurate the second light and sound show of the state capital in Buddha Smriti Park on May 4, that is Buddha Purnima day.It has been built by Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation.

IMA angry after doctor, wife abducted in Bihar
Patna, May 3 (IANS) The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Sunday threatened to paralyse medical services in Bihar if a doctor aCM to inaugurate light & sound show in Buddha Smriti Parknd his wife allegedly abducted on Friday were not traced soon.

Bihar mob attacks gang rape accused
Patna, May 3 (IANS) Angry over the release on bail of a key accused in a gang rape case, a mob on Sunday attacked his house and beat him up in a village in Bihar's Vaishali district, police said.


Doctor abducted with wife in Gaya
Patna, May 2 (IANS) A doctor and his wife have been abducted in Bihar's Gaya district, police said on Saturday.

20 mn students affected by teachers' strike in Bihar
Patna, May 2 (IANS) Nearly 20 million students in Bihar's government-run schools have been affected due to an indefinite teachers' strike in support of over 3.5 lakh contractual teachers, officials said here on Saturday.

Nitish humiliated another Mahadalit leader, charges SushilModi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Though nobody shed tears over the resignation of transport, SC and ST welfare minister Ramai Ram from the post of minister in charge of East Champaran district he got support from somewhat unexpected quarter.

Thundersquall, heavy rain to hit Bihar: Met office
Patna, May 2 (IANS) A week after a high intensity earthquake hit Bihar, the meteorological department on Saturday issued a fresh alert for thundersquall and heavy rain in the quake-affected districts.

The forgotten permanent residents of Patna’s open spaces
Like death, earthquake, is a great leveller. The April 25-26 seismic upheaval flattened thousands of big and small structures in Nepal, Bihar, West Bengal, UP and elsewhere.

Bihar's migrant workers vow never to return to Nepal
Raxaul(Bihar), May 1 (IANS) Fear is still writ large on the faces of migrant workers from Bihar who have returned from earthquake-ravaged Nepal. Though they are worried over livelihood, jobs and their future, they vow never to go back to the Himalayan country for work.

Perishable items rot as vehicles idle at Nepal-India border
Kapilvastu (Nepal), May 1 (IANS) Fruit, bread and other perishable commodities have begun to go bad as vehicles carrying relief material to quake-hit Nepal wait at a clogged border crossing.

Nitish in no mood to be ‘politically blackmail’ by Ramai Ram
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Nitish Kumar appears in no mood to oblige transport and SC and ST welfare minister Ramai Ram, who on Wednesday evening resigned as minister in charge of the 20-point economic programme committee of East Champaran district.

8 quake victims die in two Bihar hospitals
Patna, May 1 (IANS) Eight earthquake victims, under treatment in two government-run hospital in Bihar, have succumbed to injuries in the past five days, officials said.

India rejects US panel report on religious freedom
New Delhi, May 1 (IANS) India has rejected a US government panel report that claims direct link between the 2014 general elections and the spike in attacks on religious minorities in the country.

Bihar quake: Nitish's colleagues to donate their salary
Patna, May 1 (IANS) A day after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar donated one month's salary for the earthquake victims in the state, his cabinet colleagues, JD-U legislators and MPs will follow the suit in a day or two, officials said on Friday.

Food grain distribution is states' duty: Paswan
Kolkata, May 1 (IANS) While the Centre ensures that quality foodstuff reaches the states for various schemes like mid-day meal, it was the responsibility of the state governments to ensure its effective distribution, a union minister said on Friday.

Action against hospital superintendent over 'bhukamp' stickers: Minister
Patna, May 1 (IANS) Action would be taken against the Darbhanga Medical College Hospital (DMCH) superintendent over the pasting of stickers of "bhukamp" on the forehead of quake victims, said Bihar Health Minister Ramdhani Singh on Friday.

Ramai Ram quits as minister in charge of East Champaran
Patna,(BiharTimes): State transport and SC and ST welfare minister Ramai Ram has resigned as the minister in charge for East Champaran saying he was feeling insulted after the appointment of Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, as in charge of relief operation at Raxaul in the same district.

All options on alliance in Bihar open, says Amit Shah
Patna,(BiharTimes): Stating that the BJP has left all its options open its national president, Amit Shah, said in New Delhi on Thursday that his party has not yet taken a decision on forging an alliance with non-NDA parties in Bihar, which goes to poll later in the year.

APRIL-2015


Bihar sends thousands of food packets, blankets to Nepal
Patna, April 29 (IANS) The Bihar government has intensified its efforts to provide relief to the people affected by the April 25 earthquake in Nepal, and bring home people from the state stranded in the Himalayan nation.

Nitish in Raxaul; quake toll in Bihar rises to 58
Patna,(BiharTimes): Even as the death toll due to earthquakes rose to 58 in Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday left for Raxaul in East Champaran by road.

Team of Bihar doctors stranded in Birganj
Patna,(BiharTimes): A 40-member team of doctors, who were sent to quake-hit Nepal by Bihar government are stranded at Birganj as the Indian consulate general is yet to permit them to move further.

Real estate business likely to be hit in post-quake Patna
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Saturday-Sunday earthquakes and subsequent tremors are likely to cause social and economic aftershocks in crowded Bihar capital, where thousands poured out in the open field on these two nights.


Bihar farmers not too enthused by PM’s announcement
Patna,(BiharTimes): The recent announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that farmers who had suffered even 33 per cent of crop-loss due to hailstorm and unseasonal rain would be provided relief from the government was welcomed by many across the country.Earlier farmers who had suffered 50 per cent crop-loss were entitled to such help.

Case lodged against former Bihar MLA for spreading earthquake rumours
Patna,(BiharTimes): A case has been registered against a former Bihar MLA for spreading rumours on WhatsApp about earthquake.According to police Dayanand Rai, the former MLA from Narpatganj in Araria district, was spreading rumours about earthquake through social messaging.


Nepal quake toll rises to 4,347
Kathmandu, April 28 (IANS) The toll in the earthquake that devastated Nepal on Saturday has shot up to 4,347, authorities said on Tuesday.


Construction boom now haunts Patnaites?
Patna,(BiharTimes): A large number of Patnaites spent two consecutive nights––besides several hours of Saturday and Sunday––in Gandhi Maidan, various parks, or in grounds of colleges, schools, madarsas and other open spaces.But one thing needs to be noticed. The proportion of apartment-dwellers in these places was more than those living in other residential houses.

5.1-magnitude quake hits Bihar
Patna, April 27 (IANS) Two days after an earthquake jolted Bihar, another temblor, measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale, rocked the state on Monday. Damage to property was reported from various places, but there was no report of any casualty, an official here said.

Thirty-eight Indian cities in high risk earthquakes zones
New Delhi, April 27 (IANS) At least 38 Indian cities lie in high-risk seismic zones and nearly 60 percent of the subcontinental landmass is vulnerable to earthquakes. Barring rare exceptions, such as the Delhi Metro, India’s hastily-built cities are open to great damage from earthquakes.

Shortages grip Nepal as toll rises to 3,815
Kathmandu, April 27 (IANS) Food and water shortages sparked anger across Nepal on Monday as thousands remained in the open even two days after the country's worst earthquake in eight decades left 3,815 dead and many more wounded, forcing Kathmandu to send out SOS for more international help.

60 legislators among 16,000 consumers who surrender LPG subsidy in Bihar
Patna,(BiharTimes): Over 60 MLAs and MLCs of Bihar are among 16,000 consumers who have voluntarily surrendered their LPG subsidy in Bihar. In Patna, customers get a subsidy of Rs 287.79 per refill. The annual figure would be Rs 3,453.48 per customer.

Field day for burglars in VIP colony on Sat-Sun night
Patna,(BiharTimes): Burglars had a field day on the intervening night of Saturday and Sundaywhen most of the people had moved to other places out of fear of fresh tremors.

Delhi law minister's certificate not genuine, varsity tells HC
New Delhi, April 27 (IANS) A Bihar-based university from where Delhi Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar claimed to be enrolled as an advocate and obtained his law degree on Monday told the Delhi High Court that provisional certificate is not "genuine" and the document "does not exist in the university's record".

Massive rescue efforts on as 2,500 die in Nepal, India rushes aid
Kathmandu, April 26 (IANS) Nepal's worst earthquake since 1934 has killed over 2,500 people and injured thousands, and forced many more on Sunday to camp in the open due to powerful aftershocks. As grieving families jostled for space to cremate the dead, India stepped up relief and rescue work in the Himalayan country with which it has close ties.

Quake toll in Bihar now 51, Nitish orders rescue mission
Patna, April 26 (IANS) At least 51 people have died in the earthquake in Bihar that followed a massive temblor in Nepal, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said and asked his officials on Sunday to send a team to rescue people from his state who are stranded in the quake-hit Himalayan nation.

After Nepal quake, India may be next: Experts
New Delhi, April 26 (IANS) In the wake of the strong 7.9 magnitude earthquake that killed over a 1,500 people in Nepal and left a swathe of devastation in the northern Himalayas on Saturday, experts said a temblor of equal intensity is "overdue" in northern India."

PDS best in Bihar, says study
Patna,(BiharTimes): Notwithstanding the repeated criticism of the Bihar government by Union food minister Ram Vilas Paswan, famous economist Jean Dreze has all praise for the public distribution system (PDS) in Bihar.

Resurgent Rahul, farmer's suicide puts land bill on backburner
New Delhi, April 26 (IANS) A resurgent Rahul Gandhi and the suicide of a farmer at an AAP rally in the capital seem to have made the NDA government re-think its strategy on the land acquisition bill and put it on the backburner - at least for now.


World rushes aid to Nepal amid 2,300 deaths, new tremors
Kathmandu, April 26 (IANS) Another tremblor measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale shook Nepal on Sunday causing fresh panic as rescuers pulled out bodies from debris, a day after a 7.9 magnitude earthquake left over 2,300 dead and forced tens of thousands to spend the night on the streets.


Widespread destruction as quake ravages Nepal, rocks India
Kathmandu/New Delhi, April 25 (IANS) Over 900 people were killed and thousands were injured when a massive earthquake - lasting about 20 frightening seconds - and several strong aftershocks caused widespread destruction in Nepal. India too was affected.

Quake: 25 killed in Bihar
Patna, April 25 (IANS) At least 25 people were killed in Bihar as a massive earthquake struck Nepal and the adjoining areas in northern India on Saturday, officials said.

Historians shocked at govt’s move to shift Patna Museum’s artefacts to new museums
Patna,(BiharTimes): Thanks to the Bihar government’s move to shift some important pre-1764 artefacts to other museums the famous Patna Museum is likely to lose its identity.They would be transferred to the newly-built Bihar Museum as well as Vaishali-based Buddha Samyak Darshan Museum.


Cabinet hikes honorarium for mukhiyas, pramukhs etc
Patna,(BiharTimes): In another election eve gift the Bihar cabinet on Friday approved increasing monthly honorarium of the Zila Parishad president from Rs 8,000 to Rs 12,000, Zila Parishad vice-president from Rs 6,000 to 10,000, Panchayat Samiti Pramukh from Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000, Panchayati Samiti Deputy Pramukh from Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000,

Rajnath assures full support to Bihar
Patna,(BiharTimes): Home minister Rajnath Singh, along with chief minister Nitish Kumar, on Friday made an aerial survey of the storm hit Purnea and adjoining districts of north-east Bihar. Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh and former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi also accompanied them.Later, while talking to the media, Rajnath assured full support to Bihar government in providing relief to the storm-hit areas of the state.“We are fully behind the affected people in this hour of crisis,” he said.

Deaths in AAP & Hunkar rallies: How similar & how dissimilar
The rally organized by Aam Admi Party near Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on April 22 and Bharatiya Janata Party’s October 27, 2013 Hunkar rally in Patna’s Gandhi Maidan have at least one similarity––though otherwise there are lot of dissimilarities.


Delhi Police accuse AAP of obstructing efforts to save farmer
New Delhi, April 23 (IANS) Delhi Police have accused the Aam Aadmi Party and its leaders of obstructing their effort to save farmer Gajendra Singh from committing suicide at an AAP rally and have refused to join the magisterial probe ordered by the Delhi government.

‘RJD’ issues show-cause notice to Pappu Yadav Patna,(BiharTimes): Though on paper neither the RJD nor the JD(U) exists as they have on April 15 merged into one party, whose name is yet to be announced.Yet on Thursday RJD’s national principal general secretary Ramdeo Bhandari issued a show-cause notice to its Madhepura MP, Rajesh Ranjan, alias Pappu Yadav.

CM announces Rs 10,000 incentive to upper castes’ students passing matric with first division
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar, chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesdayannounced payment of Rs 10,000 as incentive to students of upper castes, who pass matriculation examination with first division. Besides, he also announced regularisation of contractual employees.

Bihar storm leaves farmers shattered
Patna, April 23 (IANS) The tropical storm that ripped through Bihar has left farmers in the state distraught and helpless.

President condoles loss of lives in Bihar storm
New Delhi, April 23 (IANS) President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday condoled the loss of lives due to a powerful storm in Bihar.

Will clarify things: Chetan Bhagat on defamation suit
New Delhi, April 23 (IANS) Reacting to news of a defamation suit filed against him, author Chetan Bhagat says his novel “Half Girlfriend” has nothing to do with the former kingdom of Dumraon in Bihar and that he will try to settle things by explaining the point to the other party.


Woman MLAs almost come to blows in Bihar Assembly over non-issue Patna,(BiharTimes): Two woman MLAs almost came to blows in the Bihar Assembly in Zero Hour on Wednesday. The irony is that they clashed for several minutes on a non-issue with the entire House watching the scene helplessly. The Speaker, Uday Narayan Chaudhary, did try but to no avail. Having failed in his attempt he adjourned the House till 2:00 PM, but the two ladies continued to clash. They took the battle to the Speaker’s chamber too.

42 killed, 100 injured as storm lashes Bihar
Patna, April 22: At least 42 people have been killed and around 100 injured in a tropical storm that lashed Purnia, Madhepura and several other districts of Bihar late on Tuesday night.

Modi speaks to Nitish, assures assistance over Bihar storm
New Delhi, April 22 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday spoke to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and assured all assistance from the central government after storm hit many parts of the state.

India stunned as farmer kills self at AAP rally
New Delhi, April 22 (IANS) An AAP rally attended by thousands against the land ordinance on Wednesday turned tragic when a Rajasthan farmer, his crops ruined by untimely rains, hanged himself from a tree in the heart of the capital, shocking India and sparking an ugly political blame game.

RJD’s aggressiveness in Assembly stumps JD(U)
Patna,(BiharTimes): There is nothing wrong in ruling party or alliance legislator(s) raising any issue in the state Assembly, which embarrasses the state government. Ruling Janata Dal (United) MLA Manjit Kumar Singh, otherwise a great fan of chief minister Nitish Kumar, is known for it. Recently a newspaper carried a special story on the way he had caught ministers off guard in the last several years.

No plan to build barrages on Ganga, clarifies Inland Waterways Authority
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has ruled out any plan to construct new barrages on the 1,620km long stretch between Allahabad and Haldia of the National Waterway (NW)-1 on the Ganga.

Bihar blames Centre’s inadequate time for paddy procurement shortfall
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Bihar government has squarely blamed the Centre for the shortfall in the paddy procurement in the state in this kharif season.It also criticised the Union Food and Consumer Affairs Ministry for not releasing Rs 2,105 crore to Bihar in lieu of food-grains procured from farmers.


Manjhi supporters see design in media underplay of HAM rally
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Monday told the bureaucrats and mediapersons that Nitish Kumar would not remain as the chief minister of the state for ever, so they should change their attitude. He even called upon the crowd to switch-over to other channel if they are ignoring the interest of the Dalits and weaker section of the society.

Woman, son shot dead over land dispute in Bihar
Patna, April 21 (IANS) A woman and her son were shot dead on Tuesday in a village in Bihar's Begusarai district over a land dispute, police said.

Rs.1 crore ransom demanded for abducted Bihar businessman
Patna, April 21 (IANS) A ransom of Rs.1 crore has been demanded for the release of a businessman in Bihar's East Champaran district who was abducted on Sunday, his family members said on Tuesday.

Jharkhand elephant shot dead in BangladeshKolkata, April 21 (IANS) An elephant that had strayed from West Bengal's Murshidabad district into neighbouring Bangladesh was allegedly gunned down by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), a forest official said on Tuesday.

Dalit, EBC leaders always made CM as stop-gap arrangement: Manjhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said that Dalits and Extremely Backward Caste leaders had always been made CMs as stop-gap arrangement at the time of political crisis in Bihar. Be it Bhola Paswan Shashtri, Ram Sundar Das or Karpoori Thakur all were made the CMs for a few months to fill the political vacuum.


Dissident AAP leaders Bhushan, Yadav expelled from party
New Delhi, April 21 (IANS) It was the end of the road for Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) founder-leaders, Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, with the party expelling them for “anti-party activities”.


Buddhist circuit to be developed under 'Swadesh Darshan' scheme
New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) The government has proposed the development of the Buddhist circuit under its newly-launched "Swadesh Darshan" scheme, parliament was informed on Monday.

Rahul attacks Modi, says suit-boot government has failed the country
New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) A combative Rahul Gandhi here on Monday mounted his second successive attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi since returning from leave of absence, accusing his "suit boot" and "acche din" government of working for corporates and forgetting farmers.

‘Bihar first to implement Food Security Act, Gujarat, Jharkhand etc not yet’
Patna,(BiharTimes): Right to Food activists have questioned the silence of Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan over the non-implementation of the National Food Security Act in 25 states and Union Territories of the country, including several BJP-ruled ones, like Gujarat Jharkhand etc. Instead he is repeatedly targeting Bihar for pure political reason.


Road accident deaths triggers violent protest
Patna, April 20 (IANS) The death of five students in a road accident on Monday morning triggered a violent protest by the local villagers in Bihar's Siwan district, police said.


Janata Parivar merger not to affect NDA: Paswan
Patna, April 19 (IANS) Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Monday said the merger of erstwhile Janata Parivar's six parties last week will neither have any impact on the National Democratic Alliance-led central government nor on the upcoming Bihar polls.

Bihar has failed to implement Food Security Act: Ram Vilas Patna,(BiharTimes): Alleging that the Nitish Kumar government has failed in effectively implementing the National Food Security Act in Bihar Union Food Minister, Ram Vilas Paswan, said that about 1.11 crore eligible people have been left out under it in the state. Thus they are deprivd of the subsidized foodgrains entitled under this Act.

BJP had opposed allotment of BIADA land to Prakash Jha, clarifies SuMo Patna,(BiharTimes): Former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi on Friday charged that subsidised government land was allotted by the Bihar government to Janata Dal (United) leader and film maker, Prakash Jha, for building shopping malls.

Miraculous escape for passengers of Bihar Sampark Kranti Express Patna,(BiharTimes): Passengers of the Darbhanga-New Delhi Bihar Sampark Kranti Express had a miraculous escape on Sunday morning when a coach of the train got decoupled near Laheriasarai railway station just five kilometres from Darbhanga.

Rahul Gandhi attacks Modi over land bill New Delhi, April 19 (IANS) Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of seeking to return "debt of industrialists" and vowed to fight for farmers' interests and against the "weakened" land bill in his first public rally after returning from a 56-day leave of absence. The BJP hit back, wondering how many times the Congress will launch him.

Net neutrality in India still a myth, but don't log off New Delhi, April 19 (IANS) Amid the raging debate globally over net neutrality, which has evoked a strong reaction from stakeholders in India, domain experts feel that an unshackled access to the Internet world isn't feasible in India yet but attempts must continue for egalitarianism.

Fill judicial vacancies on priority but without compromising quality: Pranab
New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday called for the filling of vacancies in the judiciary across the country on a priority basis, cautioning that the urgency of the task should not be at the expense of quality.


Lalu cautions partymen about ‘chhatni’ Patna,(BiharTimes): Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad on Friday made it amply clear to the partymen that it may be quite possible that some of the aspirants for the coming Assembly election may not get ticket.

LJP leader faces case for vulgar pictures of IraniPatna, April 18 (IANS) A case was lodged against a Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader in Bihar's Samastipur district on Saturday for allegedly circulating vulgar pictures of union Minister Smriti Irani on WhatsApp messenger.

MLAs hurl fleecing charge on Paras hospital in BiharAssembly
Patna,(BiharTimes): Members in Bihar Assembly on Friday raised the issue of what they allege fleecing of money by Patna-based Paras hospital.Raising the issue Mahendra Baitha (BJP) alleged that this hospital was charging exorbitantly from the patients. Citing the example of a Gopalganj-based patient the MLA said the patient was admitted to the hospital for just eight hours, but it charged Rs two lakh, even though he died during treatment.

Fill judicial vacancies on priority but without compromising quality: Pranab
New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday called for the filling of vacancies in the judiciary across the country on a priority basis, cautioning that the urgency of the task should not be at the expense of quality.

MLAs hurl fleecing charge on Paras hospital in BiharAssemblyPatna,(BiharTimes): Members in Bihar Assembly on Friday raised the issue of what they allege fleecing of money by Patna-based Paras hospital.Raising the issue Mahendra Baitha (BJP) alleged that this hospital was charging exorbitantly from the patients.

Lalu cautions partymen about ‘chhatni Patna,(BiharTimes): Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad on Friday made it amply clear to the partymen that it may be quite possible that some of the aspirants for the coming Assembly election may not get ticket.

LJP leader faces case for vulgar pictures of IraniPatna, April 18 (IANS) A case was lodged against a Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader in Bihar's Samastipur district on Saturday for allegedly circulating vulgar pictures of union Minister Smriti Irani on WhatsApp messenger.

President arrives in Bihar for Patna HC centenary celebration
Patna, April 17 (IANS) President Pranab Mukherjee arrived here on Friday to attend the Patna High Court centenary celebration on Saturday as the chief guest.

In politics 2+2 is not always four, so 0+0 may not be Zero
The credit for the discovery of ‘Zero’ goes to India. So Indians know its importance. Much depends on the way it is used. If one Zero is put after a figure its value increases by 10 times, if before any figure, it has no meaning.BJP chief Amit Shah is well aware of the importance of Zero.

Where malls have been built on sugar mills’ land, Nitish asks Amit Shah
Patna,(BiharTimes): Reacting to Amit Shah’s allegation Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said that the BJP chief should tell where in the state malls have been built on the land of sugar mills. He is either ignorant about the facts or is making wrong statements.

Nitish squarely blames BJP for J&K situation
Patma,(BiharTimes): Commenting on the development in Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Friday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of making all sorts of compromises with its ideology just for the greed of power on issues about which it has been known for holding strong views earlier.

Nearly 200 hospitalised in Bihar after food poisoning
Patna, April 17 (IANS) Nearly 200 people, including 40 children, were admitted to a hospital in Bihar on Friday after they ate "poisoned food" at a marriage, a health official said.

Upendra Kushwaha disagrees with Amit Shah’s 0+0=0 summing up
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Union minister of state for human resources development, Upendra Kushwaha, on Thursday disagreed with the BJP chief Amit Shah’s claim that the merger of the Janata Dal (United) and RJD would have no impact whatsoever on the Bihar politics.

BJP afraid of Janata Parivar merger: Nitish Kumar
Patna, April 16 (IANS) Upbeat over the merger of six parties of the Janata Parivar, including Bihar's ruling JD-U and its ally RJD, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Thursday that the BJP was afraid and worried of the merger.

Vacation over, Rahul Gandhi back home
New Delhi, April 16 (IANS) Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi who was out of the public eye for nearly two months, was back on Thursday. The BJP, however, said "you just cannot shy away from your duties".

Girl raped, nose chopped off by ex-fiance in Bihar
Patna, April 16 (IANS) A girl was raped and part of her nose chopped off by her former fiance after she refused to marry him in a village in Bihar's Siwan district, police said on Thursday.

'Janata Parivar' announces merger, yet to decide on name
New Delhi, April 15 (IANS) After months of deliberations, six constituents of the erstwhile Janata Party, collectively referred as the 'Janata Parivar', announced their merger into a single entity on Wednesday to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP. However, they are yet to decide on a name and electoral symbol.

Merger brings cheer to JD-U, RJD leaders and workers
Patna, April 15 (IANS) The merger of six parties of the 'Janata Parivar', including Bihar's ruling JD-U and its ally RJD, cheered hundreds of their leaders and workers who felt relieved and ecstatic after the long-awaited development finally occurred in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Rally exposes chink in BJP’s Dalit armour
Patna,(BiharTimes): It would be early to say whether the Ambedkar Jyanti rally would help the BJP consolidate its position among Dalits. But one thing is clear: the Amit Shah-Rajnath Singh show has exposed divisions within the state BJP.

Little scope for political harvesting in post-hailstorm Baisakhi in Bihar
April 13 is observed as Baisakhi day in a large part of north India, particularly Punjab. It is also celebrated as New Year’s day by Sikhs as well as Hindus.The harvest season of the winter crops such as wheat, gram, pulses, maize etc starts from this day.


Goriakothi. BJP MLA passes away Patna (BiharTimes) : Goriakothi. BJP MLA Bhumendra Narayan Singh died of heart attack at a private hospital in Delhi on Tuesday night.

Six parties form new party, Mulayam to be chief
New Delhi, April 15 (IANS) Six parties of Janata Parivar on Wednesday decided to merge and form a new party with Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh as its president.

Striking teachers disrupt rail, road traffic in Bihar
Patna, April 15 (IANS) Contractual school teachers, who have been agitating for a week, on Wednesday burnt tyres on the roads and squatted on railway tracks affecting rail and road traffic. However, apart from traffic, normal life remained more or less unaffected in Bihar, police said.

Maoists' training camp demolished in Bihar
Patna, April 15 (IANS) A training camp of Maoists was demolished in Bihar's Nawada district on Wednesday, police said.

0+0 will always be zero, says Amit Shah on mega-merger
Patna,(BiharTimes): The national president of the BJP, Amit Shah, said that 0+0 will always be zero.Addressing the party workers on the occasion of Ambedkar Jyanti at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan on Tuesday he dispelled the fear that the merger of Janata Dal (United) and RJD would pose a big challenge to the BJP.

Give one term to BJP in Bihar: SuMo
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi said on Tuesday that the people would take revenge for the humiliation meted out to the Mahadalit chief minister (Jitan Ram Manjhi).

Nitish equates Amit Shah with Goebbels
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday equated the BJP’s national president, Amit Shah, with Hitler’s propaganda minister, Goebbels.

Ashwani not allowed to enter Amit Shah’s rally, leaves in a huff
Patna,(BiharTimes): Buxar MP Ashwani Kumar Choubdey had a very bitter experience at the rally of the party which he nurtured and nursed in the last about five decades.He was not allowed to go upto the stage by the district administration as the list prepared and handed over to it by the BJP does not have his name.Upset over this development he went on to sit among the BJP workers.


Rajnath recalls sacrifice made at Hunkar rally day
Patna,(BiharTimes): Stating that the BJP would sweep the Bihar Assembly election and get rid of the Jungle Raj of Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Union home minister, Rajnath Singh, remembered the sacrifice made by those killed on the occasion of Hunkar rally day on October 27, 2013.


Shatrughan Sinha stays away from Amit Shah’s show
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Patna Saheb MP of the BJP, Shatrughan Sinha, was not present at the Amit Shah’s rally in Patna on April 14.Though the state party chief Mangal Pandey and other leaders tried to downplay his absence many people started questioning him. Initial reports said that he had chosen not to attend the rally as he was not invited. But the Bihari Babu denied the report and said that he could not attend it as he had to go to Maharashtra for some work.


BJP will form next government in Bihar: Amit Shah
Patna April 14 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will form the next government in Bihar, party chief Amit Shah said here on Tuesday while launching his party's campaign for the state assembly polls scheduled for later this year.


'Centre to set up 44 BPOs in Bihar'
Patna, April 14 (IANS) Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Tuesday that the central government will set up 44 Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) centres in Bihar.

Ambedkar remembered amid political claims over his legacy
New Delhi, April 14 (IANS) President Pranab Mukherjee led the nation on Tuesday in paying tributes to B.R. Ambedkar on his 124th birth anniversary, with events being held in different parts of the country.

Rs.5,000 monthly pension for aged farmers: Rajnath Singh
Patna, April 14 (IANS) Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday announced a monthly pension of Rs.5,000 for farmers aged 60 or above for their social and financial security.

Bihar government warns over 2.5 lakh striking contractual teachers
Patna, April 13 (IANS) Five days after over 2.5 lakh contractual school teachers began an indefinite strike in Bihar and locked hundreds of schools, the state government warned of action and announced 'no work, no pay for them', officials said Monday.

Nitish, Lalu criticise Sena leader's anti-Muslim call
Patna, April 13 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his ally, RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Monday criticised Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut for demanding in an article that voting rights of Muslims should be revoked to stop vote-bank politics.

Family of four burnt to death in Bihar over land dispute
Patna, April 13 (IANS) A family of four, including two minor children, was burnt to death by some villagers in Katihar district of Bihar, allegedly over a land dispute, police said on Monday.

 

Bihar's Verma requests BCCI to grant membership to CAB
New Delhi, April 13 (IANS) Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB) secretary Aditya Verma requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday to grant the state body membership of the national governing panel.

Nitish opposes Centre’s move to build more barrages on Ganga
Patna,(BiharTimes): Like most environmentalists Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday stoutly opposed the Narendra Modi government’s plan to build at least 16 barrages in river Ganga on 1,620-km stretch of National Waterways No.1 between Allahabad and Haldia port in West Bengal, ostensibly to raise its water level.

Nitish opposes Centre’s move to build more barrages on Ganga
Patna,(BiharTimes): Like most environmentalists Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday stoutly opposed the Narendra Modi government’s plan to build at least 16 barrages in river Ganga on 1,620-km stretch of National Waterways No.1 between Allahabad and Haldia port in West Bengal, ostensibly to raise its water level.

Era of Socialism, Communism, Capitalism is over
Patna,(Bihartimes): The leader of opposition in the state Legislative Council Sushil Kumar Modi said that the era of Samjwad (Socialism), Communism and Capitalism is over. He said on Sunday that the coming together of the Samajwadis (Socialists of Janata Parivar) would have no impact whatsoever on the politics of Bihar. The new party would bite the dust in the coming Assembly election.

Educating girls best way to stabilise population: Nitish
Patna, April 11, 2015 : Inaugurating the ‘Health, Women and Development in Bihar: Role of Media’ workshop Chief Minister Nitish Kumar emphasized the need to focus on population stabilization and said the proactive work done by the three lakh Self Help Groups (SHGs) and the  remarkably improved status in the education of the girl children are the two key parameters of growth in the state.

Modi gifts Madhubani painting to Hannover mayor

Hannover, April 12 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday presented a Madhubani painting to Hannover mayor Steven Schostok.


Two drones seized in Patna rally, two held
Patna, April 12 (IANS) Two drones were seized while video recording a rally of the extremely backward classes here on Sunday and two people were detained in this connection, police said.


Bihar couple stages nude protest against police inaction
Patna April 12 (IANS) Angry and frustrated after police refused to register their complaint, a couple in Bihar's capital city of Patna on Sunday protested in nude at Kargil Chowk to seek justice, police said.

Janata Parivar vs Sangh Parivar: The battle ahead is not so easy
Patna,(BiharTimes): If Peoples Democratic Party and Bharatiya Janata Party can make strange bedfellows in the sensitive state of Jammu and Kashmir, one does not need to doubt the re-union of two estranged ‘brothers’––Bade Bhai and Chote Bhai––into the same Janata Parivar.


BJP may like this RJD-JD(U) alliance to grow strong
Patna,(BiharTimes): A couple of days back RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav made it clear that his party is not going to take any action against the rebel party MP, Rajesh Ranjan, alias Pappu Yadav. Those who want to leave are free to go, he declared.

Manjhi urges supporters to travel to Patna without ticket to attend April 20 rally
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Thursday gave another statement which may land many of his apologists in a difficult position.

HAM stakes claim on JD(U)’s flag and symbol
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Hindustani Awam Morcha on Thursday staked claim on the name, symbol and flag of Janata Dal (United) after its legislators unanimously resolved to merge it with the six like-minded parties of Janata Parivar.

Centre plans to revive Vikramshila University: Minister
Patna, April 10 (IANS) Union minister of state for human resources development Upendra Kushwaha on Friday said the central government is planning to revive Vikramshila University, an ancient seat of Buddhist learning in Bihar, on the lines of Nalanda University.

Over dozen injured in police baton-charge in Bihar
Patna, April 11 (IANS) More than a dozen people were injured when police resorted to a cane-charge on Saturday to disperse a mob opposing the demolition of an 'ashram' during an anti-encroachment drive in Bihar's Madhubani district, police said.

Bihar Police arrest man who looted 14 kg of gold
Patna, April 10 (IANS) Bihar Police have arrested a man in Rohtas district who looted 14 kg of gold from a businessman in Gujarat, police said on Friday.

Contractual school teachers launch strike in Bihar
Patna, April 9 (IANS) Over 2.5 lakh contractual primary school teachers in Bihar began an indefinite strike on Thursday, demanding pay at par with regular teachers and better working conditions.

Kosi flood victims injured during protest in Bihar
Patna April 9 (IANS) After Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) of Bihar has affirmed its approval for the merger of six parties of the erstwhile Janata Parivar.

JD-U gives nod for merger with Janata Parivar
Patna April 9 (IANS) After Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) of Bihar has affirmed its approval for the merger of six parties of the erstwhile Janata Parivar.

Lalu hits back at Pappu, says one is free to leave RJD
Patna,(BiharTimes): RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Wednesday hit back at the dissident party MP from Madhepura, Rajesh Ranjan, alias Pappu Yadav.

Only son succeeds father, Lalu tells Pappu Yadav
Patna, April 8 (IANS) RJD chief Lalu Prasad declared on Wednesday that only a son can succeed his father in Indian culture, after party colleague Pappu Yadav claimed he was Lalu's real successor.

CAG detects irregularities in purchase of medicine
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has detected irregularities in purchase of banned medicines and flouting of prescribed rules and instructions in their purchase in financial year 2013-14.

I was heckled at RJD’s national executive meeting: Pappu
Patna,(BiharTimes): RJD MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, alleged that he was heckled by party workers at the behest of its supremo Lalu Prasad when he rose to speak at the party’s national executive meeting on April 5. He said he could not sleep for two nights because of this insult.

2,000 held for impersonation during Bihar police exam
Patna, April 8 (IANS) Around 2,000 men were arrested in Bihar for impersonation during the constable recruitment exam, police said on Wednesday.

Tej Pratap announces his candidature from Mahua Assembly seat: Reports
Patna,(BiharTimes: Lalu Prasad’s eldest son, Tej Pratap, is reportedly the first person to declare his candidature to contest the 2015 Assembly election from Bihar.If reports are to be believed Tej, who was present in the national executive meeting of the RJD in Patna on April 5 had, a couple of days back, announced his candidature from the Mahua Assembly segment of Vaishali district of north Bihar.

Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan conferred Padma Vibhushan
New Delhi, April 8 (IANS) Cinema icons Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan were conferred the Padma Vibhushan - India's second highest civilian honour - by President Pranab Mukherjee at an investiture ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan here on Wednesday.

HC bench upholds Speaker’s ruling on termination of four JD(U) MLAs membership
Patna,(BiharTimes): Over-ruling the judgement of the single bench of the Patna high court a double bench of the same court on Tuesday upheld the ruling of the Speaker court on the termination of membership of four Janata Dal (United) legislators.

Manjhi meets PM, to call on Sangh Parivar leaders on April 11
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former chief minister Jitan Ram Mnjhi met prime minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday.He is likely to meet the leaders of Sangh Parivar in Nagpur on April 11.


Pappu Yadav opposes Lalu's merger plan
Patna, April 7 (IANS) RJD Lok Sabha member Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav on Tuesday revolted against party chief Lalu Prasad's announcement of the likely merger of the six parties of the erstwhile Janata Parivar.

Nitish, Rabri flay Jharkhand govt’s local resident’s policy
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Ntiish Kumar on Tuesday strongly criticized the new local resident’s policy of the Raghuvar Das government in Jharkhand.Talking to the media he said that till a few years back Jharkhand was a part of Bihar and his state has no problem in giving jobs to the people from that state or anywhere else.Teasing the BJP leaders he asked as to what had happened to its slogan of “Sab ka saath, sab ka vikas.”

No package, just election-eve packaging by BJP: Nitish
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday pooh-poohed “the Rs one lakh crore package for Bihar” as announced on Monday.Terming it as old wine in new bottle, he said that all these projects, such as the mega-power plant in Aurangabad district, was approved during the UPA-II rule.“They are master in election-eve packaging. Bihar has not got any special package whatsoever,” the chief minister told the media.

NHRC rescues 101 bonded labourers in Bihar
New Delhi, April 7 (IANS) The NHRC on Tuesday said it has rescued 101 bonded labourers from Madhubani in Bihar, after an NGO complained they were being made to work forcefully on agricultural lands and not being paid minimum wages.

Bihar Boy gets Lord Beden Powel National Award
Siddhant Vats, a young boy from India who is just 19 years old has been awarded the prestigious Lord Beden Powell National Award 2015. The award ceremony took place at New Delhi. The award has been given by the National Scouts and Guides organization. Every year Lord Beden Powell Award is given to 15 distinguished people from various fields.

Storm over washing of Lohia’s statue after Manjhi garlanded it
Patna,(BiharTimes): The washing of the statue of Socialist ideologue Ram Manohar Lohia––after former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi garlanded it––by activists of Rashtriya Janata Dal and Lohia Vichar Manch in Supaulon Sunday has kicked up a storm with the BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav denouncing the act.

Janata Parivar merger matter of days: Nitish
Patna, April 6 (IANS) The merger of the six parties of the erstwhile Janata Parivar was a "matter of a few days", Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Monday.

RLSP throws its door wide open for JD(U) dissidents, rebels
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Rashtriya Lok Samata Party threw its door wide open for the dissidents and rebels of Janata Dal (United).Speaking at the Kisan Naujawan rally at Gandhi Maidan here on Sunday its leader and Union minister of state for human resources development Upendra Kushwaha urged all the JD (U) dissidents and rebels to join his party.

SuMo evokes Godhra ghost against Nitish
Patna,(BiharTimes): Thirteen years after the Godhra incident senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi was on Sunday reminded that Bihar chief minister, Nitish Kumar, who was then the railway minister in the Vajpayee cabinet, should have resigned on February 27, 2002 itself.

Smriti Irani calls for empowerment of women, dis-empowerment of Jungle Raj-2
Patna,(BiharTimes): Union human resources development (HRD) minister Smriti Irani on Sunday said that the Narendra Modi government has made up its mind to give 33 per cent reservation to women for political representation in Parliament and legislature.

Ek Jhanda, Ek Nishan Maang Raha hai Hindustan, says Lalu
Patna,(BiharTimes): With the slogan “Ek Jhanda, Ek Nishan Maang Raha hai Hindustan,” (India beckons one flag, one symbol) Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad on Sunday announced his party’s merger with Janata Parivar.

Merger of Janata Parivar parties certain: Lalu
Patna, April 5 (IANS) Putting an end to unending speculation, RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Sunday announced that the merger of the six parties of the erstwhile Janata Parivar would happen soon.

Janata Parivar will be one soon: Danish Ali
New Delhi, April 5 (IANS) The merger of six political parties of the erstwhile Janata Parivar is on "positive fast track" and it would soon be a reality, JD-S leader Danish Ali said on Sunday.

One exam, numerous questions, but no scope of mass copying
In the five-yearly examination to be held for the politicians of Bihar in October-November 2015 one of the candidates may be asked more questions than others.The candidate is Nitish Kumar, who would be facing the weight of incumbency too.


Bihar Police team attacked by quarry workers
Patna, April 5 (IANS) A police team was fired upon by suspected illicit quarry workers on Sunday in Bihar's Rohtas district, an official said.

Rs.37,000 crore paid to states towards devolution
New Delhi, April 5 (IANS) The union government has released more than Rs.37,420 crore to the states for the current fiscal as first instalment of devolution as per the 14th Finance Commission's recommendation, with Uttar Pradesh getting the highest share.

Nitish, Lalu slam Shah over 'jungle raj' remark
Patna, April 4 (IANS) A day after BJP president Amit Shah said "jungle raj" has returned in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his ally, RJD chief Lalu Prasad, hit out at the BJP on Saturday over the 2002 Gujarat riots and accused the party of spreading anarchy in the country.

Jungle Raj-2 or Jungle Raj-3?
Patna,(BiharTimes): While addressing the BJP national executive in Bangalore its chief Amit Shah dubbed the Nitish Kumar government as Jungle Raj-2. He had not said anything new. The state unit of the party has been saying so for the last so many days.

National executive: BJP sees generational shift, plans land bill outreach
Bengaluru, April 4 (IANS) A generational shift was evident in more than one way as BJP concluded its two-day strategy meet here, with veteran L.K. Advani choosing to stay quiet as the party discussed its massive expansion plans.

AAP's self-annihilation: Is fate on Modi's side
The Aam Admi Party's (AAP's) suicidal tendencies are bound to help the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) more than any other party because the saffron outfit is politically better placed to exploit them.

Boy kills self for not getting books
Patna, April 5 (IANS) A school boy committed suicide in a Bihar village after his father expressed his inability to pay Rs.1,500 to buy new books, police said on Sunday.

No Janata Parivar merger this Sunday: Nitish Kumar
Patna, April 3 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday denied that the six parties of the erstwhile Janata Parivar will meet in Delhi on April 5 to formally finalise their long-proposed merger.

‘Off the record’ problems of Giriraj Singh
Patna,(BiharTimes): While regretting his remarks on Sonia Gandhi Union minister of state, Giriraj Singh, meekly stated that one should understand difference between what is off the record and what not.

Kankarbagh blast accused Kundan nabbed from Nalanda district
Patna,(BiharTimes): One of the main accused of the Kankarbagh blast case of March 30, Kundan, was nabbed from a village in Ekangarsarai block of Nalanda district on Friday afternoon. The Patna SSP, Jitendra Rana, and Nalanda SP have confirmed the arrest.

10 cops suspended for breach in CM security
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Bihar Police on Friday suspended 10 policemen, including three sub-inspectors, for breach in security of chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday. The lapse took place while he was returning after inaugurating two-day Vaishali Mahotsava on the occasion of Mahair Jyanti (birthday).

Fabindia store sealed as Smriti spots CCTV in trial room
Panaji, April 3 (IANS) A store operated by fashion boutique chain Fabindia was sealed in Goa on Friday and four people were arrested for allegedly setting up a CCTV camera which overlooked the store's changing room where central minister Smriti Irani was trying out clothes.

3,000 Bihar teachers twice fail test, to be sacked
Patna, April 3 (IANS) Nearly 3,000 primary school teachers on contract failed to clear competency tests twice in Bihar and will be sacked following the Patna High Court order, officials said here on Friday.

Bihar man kills wife for refusing medicines
Patna, April 3 (IANS) Infuriated by his ailing wife's refusal to take her medicines, a man in Bihar's Buxar district killed her, police said on Friday.


BJP confident of ruling India for 10-20 years
Bengaluru, April 3 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party, which stormed to power nationally last year, on Friday, expressed confidence that it will rule India for 10 to 20 years.

Giriraj remarks: Sonia says narrow mindset, BJP for ending row
Bhopal/New Delhi/Bengaluru, April 2 (IANS) Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday dismissed union minister Giriraj Singh's "racist" remarks as stemming from a "narrow mindset" even as party members staged protests while the BJP sought the matter to be closed as he had expressed regrets.

Janata Parivar may unite on Sunday
New Delhi, April 2 (IANS) The six parties of the erstwhile Janata Parivar will meet here on Sunday when they are likely to turn their long proposed merger into a reality, sources said.

Janata Parivar constituents agree on symbol, flag of new merged party: Tyagi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Janata Dal (United) national general secretary K C Tyagi said on Wednesday that the six parties of Janata Parivar have decided on the symbol and the flag of the proposed new party.Talking to the media in Patna he said that merger of all these six parties would be announced in time to prepare for the Bihar Assembly elections.

Upendra Kushwaha opposes Venkaiah Naidu’s stand on SuMo as CM candidate
Patna,(BiharTimes): Union minister of state for human resources development and the leader of Rashtriya Lok Samata Party, Upendra Kushwaha, on Thursday strongly opposed the statement given by his ministerial colleague and senior BJP leader, Venkaiah Naidu, on Sushil Kumar Modi.

Retirement age of doctors to be raised to 70: Nitish
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday announced that the retirement age of the state government doctors would be raised from 65 to 70.He made this announcement at the 45th anniversary of the foundation of the Patna-based Nalanda Medical College and Hospital.

BJP leader writes to Gadkari, fears ‘pitiable condition’ of NHs may become poll issue
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former minister in the Nitish Kumar cabinet, Chandra Mohan Rai, has said that the political parties opposed to the BJP might make a poll issue the Centre’s line of thinking on the National Highways running through Bihar.

Policemen attacked in Bihar for stopping 'forced' donations
Patna, April 2 (IANS) Six police officials were injured in Bihar's Sheikhpura district on Thursday when a mob attacked them after the policemen objected to their alleged forced donation drive for organising a religious programme.

Union minister flays Jharkhand CM’s statement on jobs
Patna,(BiharTimes): Union minister of state for human resources development, Upendra Kushwaha, strongly criticized the statement of Jharkhand chief minister, Raghuvar Das, that people of Bihar and UP would not be eligible for group C and D jobs in his state.

Giriraj does it again: Remark on Sonia's 'white skin' triggers outrage
New Delhi, April 1 (IANS) Causing yet another embarrassment to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), union minister Giriraj Singh raked up a controversy with his "white skin" remark on Congress president Sonia Gandhi but "regretted" it a day later on Wednesday.

Lalu criticises Giriraj Singh for remark against Sonia
Patna, April 1 (IANS) RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Wednesday described as "dirty politics" union minister Giriraj Singh's remark that the Congress accepted Sonia Gandhi as its leader as she has white skin.

Nigerian diplomat wants Giriraj to apologise for his remarks
New Delhi, April 1 (IANS) A top Nigerian diplomat here on Wednesday asked union minister Giriraj Singh to apologise for making racist remarks about Congress chief Sonia Gandhi while referring to Nigerian people.

No jobs for people from Bihar, UP in C,D grade posts: Jharkhand CM
Patna,(BiharTimes): Jharkhand chief minister Raghuvar Das on Wednesday came out with a statement which is likely to create political storm in neighbouring states.


Ruckus in Bihar Assembly over Kankarbagh blast
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Bihar Assembly was adjourned till 4:00 PM on Wednesday following uproar over the Kankarbagh Colony blast on Monday night. The issue was raised by the BJP MLAs during Zero Hour. The members rushed to the well of the House and started thumping and hitting the reporters’desks. Repeated pleas by the Speaker of the House, Uday Narayan Chaudhary, felt on the deaf ears of the opposition members.

Ultra-Left outfit PLFI ‘claims’ responsibility for blast
Patna,(BiharTimes): Ultra left outfit, PLFI, on Tuesday claimed responsibility for the Monday’s blast at a house in Kankarbagh.

Kankarbagh blast: All angles are being probed, says Nitish
Patna,(BiharTimes): Commenting on the Monday’s blast in a residential flat at Bahadurpur Housing Colony in Kankarbagh Colony of Patna chief minister Nitish Kumar said that the bombs recovered from the spot had timers and the initial investigation suggests that usually terrorists use them.

Patna University VC gives a slip to rampaging ABVP activists
Patna,(BiharTimes): The vice-chancellor of Patna University Y C Simhadri managed to escape the wrath of the rampaging Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists, who stormed into the office of the principal of Patna Science College in search of him on the Bihar bandh day on Monday.

PSUs donate generously to CM Relief Fund at fag end of financial year
Patna,(BiharTimes): Different state public sector undertakings (PSUs) generously donated funds to the Chief Minister Relief Fund on March 30, that is, a day before the end of the financial year 2014-15. In all they donated Rs 54.61 crore in one day. The donation varied from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 15 crore.

 

MARCH-2015


10 killed by lightning in Bihar
Patna, March 30 (IANS) At least 10 people, including three children and two woman, were killed on Monday when they were struck by lightning in separate incidents in various Bihar districts, officials said.

ABVP shutdown hits rail, road transport in Bihar
Patna, March 30 (IANS) Road and train traffic in Bihar was hit on Monday during a shutdown called by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) to protest the police action against its members during a rally near the Bihar assembly last week.

A monkey that train drivers dread
Patna, March 30 (IANS) This is one problem that has sent train drivers scurrying for cover -- a monkey that has attacked three of them in Bihar's West Champaran district after a train overran another monkey.

Feting Nitish, SuMo in election year a unique development
Patna,(BiharTimes): Within four days two unique functions was organized in Patna. The first one was organized on March 24 by Asian Development Research Institute (ADRI) on the completion of 30 years of Nitish Kumar’s legislative career.


I am being asked to vacate ministerial quarter: Narendra Singh
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former agriculture minister Narendra Singh on Sunday charged that he had been asked to vacate his ministerial bungalow.However, he has demanded an alternative quarter for himself as he continues to be the member of the Bihar Legislative Council.

Over 1,000 impersonators held during Bihar police recruitment
Patna, March 29 (IANS) After widespread cheating in Bihar's secondary school board examinations hit the headlines, over 1,000 impersonators have been arrested in the state during the screening of documents for constable recruitment exam in the past 13 days, police said on Sunday.


Nitish’s Tihar trip baffles his buffs in Bihar
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s Friday trip to Tihar Jail in Delhi to meet former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala has surprised many of his admirers, especially in his home state.


Bihar CM publicly pulls up senior officials
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday publicly pulled up senior officials and asked them to change their style of work.Speaking at Skill Conclave: Tranforming Bihar Through Skilling at Maurya Hotel he asked senior bureancrats not to make schemes just on files, but to see that they are
implemented.


Bihar to skill up one crore youth by 2020: Nitish
Patna, March 28 (IANS) The Bihar government is planning to skill up one crore youth in the state in a time span of five years to make them compete globally for industries requiring skilled workforce, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Saturday.

Mega-merger not far away, claims Nitish
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Nitish Kumar claimed on Saturday that mega-merger of the different parties of Janata Parivar is not far away.Talking to the media here he termed his two-day Delhi trip as successful.Commenting on merger talks with leaders in Delhi he said: “gaddi patri par hai aur chal padi hai” (The train is on track and has whistled off).

Venkaiah, Radha Mohan project SuMo as BJP’s CM face
Patna,(BiharTimes): Union urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu and agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh on Friday declared former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi as the chief ministerial candidate of the BJP in Bihar. “Delhi mein Modi aur Bihar mein bhi Modi” (One Modi is in Delhi while another in Bihar), said Naidu, while speaking at a cuntion organized to commemorate 25 years of public life of Sushil Kumar Modi.

Sonia in charge but her alliance is shaky
If Rahul Gandhi is in retreat in a Buddhist monastery in Myanmar, as rumours have it, then he can be said to be imitating, in part, the Sakya prince who left home and hearth 2,500 years ago to find out the meaning of life.

Bihar IPS officer in trouble for 'Jehangir bell'
Patna, March 28 (IANS) A senior police officer in Bihar is in trouble for installing a "Jehangiri ghanta" or Jehangir's bell" at his official residence in Darbhanga district when he was posted there last year.


President confers Bharat Ratna on Vajpayee at home
New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was on Friday conferred with the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, by President Pranab Mukherjee in a brief ceremony attended by the country's leadership and top political personalities.

Playing economic card to score political goal
Patna,(BiharTimes): It is the story of love-hate triangle between Narendra Modi, Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad.So when Bihar chief minister had a ‘courtesy call’ to prime minister on Thursday analysts started reading too much into it as the meeting came just a couple of days after rumours spread like a jungle fire in the political circle that the RSS had asked the BJP bigwigs to restore its ties with the Janata Dal (United) in Bihar.


SuMo sees Nitish’s hand in RSS rumour
Patna,(BiharTimes): Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi questioned the veracity of the media reports that the RSS had asked the BJP leadership to restore its relationship with the
Janata Dal (United).

After PM, Nitish meets all the non-BJP bigwigs in Delhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): After meeting prime minister Narendra Modi, the Bihar chief minister, Nitish Kumar, on Thursday evening met Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav.On Friday he went to Tihar Jail to meet incarcerated leader of Indian National Lok Dal, Om Prakash Chautala; called on Congress president Sonia Gandhi; had a lunch with the Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and then went to the Delhi residence of Lalu Prasad.


Nitish lends support to Delhi's call for 'full statehood'
New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) Minutes after meeting Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal here on Friday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar extended support to Delhi's call for "full statehood".

A bank run by beggars, for beggars in Bihar town
Gaya (Bihar), March 27 (IANS) A group of beggars in this Bihar town has opened their own bank, which they run and manage to provide financial security in times of crisis.

In AAP, it is now war
New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) In clear signs that no more rapprochement was possible in the AAP, dissident leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav on Friday launched a tirade against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, whose supporters accused them of being virtual BJP agents.

BJP MLAs protest in House over lathicharge on ABVP activists
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs raised slogans inside and outside the state Assembly on Friday to protest against what they call brutal police lathicharge on the unarmed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists.

Nitish Kumar meets Sonia Gandhi
New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) A day after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met Congress president Sonia Gandhi here on Friday.

Nitish calls on Modi

New Delhi, March 26 (IANS) In what is being described as a "courtesy call", Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here and discussed issues regarding his state.


ABVP protest turns violent, nearly 100 injured, 100 detained
Patna, March 26 (IANS) Police fired in the air and resorted to a baton charge on Thursday to disperse ABVP members who pelted stones at police during a protest near the Bihar assembly against the prevailing education scenario in the state.

Angry fans smash TV sets in Bihar after India's World Cup exit
Patna, March 26 (IANS) Angry cricket fans on Thursday smashed their TV sets at various places in Bihar after India's 95-run loss against Australia in the semi-finals of the ongoing World Cup.


Modi calls for 'uncompromising' approach to clean Ganga
New Delhi, March 26 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called for an "uncompromising mission mode approach" to stop pollution of the river Ganga.


Vajpayee to be conferred Bharat Ratna on Friday
New Delhi, March 25 (IANS) President Pranab Mukherjee will present the Bharat Ratna to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his residence here on Friday, Rashtrapati Bhavan said on Wednesday.

Crowd of worries for JD(U), BJP at Manjhi’s rallies
Patna,(BiharTimes): The crowd being pulled by former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi during his recent public meetings may not be larger than of Narendra Modi and Sonia Gandhi during the last year Lok Sabha election campaign in Bihar (as he claims), yet they are substantial enough to make both the Janata Dal (United) and BJP sit-up and ponder.

New strategy needed to tame Kosi river, say experts
Kathmandu, March 25 (IANS) Flood and river management is needed to tame the sediment laden Kosi river whose muddy, swirling waters have caused considerable woe in Bihar, experts said here.

Nalanda University: Time running out for Gopa Sabharwal
A document accessed by the Bihar Times shows that Nalanda Univeristy Vice Chancellor Dr. Gopa Sabharwal’s deputation from her parent department will expire on October 7, 2015. Her five-year term as the Vice Chancellor in the Nalanda University also ends on the same day.

‘Digha-Sonepur rail-cum-road bridge to become operational soon’
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Digha-Sonepur rail-cum-road bridge is likely to become operational soon.This information was given by the chief secretary Anjani Kumar Singh after his videoconferencing with prime minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.

JD(U), BJP refute reunion rumours Patna,(BiharTimes): Both chief minister Nitish Kumar and the BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav refuted reports of JD(U) and BJP again joining hands ahead of the Assembly election later this year.

SC strikes down Section 66A of Information Technology Act
New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act holding it violative of Article 19(1)a of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech.

TV channels make mess of Lalu’s satire on copying
Patna,(BiharTimes): The media over-kill on the issue of mass copying in matriculation e
xamination has a bitter fall-out on Monday.Without understanding the real essence of satire and humour many TV channels, both national and regional, went out to pillory RJD chief Lalu Prasad for his remarks made in Buxar late on Sunday.

Will not attend all-party meeting if invited like ‘chaprasi’: Nand Kishore
Patna,(BiharTimes): The main opposition in Bihar Assembly, the Bharatiya Janata Party, boycotted the all-party meeting called by chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday evening.The meeting was called on ‘loss’ accruing to Bihar after the recommendations of 14th Finance Commission.

Bihar in grip of ‘Estimate Scam’, charges Manjhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Accusing the Nitish Kumar government of being involved in a huge ‘estimate scam’ former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Monday charged that he was removed from the post of chief minister after he started questioning the wasteful expenditures of Rs 22,000 to 23,000 crores.

Pappu, Rama Devi, O P Yadav are best performing MPs from Bihar
Patna,(BiharTimes): Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, Rama Devi and Om Prakash Yadav have been selected as the three ‘best performing’ MPs from Bihar in the 16th Lok Sabha.According to the performance data of PRS Legislative Research, an independent research initiative, which closely tracks Parliament, these three MPs have excelled in three separate parameters of Lok Sabha activity.


Shashi Kapoor chosen for Dadasaheb Phalke award
New Delhi, March 23 (IANS) Just days after Shashi Kapoor turned 77, news emerged on Monday that Bollywood's evergreen charmer will be conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke award.

SuMo, Nand Kishore differ over understanding Lalu’s sarcasm
Patna,(BiharTimes): As in the media, so in the BJP leadership many people failed to actually appreciate the real meaning of statement of RJD chief Lalu Prasad on mass copying.The problem is that like those in the field of journalism there are several politicians

Branding Bihar through unfair means

Patna,(BiharTimes): A newspaper photo and a few shots shown in the TV channels virtually cancelled out all the efforts made to brand the state through three-day Bihar Diwas––from march 22 to 24.


Nitish won't seek vote if power situation doesn't improve
Patna, March 22 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday said he will not seek votes in the assembly elections to be held later this year if he cannot improve the power situation in the state.

Pappu for making Manjhi CM nominee of RJD
Patna,(BiharTimes): RJD MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav has urged his party chief Lalu Prasad to take former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi into his party and declare him the chief ministerial candidate in the coming Assembly election.Talking to the media he said that he had written a letter to Lalu Prasad in this regard

HAM AAP ke hain copycat
Patna,(BiharTimes): A couple of days back former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi claimed that Hinudstani Awam Morcha (HAM) would do in Bihar what Aam Admi Party (AAP) did in Delhi. Yet he said that HAM is just a frontal organization of Janata Dal (United).

Nitish announces Women Empowerment Policy on the occasion of Bihar Diwas
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Nitish Kumar announced the Women Empowerment Policy on the occasion of Bihar Diwas on Sunday. The new policy would work for the empowerment of women in the state.

Nitish seeks more investments in Bihar
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said his government would draw a policy on the basis of input provided by young entrepreneurs to promote industries.

Modi greets Bihar on foundation day
New Delhi, March 22 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday greeted the state of Bihar on its foundation day.

Bihar exam mess: 100 arrested, Centre to seek report
Patna, March 21 (IANS) Cheating in the Class 10 exams continued in Bihar on Saturday, with police having to fire in the air and carry out a baton charge to disperse people who were helping students to copy. While nearly 100 people were arrested, union minister Upendra Kushwaha said the Centre will seek a report from Bihar on the cheating.

Bihar exam mess continues, police fire in air
Patna, March 21 (IANS) Incidents of cheating in the Class 10 exam continued in Bihar on Saturday with police even having to fire in the air and carry out a baton charge to disperse a large number of people helping students to copy, an official said.

Adopt open book system if unfair means can not be stopped: Manjhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Saturday called for the introduction of open book system if the state government fails to stop the unfair means in the examination.


Cabinet nod for building 230 bridges, culverts
Patna,(BiharTimes): The state cabinet on Thursday cleared a Rs 900 crore proposal of the rural works department for construction of around 230 bridges and culverts all over the state. The government would draw the money from NABARD through loan for the 2014-15.

HAM a frontal organization of JD(U): Manjhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, claimed on Thursday that he is very much in the Janata Dal (United) and that Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) was just one of the frontal organizations of the party.

Bihar minister's remark over cheating shameful: Court
Patna, March 20 (IANS) The Patna High Court on Friday slammed as "very shameful" Bihar Education Minister P.K. Shahi's statement that cheating-free exams were not possible in the state.

27 killed as Varanasi-bound train derails
Lucknow, March 20 (IANS) At least 27 people were killed when the engine and two crowded coaches of a passenger train derailed after the driver overshot a signal early Friday in Uttar Pradesh, officials said.

Pictures of cheating don't reflect reality: Nitish
Patna, March 20 (IANS) Pictures carried by the media showing mass copying and cheating in school examinations don't reflect the reality in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Friday.

Eight Home Guards arrested after mass cheating
Patna, March 20 (IANS) Eight Home Guard personnel were arrested on Friday on charges of helping students to copy in the Class 10 board examination in Bihar's Saharsa district, officials said.

Have full faith in judiciary: Jagannath Mishra's son
Patna, March 20 (IANS) Former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra's son has said that he and his family have full faith in the judiciary and would get justice, a day after the ex-chief minister surrendered in a CBI court in Ranchi.

Jagannath Mishra surrenders, sent to jail
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former Bihar chief minister Dr Jagannath Mishra was sent to Birsa Munda central jail on Thursday after he surrendered before the special CBI court in Ranchi on direction of Jharkhand high court.

Nitish to meet PM, will raise financial issues of Bihar
Patna,(BiharTimes): Personal equation will not come in way of the meeting between chief minister Nitish Kumar and prime minister Narendra Modi. The Bihar CM will soon be meeting the PM to take up the financial issues of the state.


Cheating-free exams not possible in Bihar: minister
Patna, March 19 (IANS) Bihar's exasperated Education Minister P.K. Shahi admitted on Thursday that cheating-free examinations were not possible in the state, minus the cooperation of students' parents.


Tutor murders 10-year-old over fees
Patna, March 19 (IANS) A tutor abducted and murdered a 10-year-old boy in Bihar's East Champaran district for not paying his tuition fees, police said on Thursday.

Mafia showing govt land as their own to seek compensation: BJP MLC
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Bharatiya Janata Party MLC, Satyendra Narayan Singh, on Tuesday said, land mafia are showing ‘ghair marzua aam’ category of government land in survey as their own by manipulating municipality records and are thus getting compensation for it during its acquisition for development purposes.


Cabinet meeting put off as CM catches flu
Patna,(BiharTimes): The state cabinet scheduled to be held on Wednesday was put off after chief minister Nitish Kumar caught flu.

Nitish condemns snooping on Rahul Gandhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has called highly condemnable the incident of snooping on Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi by Delhi Police.He said it is quite natural for the Congress MPs to voice their concern in Parliament on snooping. After all what do Delhi Police wanted to know and what was not known about Rahul?

Bihar set to avail 5,000 MW electricity by end of 2015: Minister
Patna,(BiharTimes): State electricity minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav said on Tuesday that the Bihar government is planning to make available 5,000 MW of power by the end of 2015.

BJP MLAs protest hike in power bill
Patna,(BiharTimes): BJP MLAs in the Bihar Assembly staged sit-in (dharna) outside and inside the state Assembly over hike in the electricity rate in Bihar.The leader of opposition in the state Assembly, Nand Kishore Yadav, charged that the people of the state would have to bear the extra burden of Rs 113 crore by this increase in the power tariff in both the rural and urban areas.

Black money bill proposes 10 years jail, 300 percent penalty
New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) Giving concrete shape to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's budget announcement last month on recovering black money stashed away abroad, the cabinet-approved anti-black money law provides a short window to income tax assessees to declare assets, pay tax and penalty and avoid imprisonment.

Mamata entrusts CBI with nun's gang rape probe
Kolkata, March 18 (IANS) In the face of massive protests over the brutal gang-rape of a septuagenarian nun inside a convent, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday announced she would "entrust the investigation" to the CBI, hours after a high-level Catholic delegation visited the spot and demanded "visible" action including arrest of the culprits.

Ruckus in Assembly over RJD MLA’s remarks on Smriti Irani
Patna,(BiharTimes): BJP MLAs created ruckus in the Bihar Assembly after the RJD MLA from Samastipur, Akhtar-ul-Islam Shaheen, commented on the educational qualification of the Union Human Resources Development Minister, Smriti Irani.

SC quashes Jat reservation, shocked community to seek review
New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) The Supreme Court, refusing to accept the central government's view that Jats are a backward community, on Tuesday quashed the March 4, 2014, notification by the then UPA government extending reservations to the community's members in nine states.

Digvijaya’s son to marry in Bihar
Patna,(BiharTimes): Jaivardhan, the only son of the Congress party general secretary, Digvijaya Singh, is to marry Sreejamya Shahi, daughter of Shattrundam Shahi of Dumaria estate in West Chaparan district of Bihar. The two are already engaged.

Both BJP, JD(U) watchful over Lalu’s ‘homecoming’
Patna,(BiharTimes): With Lalu Prasad Yadav fully recovered from heart operation and then got the seventh and the last daughter married he is likely to pay more attention in his home state of Bihar.In a way he has lost his ‘base’ in New Delhi as his official bungalow allotted to him had been taken away. Neither he nor anyone of his family member is member of Parliament.

Lalu, Nitish locked in race to corner BJPPatna,(BiharTimes): By undertaking a 24-hour long fast a day ahead of RJD’s long proposed march to Raj Bhawan on March 1 chief minister Nitish Kumar raised several questions in the political circle.Analysts are asking as to what prompted Nitish to “seize the initiative” when Lalu Prasad had already announced his march a couple of months ago. Nitish made the announcement of fast on March 1 at the Janata Dal (United) workers rally in Gandhi Maidan.

SuMo recalls how Nitish humiliated BJP bigwigs by cancelling dinnerPatna,(BiharTimes): Senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi said that Nitish Kumar cancelled the dinner to the members of the BJP’s national executive in Patna on June 12, 2010 after the saffron party refused to accept the humiliating condition laid down by the Bihar chief minister.

Power to cost more in Bihar from April
Patna, March 16 (IANS) Power would be costlier in Bihar from April 1 as the state's power regulator on Monday announced a 2.5 percent increase in the tariff.

Manjhi launches oust Nitish campaign through Gareeb Swabhiman Rally in Muzaffarpur
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) on Monday launched the oust-Nitish campaign with a Gareeb Swabhiman Rally in Muzaffarpur.

Third gender members dance in Bihar jail, probe ordered
Patna, March 16 (IANS) Authorities in Bihar's Saran district ordered a probe on Monday after some prisoners organised a 'spring season music programme' inside a jail and invited members of the third genders to dance.

Undertrial prisoner shot in Bihar court
Patna, March 16 (IANS) An undertrial prisioner was on Monday injured after being shot inside a court in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district.

BJP MLAs protest over tardy paddy procurement
Patna,(BiharTimes): BJP MLAs on Monday protested outside the Assembly over the tardy procurement of paddy in Bihar.With placards in hands they shouted slogans against the state government. They charged that the farmers are facing acute hardship because of the slow procurement and the involvement of the middlemen.

Lalu takes to streets after Nitish’s fast
Patna,(BiharTimes): When chief minister Nitish Kumar was breaking his fast on Sunday morning RJD president, Lalu Prasad, along with thousands of supporters were taking to the streets of Patna to protest against the Land Acquisition Bill and Centre’s failure to bring back black-money from abroad.The march started from JP-roundabout near Gandhi Maidan after Lalu’s arrival at 12:30 PM and ended up at Raj Bhawan where a petition was submitted.

Nitish Kumar begins 24-hour fast against land acquisition bill
Patna, March 14 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar began a 24-hour fast here on Saturday morning in protest against the land acquisition amendment bill of the Narendra Modi government.

Bihar minister Lesi Singh faints during protest fast
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Minister for Social Justice and Disaster Management in the Nitish Kumar cabinet, Lessi Singh, fainted while observing protest fast against the Narendra Modi government’s Land Acquisition Bill in Purnea on Saturday.

Maoist arrested, 3,000 gelatin rods seized in Bihar
Patna, March 14 (IANS) Police have arrested a hardcore Maoist and seized 3,000 gelatin rods, 7,000 detonators, some carbines and a big consignment of ammonium nitrate on Saturday from near a village in Bihar's Rohtas district, an officer said.

'CPI will not be part of Bihar grand alliance'
Patna, March 14 (IANS) In a setback to the grand alliance in Bihar, comprising the ruling JD-U, RJD and Congress, the Communist Party of India (CPI) made it clear that it would not be joining it to contest the state assembly polls later this year.

SuMo flays state govt for tardy paddy procurement
Patna,(BiharTimes): The leader of opposition in the Bihar Legislative Council Sushil Kumar Modi has criticized the state government for not achieving the target of paddy procurement.

Manjhi takes Bihar Dalit battle to JNU campus
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Friday once again alleged that he was removed from the post at the instance of Nitish Kumar as he started doing something for the welfare of Dalits of the state.

Lalu's RJD not to join government in Bihar
Patna, March 13 (IANS) Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad on Friday said his party would not join the JD-U-led government in Bihar but would continue to support it from outside.

HC bench observation on huge expenditure on Bihar Museum
Patna,(BiharTimes): A division bench of Patna high court on Thursday observed there should be an investigation into the huge expenditure on the construction of a world-class Bihar Museum on Bailey Road in Patna.

Manjhi pained at BJP’s refusal to support his government
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Friday regretted that prime minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and state unit of the saffron party did not support his government on the floor of the Assembly.

BJP now stands for Bharatiya ‘Jumla’ Party, says Nitish
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said on Friday that the BJP now stands for Bharatiya ‘Jumla’ Party as its leaders indulge in false promises and bogus claims.Replying to debate on the Governor’s address to the joint session of the state legislature he reiterated as to how false promises were made that Rs 15-20 lakh would be paid to everyone after the blackmoney is brought from banks abroad.

Bhojpuri singer, family commit suicide in Bihar
Patna, March 13 (IANS) Faced with a severe financial crisis, a Bhojpuri singer along with four members of his family, including two women, committed suicide by consuming poisonous tablets on Friday in Bihar's Rohtas district, police said

Panel recommends action against former Kaimur SP in sexual exploitation case
Patna,(BiharTimes): A four-member committee headed by Vigilance Investigation Bureau IG Anupama Nilekar has recommended disciplinary action against the former Kaimur SP, Pushkar Anand after it found charges of sexual exploitation against him true.

Cattle smuggling is big and violent business on India-Bangladesh border
Hasnabad (West Bengal), March 13 (IANS) The BSF's decision not to shoot cattle smugglers on the India-Bangladesh border appears to have emboldened the criminals who are now more brazen -- and violent too. Estimated at Rs.5,000 to 10,000 crore, cattle smuggling is a flourishing business in the area. And India's Border Security Force is increasingly facing physical attacks on its men.

First swine flu death reported in Bihar
Patna March 13 (IANS) Swine flu has claimed its first victim in Bihar with a woman succumbing to the disease in a hospital here on Friday, officials said.

Bihar’s election year budget focuses on education, energy, social welfare
Patna,(BiharTimes): State finance minister Bijendra Yadav on Thursday presented a budget with revenue surplus of Rs 11,980.95 crore.The 2015-16 budget paid special attention to education, electricity and social welfare as the Assembly election is due later this year.

Budget directionless: SuMo
Patna,(BiharTimes): Senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister-cum-finance minister Sushil Kumar Modi called the Bihar budget as directionless and discouraging. Talking to the media he said that neither new schemes have been announced nor there was any direction for development in it.

Bihar’s growth rate slows down to 9.92 per cent
Patna,(BiharTimes): Notwithstanding negative growth rate in the agriculture amd allied sector or primary sector Bihar registered a growth rate of 9.92 per cent in the year 2013-14. But, as in the last couple of years, the growth rate continued to decline.

Shrawan hints at action against Manjhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Parliamentary affairs minister and chief whip of Janata Dal (United) on Thursday gave enough hint about party taking action against the former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi for staying away on the day Nitish Kumar sought trust vote on Wednesday (March 11).

BJP rejigs national executive; Smriti, Najma left out
New Delhi, March 12 (IANS) BJP president Amit Shah on Thursday reconstituted the party's national executive, but union ministers Smriti Irani and Najma Heptulla did not find a place in it.

Congress expresses solidarity with Manmohan Singh
New Delhi, March 12 (IANS) The Congress on Thursday came out in solidarity with former prime minister Manmohan Singh, who has been summoned by a Delhi court in a case relating to the allocation of coal blocks, describing him as a man of "integrity" who enjoys the party's "unstinting support".

Nitish flays BJP for dumping Advani to old age home
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday once again flayed the Bharatiya Janata Party for dumping the party patriarch Lal Krishna Advani to “old age home”, that is, ‘Marg Darshak Mandal’ when he is still in good health.


Manjhi leaves his supporters high and dry
A pointed question which one needs to ask the MLAs belonging to the Jitan Ram Manjhi camp is: if their House membership was so dear to them why did they launch a total war against Nitish Kumar
.

Manjhi seizes initiative from BJP in opposing Nitish
Patna,(BiharTimes): Though the Nitish Kumar government is likely to win the March 11 trust vote on the floor of the state Assembly, its decision to revoke the 34 cabinet decisions taken by the then Jitan Ram Manjhi government at its fag end is being questioned by several independent Bihar watchers.

District magistrate among 126 swine flu patients in Bihar
Patna, March 11 (IANS) The district magistrate of Aurangabad is among the 126 people who have so far tested positive for swine flu in Bihar, officials said on Wednesday.


Nitish Kumar wins trust vote, BJP walks out
Patna, March 11 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister on Wednesday proved his majority in the state assembly, while the opposition BJP walked out of the house during the confidence vote.

Misa episode exposes media in Bihar
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Misa Bharti episode has once again exposed the shallowness of the media reporting in Bihar. More than RJD chief’s daughter it is the Press which is to be blamed for whatever had happened.

JD-U, RJD issue whips to vote for Nitish
Patna, March 10 (IANS) The ruling JD-U and its ally RJD on Tuesday issued whips to their legislators to vote on Wednesday in support of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to help him prove his majority in the Bihar legislative assembly.

Misa never claimed she was invited as speaker: Lalu
Patna,(BiharTimes): RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Tuesday came in defence of his daughter Misa Bharti and blamed the media of Bihar for misreporting.

Harvard denies having invited Misa Bharati as speaker
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Harvard University has denied that it had invited Dr Misa Bharti, daughter of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, to deliver a lecture on governance as was reported by several newspapers in India, especially in Bihar, on Tuesday.

Government to develop Bihta airport in Bihar: Minister
New Delhi, March 10 (IANS) The government on Tuesday said it is working on a proposal to develop the Indian Air Force (IAF) airport at Bihta in Bihar as a new airport for international operations.

Centre again seeks report on Kuldeep Narayan’s suspension
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Union government has again sought a detailed report from the Bihar government on suspension of the Commissioner of Patna Municipal Corporation, Kuldeep Narayan.Kuldeep, a 2005 batch IAS officer, was suspended by the then Jitan Ram Manjhi government in December last, allegedly under pressure of builders said to be close to the ruling JD(U) as well as the BJP.

Lok Sabha okays land bill amid opposition's protest
New Delhi, March 10 (IANS) The Lok Sabha here on Tuesday passed the contentious land acquisition bill amid a walkout by opposition parties even as the government moved nine amendments to address concerns raised by farmers.

Yadav, Bhushan wanted AAP to lose in Delhi: Kejriwal loyalists
New Delhi, March 10 (IANS) The AAP crisis worsened on Tuesday, with four leaders known to be close to party chief Arvind Kejriwal accusing senior colleagues Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan of having attempted the party's defeat in the Feb 7 Delhi assembly polls.

Differences crop up in Manjhi camp over Sadhu’s presence during HAM’s fast
Patna,(BiharTimes): Differences appeared to have cropped up in the Hindustani Awam Morcha on Monday when some of its leaders resented the presence of former MP Sadhu Yadav in the fast organized by it to protest the cancellation of 34 of the cabinet decisions of the then Jitan Ram Manjhi government.

Manjhi fasts to protest annulment of cabinet decisions
Patna, March 9 (IANS) Former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Monday observed a day-long fast to protest against the new cabinet's decision to annul 34 decisions taken by his government.

Two policemen shoot each other dead in Bihar
Patna, March 9 (IANS) Two policemen shot each other dead, following an argument on Monday in Bihar, police said.

BHEL completes 1,320 MW project in Bihar for NTPC
New Delhi, March 9 (IANS) State-run power equipment maker Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) said on Monday it had commissioned a second 660 MW power project for NTPC in Bihar, taking the power generation capacity in the state to 1,320 MW.

Revenue from coal blocks has crossed Rs.200,000-crore mark: Minister
New Delhi, March 9 (IANS) The e-auctions of coal blocks thus far, along with other levies, will yield state governments more than Rs.200,000 and also result in lower power tariff for consumers, Power, Coal and New and Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday.

Railways gives green signal to FDI in two Bihar projects
Patna (BiharTimes): Moving further the agenda of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ campaign, federal Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has given green signal to the two much awaited big-ticket foreign direct investment (FDI) proposals for setting up diesel and electric locomotive plants in Bihar at a cost of Rs24 billion.

Nitish believes in pomp and show instead of development: Manjhi
Patna (BiharTimes) Slamming Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said the Nitish Kumar government should have accorded more priority on removing poverty than indulging in pomp and show. Manjhi alleged that Kumar is more interested in projecting himself.

BJP should explain release of Hurriyat leader: Nitish
Patna, March 8 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday targeted the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the release of a hardline Hurriyat leader in Jammu and Kashmir.

Heavy rush in trains in Bihar after Holi
Patna, March 8 (IANS) All the trains running from Bihar were on Sunday packed with thousands of migrant workers returning to their places of work across the country two days after Holi.

Vinod Mehta dead, Modi calls him 'fine journalist'
New Delhi, March 8 (IANS) Vinod Mehta, one of India's best known journalists, died here on Sunday of multi-organ failure, doctors said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him "a fine journalist".

Manjhi to observe fast to protest Nitish's decision
Patna (BiharTimes):In a bid to assert politically former chief minister of Bihar Jitan Ram Manjhi will observe a day-long fast here at Gandhi Maidan on Monday to protest against the Nitish government’s decision to annul 34 decisions taken by his Cabinet.

Bihar archives to soon publish docs, literature banned by British Raj
Patna (BiharTimes):Some rare documents and pictures which were banned during the British regime, are now going to be published in three huge volumes.

Manjhi's HAM to contest 125 seats in Bihar assembly polls
Patna, March 7 (IANS) A week after launching a new political front - the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi announced on Saturday that his party would contest 125 of the 243 seats in the assembly polls later this year.

Nitish not celebrating Holi, people miss Lalu
Patna, March 6 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is not celebrating Holi following the death of former chief minister and senior JD-U leader Ram Sundar Das.

Bihar opens centre to protect endangered Garuda
Patna, March 6 (IANS) A rescue and rehabilitation centre has opened in Bihar to protect and conserve the Garuda, an endangered species of the stork family.

Former Bihar CM Ram Sundar Das passes away
Patna (BiharTimes) Former Bihar Chief Minister and senior JD(U) leader Ram Sundar Das died on Friday.He was 95.

Bihar policemen on warpath, not to celebrate Holi
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Bihar Police Association and Bihar Policemen Association have strongly protested the Nitish government’s decision to rescind the decision taken by the then Jitan Ram Manjhi government on their salary.

Nitish justifies move to revoke Manjhi cabinet’s decisions
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday justified his cabinet’s decision to annul 34 of the decisions taken by the Jitan Ram Manjhi cabinet on February 10, 18 and 19.

RJD opposes move to annul all decisions of the Manjhi cabinet
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Rashtriya Janata Dal, which is supporting the JD(U) government in the state, on Thursday questioned the revocation of all the 34 decisions taken by the Jitan Ram Manjhi government in its last three meetings.

HAM to protest revocation of Manjhi cabinet’s decision
Patna,(BiharTimes): Volunteers of the Hindustani Awam Morcha, a front which was floated on February 28, will observe a day fast on March 9 to protest against the decision of the Nitish Kumar cabinet to annul the 34 decisions taken by the Jitan Ram Manjhi government on February 10, 18 and 19.

Nitish Kumar, Modi main rivals in Bihar's 'pichkari' market
Patna, March 5 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are rivals not only in politics, but also in the 'pichkari' market here as water sprinklers -- used to spray water on Holi -- with pictures of the two leaders are doing brisk business.

BBC airs controversial documentary, government considering action
New Delhi, March 5 (IANS) The government on Thursday said it was considering action against BBC for ignoring a court order banning the airing of a documentary carrying an interview with one of those convicted in the December 16, 2012 Delhi gang rape, even as support built up for the documentary, with people saying "don't shoot the messenger".


Bihar cabinet stays Manjhi's 34 decisions
Patna, March 4 (IANS) The Bihar cabinet on Wednesday stayed 36 decisions taken by the government of former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi last month, officials said here.

AAP ousts Bhushan, Yadav from top body in split decision
New Delhi, March 4 (IANS) In a move that brought into the open the schism within, Delhi's ruling AAP Wednesday ousted senior leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav from its top decision-making body, after weeks of infighting that pitted the two against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Amid uproar, government says won't allow documentary on December 16 rapist
New Delhi, March 4 (IANS) Amid uproar in parliament over a documentary which featured one of the December 16 gang rape convicts, the home ministry on Wednesday went into damage control mode, saying orders were obtained from court to restrain the broadcast of the documentary and promising to investigate how permission was given to interview the rapist.

Nitish Kumar to prove majority on March 11
Patna, March 3 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will prove his majority on March 11 in the state assembly, 17 days after he took oath of office, a JD-U leader said on Tuesday.

Raghuvansh urges Nitish to make Manjhi deputy CM
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former Union minister and senior RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh on Monday demanded that the former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi be made deputy chief minister by Nitish Kumar.

Nitish blasts BJP for celebrating “second murder” of its own leader
Patna,(BiharTimes): Strongly condemning the BJP for celebrating 360 degree turn on Article 370 Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday asked: for what are these people bursting crackers in the party office––for the “second murder” of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.


Wild elephants kill two people in Bihar
Patna, March 3 (IANS) Wild elephants went on a rampage in Bihar's Sitamarhi district on Tuesday evening killing at least two people and leaving three others injured, police said.

Patna High Court bans 'Dirty Politics' release
Patna, March 3 (IANS) The Patna High Court on Tuesday banned the release of Bollywood film "Dirty Politics" over some objectionable scenes, a government lawyer said.


Nitish to call all-party meeting on Finance Commission recommendation
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Nitish Kumar said on Monday that he would call an all-party meeting to discuss and then approach the Centre on the issue of the recommendation of the 14th Finance Commission.

Compromise in defamation case: Court orders Rabri, Lallan to appear in person
Patna,(BiharTimes): Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) Javed Ahmad on Monday ordered former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi and road construction minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lallan Singh to appear before it in person on March 10 in connection with their petitions for mutual compromise in a defamation case the latter had filed against former.

ED imposes penalty on Saleem, Shahabuddin in FEMA case
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Enforcement Directorate on Monday imposed a penalty of Rs 13.62 lakh each on the Deputy Chairman of the Bihar Legislative Council Saleem Perwez and jailed former RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin for violations of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).


Yogendra, Bhushan may face action in AAP's national executive
New Delhi, March 2 (IANS) Peeved at its senior leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan's criticism of AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal's approach, the party here on Monday hinted at acting tough against the duo in the national executive meet on Wednesday.

PM surprises many, has lunch in parliament canteen
New Delhi, March 2 (IANS) In a rare move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had lunch at the parliament canteen on Monday, surprising the staff and many people present there. Modi had some fruit salad and a vegetarian thali at a total cost of Rs.29.

Sayeed's remarks cause uproar; Congress attacks, BJP dissociates
New Delhi/Jammu, March 2 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's controversial remarks giving credit to militants and Pakistan for the smooth conduct of elections caused a political uproar on Monday.

Nitish Kumar to fast against land acquisition bill
Patna, March 1 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday announced a one-day fast -- and asked people across the state to join him -- in protest against the land acquisition amendment bill.

Apologetic Nitish blows pre-poll bugle against extremist Hindus
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday called on the partymen, especially the Yuva Janata Dal (United) workers, to fight those Hindus, who hold extremist view as they are out to destabilize the country. “The real fight is between extremist and liberal Hindus. Yuva Janata Dal (United) workers should spread this message,” he added.

Nitish should be thankful to Centre, says Ram Vilas
Patna,(BiharTimes): Union Minister for Food Ram Vilas Paswan said on Sunday that chief minister Nitish Kumar should bother about Bihar, rather than the rest of the country, as the Centre has offered a lot of bonanza to the state in the Union Budget for 2015-16.

Justice (Retd) N N Singh submits Bhagalpur riots commission report
Patna,(BiharTimes): Justice N N Singh headed Bhagalpur Riots Probe Commission on Sunday submitted its final report to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar nine years after it was constituted. The Commission had already submitted its interim report.

Another ‘purification’ allegation by Manjhi, this time against Nitish
Patna,(BiharTimes): The outgoing chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Saturday made another ‘purification’ allegation––this time against chief minister Nitish Kumar.A month after visiting a temple in Madhubani district in August last the then chief minister Manjhi charged that it was washed after he had offered prayer in it. The BJP then strongly criticized him for his remarks as he had not substantiated it.

 

FEBRUARY-2015


Manjhi launches front to 'expose' Nitish
Patna, Feb 28 (IANS) Nearly a week after he was forced to quit as Bihar's chief minister, Jitan Ram Manjhi Saturday launched a new political front to "expose the real face" of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Nothing for poor, common people in budget: Nitish


Patna, Feb 28 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Saturday said there was nothing specific for poor and common people in the budget presented by union finance minister Arun Jaitley.


Jaitley says Indian economy fastest-growing in the world
New Delhi, Feb 28 (IANS) Presenting the national budget for the next fiscal, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Saturday said the state of the country's economy was better placed today with its credibility re-established by a series of measures taken by his government.

Budget Highlights

Special assistance for Bihar, West Bengal
New Delhi, Feb 28 (IANS) West Bengal and Bihar will get special financial assistance to give a push to the two states, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Saturday.

Nitish writes to PM on 14th Finance Commission recommendation
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Nitish Kumar said that initial estimate showed that Bihar would face about 1.3 per cent point loss in share for the state in overall amount due to the recommendations of 14th Finance Commission as compared to the 13th Finance Commission.



Marriage of political convenience at wedding of Lalu’s daughter
Patna,(BiharTimes): It can be termed as a marriage of political convenience. Bitter political rivals prime minister Narendra Modi and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar shook hands at the wedding ceremony of RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s youngest daughter, Raj Lakshmi, with Tej Pratap Singh Yadav, the grand-nephew of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav at Ashoka Hotel in New Delhi on Thursday night.

14 swine flu cases detected in Bihar
Patna, Feb 27 (IANS) At least 14 cases of swine flu have been detected in Bihar till now, an official said Friday.

Pappu meets Narendra Modi hours ahead of marriage of Lalu’s daughter
Patna,(BiharTimes): In a significant move the dissident RJD MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav met prime minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Thursday, the day his party supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav married off his youngest daughter.

Delhi government announces Rs.1 crore for CRPF trooper
New Delhi, Feb 26 (IANS) The Delhi government Thursday announced Rs.1 crore as compensation to the family of a CRPF trooper killed by Maoists in Bihar's Gaya district Tuesday.


Passengers spared, freight rates hiked in India's rail budget
New Delhi, Feb 26 (IANS) Sparing a passenger fare hike but raising freight rates again, Minister Suresh Prabhu presented his maiden budget for Indian Railways Thursday, with a slew of measures to improve service quality, safety and reach and a 52-percent jump in plan outlay for 2015-16 at Rs.100,011 crore ($16.7 billion).

Disappointed by railway budget: Nitish
Patna, Feb 26 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Thursday said that he was disappointed by the "incomplete" railway budget for 2015-16 as there was nothing new in it.

Bihar court acquits 14 accused in 1998 upper-caste massacre
Patna, Feb 25 (IANS) A Bihar court Wednesday acquitted 14 people accused of the 1998 massacre of seven upper-caste members, citing lack of evidence, a government lawyer said.

Nitish Kumar unhappy with 14th Finance Commission recommendations
Patna, Feb 25 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Wednesday expressed dissatisfaction over the 14th Finance Commission's recommendations accepted by the Narendra Modi government with reference to states, particularly Bihar

Pappu offers to quit his Lok Sabha seat
Patna,(BiharTimes): Lashing out at chief minister Nitish Kumar the dissident RJD MP from Madhepura, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, said on Wednesday that he would send his resignation to the party president Lalu Prasad in a few days. If Lalu wishes he can send it to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha after the marriage of his daughter.

Ramai Ram unhappy on not being made deputy CM
Patna,(BiharTimes): Though transport minister Ramai Ram somewhat reluctantly took charge on Tuesday he is still grumbling on being not made the deputy chief minister of the state. Incidentally, almost all other ministers took charge on Monday itself.

Brishen Patel rules out any scope of rapprochement
Patna,(BiharTimes): Rebel Janata Dal (United) leader Brishen Patel on Wednesday outrightly rejected any possibility of rapprochement with the ruling party.Speaking at a function in Vaishali, his home turf, he said that Jitan Ram Manjhi went on to hold the post of chief minister because of the assurance given by the party chief Sharad Yadav.


Rebel leaders may return to JD(U) fold as Nitish may forgive them: Shrawan Kumar
Patna,(BiharTimes): Parliamentary affairs minister of Bihar Shrawan Kumar said on Wednesday that if the ministers and legislators who have rebelled against the party leadership relent and come to meet chief minister Nitish Kumar the latter may forgive them as he is a large-hearted man.

Bihar Museum expenditure raises many eyebrows after Manjhi’s charges
Patna,(BiharTimes): Be it the outgoing chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, his the then cabinet colleague, Benay Bihari, or the Patna high court, the massive expenditure on the construction of Bihar Museum in Bailey Road is being questioned.

Nitish’s blue-eyed boys back, Subhani again becomes home secretary
Patna,(BiharTimes): Almost all the blue-eyed boy of chief minister Nitish Kumar are back to important posts in the state bureaucracy. The former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, had, on Jan 6 last, shifted them to other posts creating a lot of resentment in the Janata Dal (United) circle.

CRPF trooper killed, 8 wounded in Bihar blast
Patna, Feb 24 (IANS) A CRPF trooper was killed while eight were wounded in a blast triggered by Maoists Tuesday evening in Bihar's Gaya district, an officer said.

Nitish Kumar opposes land acquisition bill
Patna, Feb 24 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Tuesday said that he and his party Janata Dal-United were opposed to the land acquisition amendment bill as it is against the interests of farmers.

From corruption to Aryan: What is wrong in issues raised by Manjhi?
Now that Jitan Ram Manjhi is out and Nitish Kumar in nobody is paying any heed to what the former said in the nine months of his tenure. The reason is obvious: one hardly pays any attention to those who have lost.Manjhi may have betrayed Nitish; he might have sided with the BJP for pure personal gains and he might himself been involved in all the dirty political games. Yet some of the issues he had raised––may be for own survival––deserve to be dispassionately discussed.

Challenges before Nitish in the election year
Patna,(BiharTimes): Nitish Kumar has once again don the mantle of Bihar, where he got a thumping majority in the last Assembly election but quit after embarrassing defeat in the Lok Sabha election of May 2014.

Manjhi as CM was different from his Dalit predecessors
Patna,(BiharTimes): Jitan Ram Manjhi, who got an opportunity––courtesy Nitish Kumar––to run the politically vibrant state like Bihar for about nine months has not only carved his own niche but changed the grammar of the politics. He thus established himself as a Dalit martyr of a sort.

Nitish returns as Bihar CM
Patna, Feb 22 :Nitish Kumar Sunday returned as Bihar chief minister, nine months after he resigned following his party JD-U's massive defeat in the 2014 general elections.

Narendra Modi congratulated me, will meet him for the sake of Bihar: Nitish
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Nitish Kumar said that he would certainly meet prime minister Narendra Modi for the sake of development of Bihar and would surely seek his attention for the special status to the state.


‘Self Nominated’ Chancellor Amartya sulks for a second term
In raising an alarm that the NDA government wants to deny him a second term as the Chancellor of the Nalanda University, Amartya Sen has proved how power hungry he is. He has gone to the media, thinking it would save the day for him. But times are indeed hard for the expatriate economist who thought his Nobel Medal was a talisman against all crises in India

A personal loss for me, Nitish on Amartya Sen’s decision to quit Nalanda University Patna,(BiharTimes): Coming out of Raj Bhawan after being invited to form the next government Nitish Kumar said on Friday evening that the news that Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen had announced that he would no more continue to serve as the Chancellor of Nalanda Unviersity “is a personal loss for me.

Amartya Sen not to continue as Chancellor of Nalanda University for second term Patna,(BiharTimes): Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen on Thursday withdrew his candidature for a second term after July 2015 as Chancellor of Nalanda University, since the Narendra Modi government had not given its approval to his nomination.In a five-page letter to the Governing Board (GB) of the University, Sen wrote that he is excluding himself out of a second term, despite the GB unanimously voting to elect him on January 13.

Nitish Kumar: Soft-spoken and socialist at heart Patna, Feb 20 (IANS) He graduated as an engineer but plunged into Bihar politics in the early 1970s. Sophisticated and soft-spoken Nitish Kumar, known for his development and good governance, is again set to become Bihar's chief minister.


Jitan Ram Manjhi: A soft-spoken Mahadalit who was a shepherd Patna, Feb 20 (IANS) Jitan Ram Manjhi, the 70-year-old Mahadalit leader who quit as Bihar chief minister Friday nine months after assuming office in May 2014, began his life working as a shepherd for a farmer..


Manjhi's partisan allegation baseless: Bihar speaker Patna, Feb 21 (IANS) Bihar Assembly Speaker Uday Narain Choudhary Saturday refuted the allegation regarding his partisan role made by outgoing chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.

PDP, BJP reach agreement, Mufti to be J&K CMJammu, Feb 21 (IANS) PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed will be the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister after his party reached an agreement for forming a government with the BJP, top party sources said Saturday.

 

Patna (BiharTimes): Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has resigned from his post ahead of the trust vote t in Bihar Assembly today..

Nitish to take oath on Feb 22 evening

Manjhi won in spite of losing, Nitish lost in spite of winning: SuMo

Nitish Kumar sorry for quitting, says won't repeat it

Manjhi blames Nitish, fellow Mahadalit Speaker for resignation

Our stand gets vindicated, BJP gets exposed: Nitish

Lalu welcomes resignation, says now everyone should work together


CM meets governor minutes before joint sitting of Assembly
Patna,(BiharTimes): Minutes before state governor Keshri Nath Tripathi was to address the joint sitting of the Assembly chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Friday morning went to Raj Bhawan to meet him. The meeting lasted for 15 minutes––roughly between 10:00 and 10:15 AM.

BJP to support Manjhi
Patna (IANS):Finally, BJP has decided to support Manjhi during the confidence vote in the assembly Feb 20, said BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi.

Manjhi openly offers ministerial berths to MLAs
Patna,(BiharTimes): A day ahead of trial of strength chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Thursday gave another controversial speech.Addressing Dalit Chetna Rally here he told the crowd if they want more welfare works for the weaker section of the society tell the MLAs, whom they voted, to side with Jitan Ram Manjhi.

Bribe offer to MLA: JD(U) releases tape with Pappu’s voice
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Janata Dal (United) on Thursday charged the RJD dissident MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav with making bribe offer to the Janata Dal (United) MLAs. A day ahead of the trial of strength in the state Assembly the party state chief Vashistha Narayan Singh released to the media an auto-tape in which Pappu was heard offering the JD(U) MLA from Seohar, Sharfuddin, , post and Rs one crore if he supports chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on February 20.

BJP legislators stage sit in as Speaker grants JD(U) status of main opposition
Patna,(BiharTimes): BJP legislators stage sit-in on the campus of Bihar Assembly after the Speaker, Uday Narayan Chaudhary, granted the JD(U) the status of the main opposition. Vijay Chaudhary has been recognized as the leader of Opposition replacing Nand Kishore Yadav of the BJP.

Bihar speaker recognises JD-U as opposition party
Patna, Feb 19 (IANS) Bihar Speaker Uday Narain Choudhary Thursday notified JD-U leader Vijay Kumar Chaudhary as the leader of opposition in the assembly, replacing BJP's Nand Kishore Yadav.

Manjhi cabinet hikes MLAs fund, quota for women in jobs
Patna,(BiharTimes): In its last cabinet meeting before the floor-testing on February 20 the Jitan Ram Manjhi cabinet on Wednesday night took some major decisions related to the hike in MLA fund and reservation for women in jobs.It decided to hike MLA development fund from the present Rs two crore in a year to Rs three crore from the next financial year.

All JD(U) MLAs to sit in opposition
Patna,(BiharTimes): All Janata Dal (U) MLAs, including those with chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi camp would sit in opposition benches while the CM and his ministerial colleagues would sit on the treasury benches.

BJP MLAs likely to support Manjhi
Patna (BiharTimes): Bihar BJP may support Jitan Ram Manjhi during trust vote on February 20. During the meeting of legislative party ahead the assembly session, there was a consensus on bailing out Manjhi government during vote of confidence. Though, formal announcement may come on Friday evening or even at the floor of the house.

Court lifts ban on Manjhi regime taking policy decisions
Patna Feb 18 (IANS) In a relief to Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, the Patna High Court Wednesday lifted the restraint on taking any policy decisions - imposed two days ago - but said their implementation would have to wait till he proves his majority.

BJP walks out of all-party meeting
Patna,(BiharTimes): On February 16 the BJP boycotted the all-party meeting called by the Speaker, Uday Narayan Chaudhary, compelling the latter to cal another one on February 18. But on Wednesday (Feb 18) the leader of the BJP in the Bihar Assembly walked out of the meeting accusing the office of the Speaker of working like the office of Janata Dal (United). He also charged that Speaker with adopting unconstitutional means.

Nitish seeks status of main opposition for JD(U) in Council
Patna,(BiharTimes): The ‘leader’ of Janata Dal (United) Legislature Party, Nitish Kumar, has written a letter to the chairman of the Bihar Legislative Council, Awadesh Narayan Singh, seeking the status of main opposition for his party in the Upper House.


Manjhi’s grandson assaulted in Jehanabad
Patna,(BiharTimes): The grandson (daughter’s son) of chief minister Jitan Ram Kumar was reportedly assaulted by some people at Ranipur village under Bhelawar police outpost of Jehanabad district on Tuesday evening.

I received threatening phone call, claims agriculture minister Narendra Singh
Patna,(BiharTimes): Agriculture minister Narendra Singh said on Wednesday that he had received a threat over phone at 8:47 this morning while he was sitting beside chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.

JD(U) suspends seven Manjhi cabinet ministers
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Janata Dal (United) on Tuesday suspended seven ministers of the Jitan Ram Manjhi government only three days ahead of the trial of strength on the floor of the house.

CM’s nephew files case against JD(U) MLA Anant Singh
Patna,(BiharTimes): The nephew of chief minister Jitan Ram  Manjhi on Tuesday registered an FIR against controversial  JD(U) MLA Anant Singh for allegedly threatening to beat up  the CM for challenging the leadership of Nitish Kumar.

SuMo reminds Nitish of March 10, 2000 governor speech
Patna,(BiharTimes): Stating that his party would take a final call on supporting chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi only on February 20 senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Tuesday reminded Nitish Kumar of March 10, 2000

BJP a divided house on support to Manjhi?
Patna,(BiharTimes): As during the time of LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan’s joining the BJP-led alliance last year this time too the saffron party rank and file appears to be divided as to how should the party deal with chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.

Dejected Manjhi returns without getting time from Narendra Modi, Amit Shah
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi returned to Patna a disheartened man. He could not get time to meet prime minister Narendra Modi and, according to media reports from the national capital, was not invited to attend the reception of the son of the BJP president Amit Shah.

Manjhi a black spot on the name of Mahadalits: JD(U) SC MLAs
Patna,(BiharTimes): In the eyes of the most Janata Dal (United) MLAs belonging to the Scheduled Castes chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has not only back-stabbed the man who reposed full faith on him, but also let down the Mahadalits of the state.The most critical of all the comments was made by Arun Manjhi, who till three weeks back, was one of the staunchest supporters of Jitan Ram Manjhi. He said the CM is a black spot on the name of Mahadalits and the community would never forgive him for his acts.

Wrong treatments major killer in rural areas
New York, Feb 17 (IANS) A large number of children die from diarrhoea and pneumonia in rural India due to wrong treatments provided by medical practitioners, says a study.

Sri Lankan president prays at Bodh Gaya
Patna Feb 17 (IANS) Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena Tuesday visited Bihar's Bodh Gaya and prayed at the Mahabodhi temple amid tight security, police said.

Victim offered Rs.31,000 to forget rape
Patna, Feb 17 (IANS) A panchayat in Bihar has ordered one of its members accused of raping a woman to pay her Rs.31,000 and asked the victim to forget the incident, police said Tuesday.

Manjhi skips, BJP boycotts all-party meeting in BiharPatna, Feb 16 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi Monday failed to attend the all- party meeting called by Assembly Speaker Uday Narain Choudhary while the opposition BJP boycotted it.

HC restrains Manjhi from taking any policy decision Patna,(BiharTimes): In another big blow to Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, the Patna High Court on Monday restrained his government from taking any policy decisions till February 20 when he had to prove majority on the floor of the House.

Shiv Sena blasts BJP for supporting Manjhi, opposing Nitish Patna,(BiharTimes): One of the oldest allies of the BJP, the Shiv Sena has come down strongly on the saffron party leadership for supporting the Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi even though he publicly said that he accepts commission.


No intention to recommend President’s Rule: Manjhi Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, on Monday said that he has no intention to dissolve the state Assembly or recommend President’s Rule in Bihar.Talking to the media in New Delhi he had a word of praise for the RSS too.

Manjhi meets governor, Rajnath Patna,(BiharTimes): In some unusual development on Sunday chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi met governor Keshri Nath Tripathi at Bengal House in New Delhi. Later he also called on the Union home minister Rajnath Singh.

Manjhi’s populist announcements will create problem for future govt: Vashistha
Patna,(BiharTimes): The state president of Janata Dal (United) Vashistha Narayan Singh said on Sunday that by making a series of populist announcements chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is creating a situation in which it would become very difficult for any government in future to govern.


Modi has no role in Bihar political crisis: Venkaiah Naidu
Hyderabad, Feb 15 (IANS) The central government or Prime Minister Narendra Modi has no role in the political crisis in Bihar, said union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu Sunday.


India keep it 6-0 in World Cups against Pakistan Adelaide, Feb 15 (IANS) India had won all their previous five meetings against Pakistan in the World Cup and it was no different Sunday as the defending champions defeated their neighbours by 76 runs to take the advantage to a perfect tennis scoreline of 6-0.


Nitish will sit in opposition permanently: Sushil Modi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said on Sunday that if former chief minister Nitish Kumar wants to sit in the opposition he should wait till the Assembly election result after which he would sit there permanently.

Manjhi recommends CBI probe into Rajesh Kumar murder case
Patna,(BiharTimes): Unconfirmed media reports suggest that Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the killing of former Janata Dal MP from Gaya (who later joined LJP), Rajesh Kumar Paswan about a decade back.


Hindalco bags Jharkhand coal mine on second day of auction
New Delhi, Feb 15 (IANS) The Aditya Birla Group company Hindalco won the first block on the second day of the coal block auctions Sunday, as the aluminium-maker emerged as the highest bidder with Rs.2,860 per tonne for the Kathautia mine in Jharkhand.

When horsetrading failed in Bihar
Patna,(BiharTimes): Both JD(U)LP ‘leader’ Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad have the distinction of breaking other parties ahead of trust votes. The latter had even created split in the BJP Legislature Party in the high time of Ram Janambhoomi movement in early 1990s. Thirteen out of 39 BJP MLAs crossed over to Lalu’s Janata Dal to save the government.

Paswans included in the list of Mahadalits
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Jitan Ram Manjhi cabinet on Saturday decided in favour of including Dussadhs (Paswans) in the list of Mahadalits. Thus all the 22 Scheduled Castes are now in this category.

Bihar cabinet approves pension scheme for journalists
Patna, Feb 14 (IANS) The Bihar cabinet Saturday approved a pension scheme for journalists to provide them social security, an official said.


BJP stripped off status of main opposition party in Bihar Assembly
Patna,(BiharTimes): Speaker of the Bihar Assembly, Uday Narayan Chaudhary, on Saturday stripped the BJP off the status of main opposition party in the state Assembly. This status may now be granted to the JD(U) as is being demanded by the party.

Parties urge governor to stop Manjhi from taking policy decisions
Patna,(BiharTimes): Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal, Congress and Independent supporting Nitish Kumar have asked as to how can a chief minister who had been asked to prove majority on the floor of the House on Feb 20 take such important policy decision.

Kejriwal promises corruption-free Delhi, end 'VIP culture'
New Delhi, Feb 14 (IANS) Sounding more mature and pragmatic in his second innings, AAP leader and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Saturday pledged to make Delhi India's first corruption-free city and end "VIP culture" even as he warned his colleagues against "arrogance" after his party's thumping election win.


Nitish committed ‘mahagalti’: Manjhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said on  Friday that the JD(U)LP ‘leader’ Nitish Kumar had not only  committed ‘galti’ (mistake), but ‘managalti’ (blunder) by  making him the chief minister of Bihar. “He failed to  understand me as he thought that I would play into his hand,”  he told mediapersons in Patna.

Assembly secretariat receives notice for removal of Speaker
Patna,(BiharTimes): The office of the secretary of the Bihar  Assembly on Friday received a notice from an Independent MLA  Pawan Kumar Jaiswal for moving a resolution to remove Speaker  Uday Narayan Chaudhary from his post.

JD(U) demands filing of case against CM for his ‘commission’  remarks
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Janata Dal (United) spokesman Neeraj  Kumar on Friday urged the police to lodge a case against chief  minister Jitan Ram Manjhi for his statement given on Thursday  in which he said that he had been accepting commission from  engineers and contractors in government projects. 

Vashistha asks Manjhi’s minister to quit, return to JD(U)  fold
Patna,(BiharTimes): Countering chief minister Jitan Ram  Manjhi the state president of Janata Dal (United) Vashistha  Narayan Singh said that if Nitish Kumar was an icon why is it  that the CM is finding all faults with him and blaming him  for everything.

Manjhi announces free electricity for small farmers
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Thursday  announced that subsidy for SCST families would be hiked to 80  per cent in all government schemes. Besides, all farmers owning  up to five acres of land would get free electricity. He said at present people manage the payment of electricity bill by giving bribe to officials so it is better to make it  free for small farmers. 

Nitish accuses governor of violating Constitutional nroms
Patna,(BiharTimes): The ‘leader’ of the Janata Dal (United)  Legislature Party, Nitish Kumar, on Thursday hit out at  governor, Keshri Nath Tripathi, for fixing February 20 as date  for chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi to prove majority.

Manjhi asked to prove majority Feb 20, court holds Nitish JD-U house leader
Patna/New Delhi, Feb 12 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi was Friday asked by Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi to prove his majority in the assembly on the first day of the budget session beginning Feb 20 - a step welcomed by his supporters but slammed as "murder of democracy" by JD-U leader Nitish Kumar.

Nitish loyalists challenge court stay on his election
Patna, Feb 12 (IANS) Legislators loyal to JD-U leader Nitish Kumar Thursday filed a petition in the Patna High Court challenging the stay on his election as the new leader of the legislature party.

Angry farmers loot fertilizers in Bihar
Patna, Feb 12 (IANS) Faced with an acute shortage of fertilizers in Bihar, angry and worried farmers looted two trucks loaded with urea bags in Madhepura district, police said Thursday.

Manjhi's loyalists confident of victory ahead of floor test
Patna, Feb 12 (IANS) Upbeat after being asked to prove his majority on the floor of the state assembly Feb 20, Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's loyalists were Thursday confident of their victory with the BJP's support.

Governer asks Manjhi to prove majority on Feb 20
Patna,(BiharTimes): Within hours after JD(U) Legislature Party leader Nitish Kumar, along with JD(U) President Sharad Yadav, RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, led 130 MLAs to Rashtrapati Bhawan to show that he enjoys majority support in the state Assembly Bihar Governor 

All options open for BJP in Bihar: Shahnawaz
Patna,(BiharTimes): The BJP spokesman Shahnawaz Husain said in New Delhi on Wednesday that all options are open for his party in Bihar.He said his party would take take any decision on the floor of the Assembly only.

Aam admi’s challenge to Bihar parties
Though the Bihar BJP leaders rather sheepishly proclaim that there would be no impact of the electoral verdict of Delhi here in the state the truth may be otherwise. It only depends which party will be affected more. After all in Delhi both the ruling BJP and Congress got decimated.

Nitish meets president, seeks immediate Bihar assembly session
New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS) JD-U leader Nitish Kumar Wednesday met President Pranab Mukherjee and requested that Bihar Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi be given instructions to take immediate decision on calling a special session of the legislative assembly to test his majority as he had the support of 130 legislators.


Nitish Kumar's election as JD-U legislative party chief stayed
Patna, Feb 11 (IANS) In a set back to JD-U leader Nitish Kumar, the Patna High Court Wednesday stayed his election as the new leader of the legislature party, a government lawyer said.

Floor test will decide majority in Bihar: BJP
New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS) Amid the political crisis in Bihar, the BJP Wednesday said that a decision on who has the majority of MLAs will be made on the floor of the assembly.

Nitish, legislators reach Delhi; Manjhi announces quotas
Patna/New Delhi, Feb 10 (IANS) Aiming to put pressure on Bihar Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi for inviting him to form the next government in the state, former chief minister Nitish Kumar reached New Delhi Tuesday to parade the legislators supporting him at Rashtrapati Bhavan Wednesday.

AAP tsunami routs BJP, Congress in Delhi
New Delhi, Feb 10 (IANS) In one of the most stunning comebacks in Indian political history, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of Arvind Kejriwal Tuesday scored a landslide win in Delhi, delivering to the BJP its first electoral defeat since its historic Lok Sabha triumph and reducing the Congress, that had ruled the capital for 15 years till 2013, to a virtual nonentity.

Lalu threatens to launch stir if President’s rule is imposed
Patna,(BiharTimes): Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad on Monday threatened that his partymen would take to streets if any attempt is made to impose President’s Rule in Bihar.Lalu, who on Monday accompanied Nitish to the Raj Bhawan told mediapersons that the RJD had also offered to parade its MLAs before the Governor but he refused to allow any such exercise saying it was not required.

Speaker declares Manjhi unattached member
Patna,(BiharTimes): Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary on Monday declared chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi as unattached member of Bihar Assembly following his expulsion from JD(U). The party also expelled five more MLAs, including agriculture minister Narendra Singh and his son Sumit.

JD-U to parade legislators in Rashtrapati Bhavan: Nitish Kumar
Patna, Feb 10 (IANS) Aiming to put pressure on Bihar Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi for inviting him to form the next government in the state, former chief minister Nitish Kumar Tuesday said his party will parade his supporter legislators in Rashtrapati Bhavan Wednesday.


Kirti Azad accuses BJP of neglecting 73 lakh people of Poorvanchal in Delhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Darbhanga, Kirti Azad, on Tuesday came down heavily on his own party leadership for neglecting 73 lakh people of Poorvanchal origin, who are living in Delhi.

All eyes on Governor Tripathi in Bihar
Patna, Feb 9 (IANS) With Bihar Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi returning here from Kolkata Monday, the focus has shifted to Raj Bhavan from the prevailing political crisis in the state's ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U).

Manjhi demands voting by secret ballots
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Monday demanded voting by secret ballots on the floor of the House as many MLAs are afraid of voting with him and against Nitish Kumar.

Ready to prove majority, Nitish tells governor
Patna,(BiharTimes): The newly elected leader of Janata Dal (United) Legislature Party, Nitish Kumar, said that he along with his party chief Sharad Yadav and RJD president Lalu Prasad had urged the governor, Keshri Nath Tripathi, to end deadlock like situation and pre-empt horse-trading.

JD(U) expels Jitan Ram Manjhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Janata Dal (United) on Monday expelled chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi from the party for his anti-party activities.

BJP, Modi behind Manjhi splitting JD-U: Nitish
Patna, Feb 9 (IANS) Former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has accused the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for backing and helping Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi in 'horse trading' to split JD-U for saving his government.

Manjhi loyalist MLA files plea against Nitish re-election
Patna, Feb 9 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's loyalist JD-U MLA Rajeshwar Raj Monday petitioned the Patna High Court against party president Sharad Yadav who, he contended, illegally summoned a legislature party meeting which Saturday elected Nitish Kumar as its new leader.

Round one for Nitish, but many more to go
Though the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders have in the recent weeks been openly praising chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi––in spite of the fact that they were extremely critical of him in the past––the truth is that the supporters of saffron party were taken aback when they came to know that only a dozen or so MLAs sided with the present CM. Of the 111 Janata Dal (United) legislators 97 backed Nitish Kumar. The Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary, as per the general practice, did not attend the JD(U)LP meet.

A couple of RJD MLAs root for Manjhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Though 25-member Rashtriya Janata Dal Legislature Party has given a letter of support to the Nitish Kumar camp of Janata Dal (United) at least a couple of its legislators have some reservations over the decision. They have reportedly met chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi too.They are former minister Raghvendra Pratap Singh and another MLA, Brij Kishore Singh. The latter has, however, said that he met the CM for a personal work.

Manjhi meets PM, says will not resign
New Delhi, Feb 8 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, who is in revolt against his party JD-U and step down from his post, Sunday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi but said no political issues were discussed.

Nitish-led JD-U to parade MLAs
Patna, Feb 8 (IANS) The crisis in Bihar's ruling JD-U deepened further Sunday with Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his rival camp led by Nitish Kumar deciding to parade legislators at the Raj Bhavan Monday to stake claim to power.

JD-U says Bihar CM siding with BJP Patna, Feb 8 (IANS) The crisis in Bihar's ruling JD-U deepened further Sunday with Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his rival camp led by Nitish Kumar deciding to parade legislators at the Raj Bhavan Monday to stake claim to power.

Parties lend support to Nitish Kumar
Patna,(BiharTimes): Leaders of different political parties supporting Nitish Kumar went to Raj Bhawan on Sunday to seek time from the Governor, Keshri Nath Tripathi, who is holding the additional charge of Bihar.

Women MLAs of Nitish camp allege receiving threatening call from Manjhi’s ministers
Patna,(BiharTimes): A minister and an MLA of the Nitish Kumar camp have alleged that they have received threatening calls from ministers of Jitan Ram Manjhi cabinet.Bima Bharati, who is still a minister, charged that his colleague, Benay Bihari, who is a supporter of chief minister Manjhi, came to her house and threatened her of dire consequences if she does not support the CM.

Manjhi recommends sacking of 15 more ministers, flies to Delhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Even after being voted out by the Janata Dal (United) Legislature Party chief minister Jitan Ram Manhi recommended the dismissal of 15 more ministers. With this the number of ministers against whom he had taken action had risen to 17.

JD-U crisis: Manjhi wants house dissolved, Nitish to stake claim Sunday
Patna, Feb 7 (IANS) Bihar's ruling JD-U seemed to be on the verge of a split Saturday, as Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi sought dissolution of the assembly despite opposition from a majority of his cabinet even as his predecessor Nitish Kumar was re-elected legislature party chief and was likely to stake claim to form the government Sunday.

Modi discusses Bihar, Delhi with BJP leaders
New Delhi, Feb 7 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday met BJP leaders to review the Delhi assembly polls as well as the developing political situation in Bihar in view of Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's recommendation to dissolve the assembly.

Manjhi may take BJP's support to run government: Minister
Patna, Feb 7 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi may take support from the BJP to run the government, a minister said Saturday, after the JD-U legislature party elected Nitish Kumar as its leader.


Manjhi in Delhi to attend NITI Aayog meeting
New Delhi, Feb 7 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi reached Delhi Saturday to attend a meeting of the governing council of the NITI Aayog even as the ruling Janata Dal-United in the state is grappling with a deep political crisis.

BJP stands exposed, says Nitish
Patna,(BiharTimes): The newly-elected leader of the Janata Dal (United) Legislature Party, Nitish Kumar, on Saturday squarely held the Bharatiya Janata Party responsible for what happened in Bihar in the last few weeks.

Nitish Kumar to blame for Bihar political imbroglio: BJP
Shillong, Feb 7 (IANS) Blaming former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar for the current political imbroglio in the state, union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Giriraj Singh Saturday said the BJP has no interest in toppling the JD-U government there.


No communication yet about dissolving Bihar assembly: Tripathi
Kolkata, Feb 7 (IANS) West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi who holds the additional responsibility of Bihar, Saturday said he was yet to receive any communication recommending dissolution of the Bihar assembly.


97 party MLAs elect Nitish as JD(U)LP leader replacing Manjhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): In all 97 out of 111 Janata Dal (United) MLAs elected Nitish Kumar as the new leader of Janata Dal (United) Legislature Party replacing Jitan Ram Manjhi.Of all the legislators, Arun Manjhi, who was till recently was a staunch supporter of chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi proposed the name of Nitish Kumar. The name was seconded by Izhar Ahmad.

Nitish Kumar elected JD-U legislature party leader
Patna, Feb 7 (IANS) Nitish Kumar was Saturday elected the new leader of the JD-U legislature party in Bihar

Talks fail, Manjhi cabinet recommends dissolution of Assembly
Patna,(BiharTimes): After the failure of talks between chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and former chief minister Nitish Kumar, the state cabinet on Saturday afternoon recommended the dissolution of the State Assembly.

Meeting collapsed as Manjhi refuses to budge
Patna,(BiharTimes): A two-hour long high-level meeting of the Janata Dal (United) collapsed because chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi refused to yield his ground.Earlier in the day Manjhi went to attend the meeting at the residence of Nitish Kumar.

Bihar CM meets Nitish Kumar to end crisis in ruling JD-U
Patna, Feb 7 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi Saturday met his predecessor Nitish Kumar for a "patch up" as the crisis deepened in the ruling JD-U over his replacement.

Anti-Defection law may work against Manjhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Though a couple of regional television channels are repeatedly claiming that chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi needs the support of just 32 MLAs of his party, the JD(U), to survive as the 87-member BJP Legislature Party is ready to support him, the truth is that the best option for the chief minister is to recommend the dissolution of Assembly.

Manjhi recommends dismissal of two ministers
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi recommended dismissal of Road Construction Minister Lallan Singh and Forest and Environment Minister P K Shahi to Governor. Both of them are considered close to Nitish Kumar.

Twelve hurt as Manjhi and Nitish supporters clash
Patna, Feb 6 (IANS) At least 12 people were injured here Friday when supporters of Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and former chief minister Nitish Kumar clashed in front of the JD-U office, police said

Crisis deepens in JD-U, may be headed for split
Patna, Feb 6 (IANS) The crisis in Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United Friday deepened further over the party's visible move to replace Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi by his predecessor Nitish Kumar with the support of Lalu Prasad's RJD.


Tyagi is mad, why is Nitish maintaining Bheeshm Pitamah like silence?: Manjhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi called former chief minister Nitish Kumar Bheeshm Pitamah and termed Janata Dal (United) Secretary General K C Tyagi ‘pagal’ (mad) and ‘Yamdoot’.

Lalu roots for JD(U), not for any individualPatna,(BiharTimes): Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav said on Friday that he hopes that the Janata Dal (United) would take appropriate decision keeping in mind the danger the country is facing.

Manjhi, Nitish camps to hold parallel meetings of supporters on Friday
Patna,(BiharTimes): Two parallel meetings of the Janata Dal (United) are to take place on Friday––both in the vicinity of each other.The Nitish camp has called a meeting of its core group at 12:30 PMat the residence of Nitish Kumar, while the other one at 1, Anne Marg residence of the chief minister at 5:00 PM.

Manjhi calls JD(U)LP meet on Feb 20, may sack five of his ministers
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has called the meeting of the Janata Dal (United) Legislative Party on February 20 evening at his residence.Apparently it is just a routine meeting called ahead of the Budget Session of state Assembly which is to begin on February 21 but it has now acquired a special political significance as the JD(U) leadership is bound to decide his fate on Feb 7 itself.

Manjhi questions JD(U)LP meet, refuses to bow down

Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Thursday night questioned the decision of the Janata Dal (United) chief Sharad Yadav to call the meeting of the party Legislative Party on Feburay 7.


Sharad calls JD(U)LP meeting on Feb 7
Patna,(BiharTimes): The national president of the Janata Dal  (United) on Thursday evening called the meeting of Janata Dal  (United) Legislative Party on February 7 (Saturday). It is usually the chief minister, who calls the meeting of  the Legislative Party, but sometimes party chief also calls  such meeting.

Manjhi refuses to quit, favours JD(U)LP meet
Patna,(BiharTimes): Sources from within Janata Dal (United) suggest that chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has refused to quit his post. Instead he is in favour of calling the meeting of the Janata Dal (United) Legislative Party to his strength.

Manjhi 'working under pressure' over removal reports
Patna, Feb 5 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi Thursday said he was working under pressure amid reports that he would be removed by the ruling JD-U.

No knowledge of Mulayam’s phone calls to Nitish: Sharad
Patna,(BiharTimes): The national president of Janata Dal  (United), Sharad Yadav, said on Thursday that he has no  knowledge about Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav  calling on former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on  Wednesday.

Bihar planetarium staff fined for pruning banyan tree
Patna, Feb 5 (IANS) About three dozen state government employees here have been fined for pruning a banyan tree, officials said Thursday.

Manjhi absent from meeting at Nitish’s residence
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Wednesday did not turn up at the meeting of all the 38 Janata Dal (United) candidates who contested the last year Lok Sabha election. The party left two seats for the CPI then.

Sharad, Manjhi deny reports on leadership change
Patna,(BiharTimes): The national president of Janata Dal (United), Sharad Yadav, chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and national spokesman of the party, K C Tyagi, once again denied reports appearing in a section of Press that the Janata Dal (United) legislative party leader is about to be changed, and that Nitish Kumar is once again going to take the command of Bihar.

Case registered against Sharad for ‘casteist’ remarks against Manjhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): A case has been registered against the national president of Janata Dal (United), Sharad Yadav, in Airport Police station under SC/ST (Prevention of atrocities) Act on the direction of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court for his alleged casteist remarks against Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.

Kuldip Narayan’s suspension: Centre takes exception to non-adherence of norms
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Centre has taken exception to the non-adherence of the laid down norms in case of suspension of former Patna Municipal Commissioner, Kuldip Narayan, by the Bihar government.

Ranjan Yadav upset over behaviour of security guard outside Nitish’s residence
Patna,(BiharTimes): An ugly scene took place outside the residence of former chief minister Nitish Kumar when the car of former Patliputra MP Ranjan Yadav was stopped at the gate by the security guards. The drama lasted for 15 minutes.When the guards objected to the entry of the car Ranjan Yadav himself introduced himself asking them to allow it to enter.

SuMo urges Manjhi to dissolve Assembly, announce election
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi on Tuesday urged chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi to muster courage and dissolve the state Assembly and announce the election as caretaker chief minister.

Bank manager, accountant abducted in Jamui Patna,(BiharTimes): The branch manager and an accountant of Canara Bank were abducted from Jamui district of Bihar on Monday night.Police sources said the abductors have reportedly demanded a ransom of Rs 20 lakh for the release of the two bank employees.

Vashistha asks Manjhi, ministers to bridge the gap
Patna,(BiharTimes): The state president of the Janata Dal (United) Vashistha Narayan Singh conceded on Tuesday that the gap between the chief minister and some of his ministers are growing and Jitan Ram Manjhi, as the leader of the team, should bridge it at the earliest.

Nitish flays Amit Shah for threatening media, says BJP is heading for rout in Delhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday accused the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Amit Shah, of threatening the media simply because the pre-poll survey telecast by one of the channels showed that Aam Admi Party is going to win the Delhi Assembly election.

I am duty-bound to back Nitish’s candidature for CM post: Manjhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said on Monday that he is duty-bound to back the candidature of Nitish Kumar for the post of chief minister if the party is voted back to power in the coming Assembly election later this year.

Lande transferred again, this time to Rohtas
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Bihar government late on Monday night shifted six IPS officers, including the Superintendent of Police, Patna Central, Shivdeep Lande to Rohtas in the same capacity. His place will be taken by Chandan Kushwaha, presently the SP Rohtas.Ever since Jitan Rm Manjhi became the chief minister last May Patna has seen a number of SPs.Lande served as the SP for the second time, but on this occasion just for a couple of months. He was ADC to the then governor, D Y Patil, who left the state in the last week of November 2014.

Bihar CM defends decision to transfer officials

Patna,(BiharTimes): Denying that there was corruption in transfer and posting of officials chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Monday defended his decision to replace Principal Secretary of road construction department, Arun Kumar Singh with Harjot Kaur.

Bihar to hire four cleanliness messengers in each panchayats
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Bihar government will hire four cleanliness messengers in ech of its 8,404 panchayats. They will take care of the hygiene and cleanliness of the villages.According to reports all the formalities have been completed and the process to hire around 33,000 such messengers will begin soon.

Bihar to instal Point of Sale (PoS) machines for PDS beneficiaries
Patna,(BiharTimes): To help the beneficiaries buy foodgrains from any PDS outlets with ATM like biometric cards the state government is planning to instal Point of Sale (PoS) machines at the public distribution system (PDS) shops all over Bihar.

BJP flip-flop on Manjhi continues, SuMo flays him for making tall promises
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Bharatiya Janata Party continues to adopt flip-flop policy on Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, who till a few weeks back was a much maligned man in the eyes of its leaders.

No political meaning should be attached to her praise for Manjhi: Uma Bharati
Patna,(BiharTimes): Within hours of praising Bihar chief minister for doing very good work Union water resources minister Uma Bharati said on Monday that no political meaning should be attached to her statement.

Uma Bharti praises Manjhi for 'good work'
Patna, Feb 2 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi Monday found a new fan in central Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti, who described him as a 'garibon ka Masiha' (champion of the poor).

AAP accused of getting funds from bogus companies
New Delhi, Feb 2 (IANS) A breakaway group of the AAP Monday accused the party of receiving donations worth Rs.2 crore from bogus companies. The BJP questioned the funding but the AAP rejected the allegation as "malicious and false propaganda" unleashed by "mysterious fronts" created by the BJP.

BJP leader's killing triggers violence in Bihar town
Patna, Feb 2 (IANS) Violence erupted in Bihar's Munger town Monday after a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader was shot dead, police said.

Kuldip Narayan’s Facebook post sparks off debate
Patna,(BiharTimes): A day after three-member bench of the Patna high court on Friday rejected the interlocutory application filed by Kuldip Narayan challenging his suspension from the post of Commissioner of Patna Municipal Corporation he wrote to his successor on Facebook: “May you remain on this post for next two years and convert Patna into Paris as promised by Sapno ke Saudagar––Bayan Bahadur.”


Variations in Manjhi’s asset declarations raise questions
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said on Sunday that the details mentioned in the affidavit given by him on the eve of Lok Sabha election of 2014 is perfectly right.

Manjhi calls on governor Keshri Nath TripathiPatna,(BiharTimes): A week after governor sought report on law and order situation chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi called on Keshri Nath Tripathi at Raj Bhavan early on Saturday. The meeting lasted for half an hour.

Sack ministers who question transfer of officials, SuMo asks CM
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi on Friday asked chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi to dismiss the two ministers who have questioned the recent transfer of officials heading their respective departments.


Merger of Janata Parivar parties on fast track: Lalu
Patna,(BiharTimes): Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad once again said that the merger process of parties of Janata Parivar is on the fast track.Talking to the media after his arrival from New Delhi on Friday afternoon he said that the leaders of the Janata Parivar have held two rounds of talks on the issue and Mulayam Singh Yadav has been authorised to deal with it.

Three-year-old raped in Bihar, one arrested
Patna, Jan 31 (IANS) A man was arrested in Bihar's Madhubani district Saturday for allegedly raping a three-year-old girl and then hanging her naked from a tree, police said.

Take Rs.41,000, forget rape: Panchayat tells victim
Patna, Jan 31 (IANS) In a shocking incident, a panchayat in Bihar has ordered one of its members accused of raping a Mahadalit woman to pay her Rs.41,000 and asked the victim to not report the incident, police said Saturday.

Maoists blow up mobile tower in Bihar
Patna, Jan 31 (IANS) Maoists blew up a mobile tower in Bihar's Lakhisarai district and took a cabin man of a railway station hostage for four hours in Jamui district, affecting the movement of trains, police said Saturday.

Litchis linked to mysterious Bihar epidemic
WASHINGTON : A toxin in litchi fruits may be linked to a mysterious and sometimes fatal brain disease that has afflicted children in Muzaffarpur district in Bajjikanchal region of Bihar, and neighbouring districts since 1995, US researchers claim.

JANUARY-2015



Nitish blasts Narendra Modi, says merger will take place
Patna,(BiharTimes): Stating that the merger of parties of Janata Parivar would definitely take place former chief minister Nitish Kumar said on Friday that prime minister Narendra Modi is anti-poor amd detest the expressions‘samajwad’ (socialism) and ‘dharam-nirpekch’ (secularism).

RJD, JD-U will merge, say Lalu and Nitish
Patna/New Delhi, Jan 30 (IANS) Six "Janata Parivar" parties will certainly merge soon as there is no hurdle, former Bihar chief ministers Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad announced Friday.

Sharad, Lalu hold talks as Jan 30 Janata Parivar meeting cancelled
Patna,(BiharTimes): JD(U) president Sharad Yadav on Thursday held a long discussion with his RJD counterpart Lalu Prasad in New Delhi. The meeting came two days after Sharad met Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Take Rs.41,000, forget rape: Panchayat tells victim
Patna, Jan 31 (IANS) In a shocking incident, a panchayat in Bihar has ordered one of its members accused of raping a Mahadalit woman to pay her Rs.41,000 and asked the victim to not report the incident, police said Saturday.

Maoists blow up mobile tower in Bihar
Patna, Jan 31 (IANS) Maoists blew up a mobile tower in Bihar's Lakhisarai district and took a cabin man of a railway station hostage for four hours in Jamui district, affecting the movement of trains, police said Saturday.

Dalit JD(U) legislators repose faith in leadership of Nitish
Patna,(BiharTimes): The dinner hosted by Arun Manjhi, a Janata Dal (United) MLA close to Jitan Ram Manjhi, for all the Dalit legislators of the ruling party on Thursday night, took an interesting turn by the time all was over.

CM for inclusion of Paswans into Mahadalit category
Patna,(BiharTimes): Stating that there are many poor and deserving people in the Paswan community chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said that he is in favour of ending the difference between the Dalit and Mahadalit castes.

Nitish, Lalu have tied Manjhi’s hands, feet, says Sushil Modi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said on Thursday that Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar and the RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav have tied the hands and feet of chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and are not letting him function independently.

Lalu asks Manjhi to avoid giving controversial remarks
Patna,(BiharTimes): Stating that it is upto the Janata Dal (United) and its leader Nitish Kumar to decide whether Jitan Ram Manjhi should continue or not Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Thursday once again requested the Bihar chief minister to avoid giving any such remarks which may be misunderstood by the people.

Soldier arrested in Bihar for molesting minor girl
Patna, Jan 29 (IANS) A soldier was arrested Thursday in Bihar for molesting a minor girl on a train, police said here.

Bihar youth killed for pasting posters defaming girl
Patna, Jan 29 (IANS) A youth died and two were critically injured after being brutally beaten for allegedly pasting posters defaming a girl in Bihar's Gaya district, police said Thursday.

Governor’s haste in seeking report on law & order surprises political observers
Patna,(BiharTimes): As the state government has reportedly sent its reply to the governor Keshri Nath Tripathi about law and order situation in the state independent political observers are surprised over the hurried manner in which Raj Bhawan has acted.


Preamble photo puts Modi-government in a fix
New Delhi/Mumbai, Jan 28 (IANS) An uproar erupted Wednesday over a Republic Day government advertisement featuring the preamble of the Constitution sans the words "secular" and "socialist". But Shiv Sena suggested the words be removed permanently.

Ram Vilas blasts Manjhi, says Assembly poll will be fought in name of Narendra Modi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Departing from the line adopted by theBharatiya Janata Party, Lok Janshakti Party leader and Unionfood minister Ram Vilas Paswan said here on Wednesday that the Jitan Ram Manjhi government is surviving “BhagwanBharose” (God’s mercy) and may collapse any moment.Commenting on the report sought by the governor Keshri NathTripathi he came down heavily on the Manjhi government forthe communal violence at Azizpur in Muzaffarpur district andother incidents.


Lalu questions BJP’s belated love for Karpoori, to lead march to Raj Bhawan on March 15
Patna,(BiharTimes): Ridiculing the belated love of Bharatiya Janata Party for the former chief minister Karpoori Thakur, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Wednesday announced that his party workers would hold a big public meeting in Gandhi Maidan on March 15 and then would march to Raj Bhawan to ask the Narendra Modi government to deposit lakhs of rupees of black money in the account of the people as promised before the Lok Sabha election.

BJP ‘adopts’ Karpoori Thakur, will it do same to V P Singh?
The Bharatiya Janata Party continues to adopt leaders who either opposed it during their respective lifetime or who refused to toe its line. If the party carries on this practice, days are not far away when it may appropriate the Mandal hero, V P Singh, whose government the saffron party brought down in 1990.

Governor seeks report on deteriorating law & order, asks CM to monitor
Patna,(BiharTimes): Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi has sought report from the state government on deteriorating law and order situation in Bihar and has asked chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi to monitor the situation and send reply.

A slap in the face of the BJP leaders, Lalu on Obama’s statement
Patna,(BiharTimes): Commenting on Barack Obama’s advice to Indians on religious tolerance Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Tuesday said that the United States President delivered a big slap on the face of the BJP and Sangh Parivar leaders.

Another dinner diplomacy: This time at the house of J K Singh
Patna,(BiharTimes): Another dinner was hosted by a minister close to the Nitish Kumar camp.Cooperative minister Jay Kumar Singh on Tuesday night organized the dinner on the occasion of the birthday of his son.


BJP's Mission 185 in Bihar a day dream: Congress
Patna, Jan 27 (IANS) The Congress Tuesday termed the BJP's mission in Bihar to win 185 seats in the assembly polls later this year as "Mungeri Lal Ke Haseen Sapne" (day dreaming).

Bihar honours police officer who arrested IM chief
Patna Jan 26 (IANS) The Bihar government Monday awarded Police Medal to Indian Police Service officer Vinay Kumar for his gallantry in arresting Yasin Bhatkal, chief of the banned Indian Mujahideen, in 2013, an official said.

Bihar activist demands Bharat Ratna for Mountain Man
New Delhi, Jan 26 (IANS) In India's 66th year as a Republic, Bihar-based activist Rakesh Ranjan is trying to gather steam for his campaign to get the government to recognise as Bharat Ratna 'Mountain Man' Dashrath Manjhi. He hand-chiseled a road through a rocky hill to connect his inacessible village to the nearest town over 22 years of labour.

Woman who saved Muslims in riots hoists flag in Bihar
Patna, Jan 26 (IANS) Commoner Shail Devi, who saved the lives of 10 Muslims during the communal clashes in Muzaffarpur district earlier this month, hoisted the national flag at the state Congress headquarter here Monday.

Bihar celebrates Republic Day with joy
Patna, Jan 26 (IANS) The 66th Republic Day was celebrated across Bihar Monday with joy and enthusiasm amid tight security.


R.K. Laxman: The Uncommon Man passes into history
Mumbai, Jan 26 (IANS) A story in the media goes that one day a few decades ago, The Times Of India (ToI) cartoonist and creator of The Common Man, R.K. Laxman, retired. The following day, the legend's cartoon was not to be found as readers rubbed their disbelieving eyes over their morning cuppa.

MoU signed to elevate RAU into central university Patna,(BiharTimes): A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Bihar government and Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) on Sunday to elevate the century old Rajendra Agricultural University (RAU) at Pusa in Samastipur into a central university.Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi were present on at a function organised in Patna.


JD(U) spokesman upset over Manjhi’s praise for Centre Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s praise for the Centre for elevating the status of Rajendra Agricultural University into a central university has been criticized by the party spokesman.Talking to the media after the signing of MoU on Sunday Manjhi said he was thankful to the Union government. “If this causes stomach ache to someone, let it be so. If we have to get work done by the Centre, we will have to thank it,” he added.

Obama visit: India, US achieve breakthrough in civil n-deal implementation
New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) India and the US Sunday announced the much-anticipated breakthrough agreement on commercial implementation of their landmark civil nuclear deal, six years after it was signed, and also entered a new strategic phase of co-production of some defence projects, as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting US President Barack Obama held talks marked by much warmth and camaraderie.

Advani, Dilip Kumar, Amitabh conferred Padma Vibhushan
New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) BJP leader L.K. Advani, spiritual leader and philanthropist Aga Khan, actors Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal are among the nine named for India's second highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan, Sunday.

Manjhi shares dais with Nitish, reposes full faith in him
Patna,(BiharTimes): A few days after saying that he would not join the BJP till his last breath and that he would take ‘sanyas’ (retirement) from politics rather than join the saffron brigade, Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi once again reposed full faith in the leadership of former chief minister Nitish Kumar

‘Mentally disturbed’ man trying to send e-mail to Obama taken into custody in Bodh Gaya
Patna,(BiharTimes): Gaya Police on Sunday took a 49-year-old man into custody from a cyber cafe in Bodh Gaya for allegedly trying to send an e-mail to US President Barack Obama seeking 130 crore dollars as fund for national relief.

Ask Nitishji, replies Manjhi to a question on Amit Shah’s criticism of Bihar government
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Janata Dal (United) national president, Sharad Yadav, held a close door meeting with chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and state party chief, Vashistha Narayan Singh at state guest house early on Saturday. Sharad reportedly asked Manjhi and Vashistha as to what is happening in the party.

Parliamentary board to decide on naming CM candidate for Bihar polls: Amit Shah
Patna, Jan 24 (IANS) The BJP parliamentary board will decide on whether to name the chief ministerial candidate for the Bihar assembly polls later this year, party president Amit Shah said here Saturday.

BJP has put Advani in cold storage: Nitish Kumar
Patna, Jan 24 (IANS) Former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar Saturday criticised the BJP for putting its senior leader L.K. Advani in "cold storage".

Vande Mataram should not be imposed: Minister
Patna, Jan 25 (IANS) Union minister of state for HRD Upendra Kushwaha said Sunday that singing 'Vande Mataram' should not be forced on any one in the country.


Woman who triggered bomb blast in Bihar court identified
Patna, Jan 24 (IANS) The woman who triggered the bomb blast in the premises of the Ara civil court in Bihar's Bhojpur district that killed two people has been identified, police said Saturday.

Two killed over land dispute in Bihar
Patna, Jan 25 (IANS) Two people were killed Sunday in a village in Bihar's Banka district over a land dispute, police said.


Bihar CM seeks status report from all departments
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Saturday sought status report on implementation of the programmes and policies of the government from each department.The CM Secretariat in a directive to all the departments has asked asked the latest report on the agenda of ‘susashan’ during 2010-15 and details of achievements against the set target during 2014.

Bihar on jungle-raj path after Nitish-Lalu deal: Amit Shah
Patna, Jan 23 (IANS) Bihar was again on the path of 'jungle-raj', thanks to JD-U leader Nitish Kumar joining hands with RJD chief Lalu Prasad for the sake of power, BJP president Amit Shah said here Friday.

Manjhi continues to pat on his back, says his government is doing better than the past
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Thursday once again claimed that his government is doing better than that of the former chief minister Nitish Kumar.He said in Banka that in the past the government could not spend more than 30% to 45% of the budgetary allocation while “a poor man Manjhi” managed to spend 58% of the budget on welfare works.


Nitish visits Azizpur, suspects conspiracy behind riots
Patna,(BiharTimes): Shedding the past policy of not visiting the troubled spot former chief minister Nitish Kumar on Friday met the victims of Azizpur village in Muzaffarpur district.Later while talking to the media he suspected some conspiracy behind the killing of four Muslims after the body of a Sahni boy, Bharatendu Kumar, was recovered on Jan 18. Nitish also met his family members and assured that everything would be thoroughly probed.


Manjhi asked to maintain discipline: K C Tyagi
Patna,(BiharTimes): The national spokesman of the Janata Dal (United), K C Tyagi, said on Friday that chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, had been advised to work while maintaining full discipline.

Two killed, over dozen injured in Bihar court blast
Patna, Jan 23 (IANS) Three people, including a woman, a police constable and an undertrial prisoner were killed and more than half a dozen injured in a bomb blast in a Bihar court Friday, police said.

Bihar among states with very slow growth rate in Muslim population
Patna,(BiharTimes): With just 0.4 per cent Bihar is among the states which witnessed one of the slowest growth rate in the population of Muslims in India. The countrywide growth was 0.8 per cent. In 2001 the percentage of Muslim population in Bihar was 16.5 while in 2011 it increased to 16.9.


Amit Shah to kick off 'Mission Bihar' to woo EBCs
Patna, Jan 22 (IANS) BJP president Amit Shah is set to kick-start 'Mission Bihar' here Friday to woo the extremely backward castes (EBCs) on the birth anniversary of former chief minister Karpoori Thakur.

Shyam Rajak denies any political meaning to his dinner party
Patna,(BiharTimes): Food minister in the Jitan Ram Manjhi cabinet on Thursday denied that he is in the race for the post of chief minister and that there is any political meaning to the dinner hosted by him on Wednesday night. In all 18 ministers reportedly took part in it.

Leaders wear Islamic skull caps only for show: Heptullah
Patna, Jan 22 (IANS) Union Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptuallah Thursday criticised former Bihar chief ministers Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad for wearing Islamic skull cap only for show as she said they have hardly worked to improve Muslims' socio-economic conditions.

Bihar sets up SIT to probe Muzaffarpur killings
Patna, Jan 22 (IANS) Bihar Thursday set up a Special Investigating Team (SIT) to probe the death of five people in Muzaffarpur district four days ago which had triggered off a communal clash, officials said.

Counter BJP with social media, JD-U workers told
Patna, Jan 21 (IANS) Leaders and workers of Bihar's ruling JD-U will use "social media" in a big way to counter Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP ahead of the state assembly polls later this year, a party leader said here Wednesday.

28 tigers in Bihar reserve
Patna, Jan 22 (IANS) The number of tigers in Bihar's Valmiki Tiger Reserve has increased from 22 to 28, an official said Thursday.

Hindu widow saved 10 Muslims in Bihar riots
Azizpur, Jan 21 (IANS): A Hindu woman who saved lives of 10 Muslims in this village in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district during the recent clashes in which five people died is being hailed as a hero, officials said.

Bihar CM meets communal clash victims
Patna, Jan 21 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Wednesday visited Muzaffarpur district's Azizpur village, where three days ago a mob killed five people triggering a communal clash.

JD(U) to hold workers’ rally at Gandhi Maidan on Feb 15
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Janata Dal (United) will organize a big rally of party workers at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan on February 15.This announcement was made after the conclusion of the two-day (Jan 20-21) training programme organized at the residence of the former chief minister Nitish Kumar.

Nitish is a ‘nakalchi parikcharti’ says state BJP chief
Patna,(BiharTimes): Commenting on Nitish Kumar’s appeal to the Janata Dal (United) workers to take help of social media the state unit chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Mangal Pandey, said the former chief minister is a ‘nakalchi parikcharti’ (one who copies in exam) and those who copy in examination never pass.

Manjhi flays BJP for shedding crocodile tears
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Wednesday criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party for shedding crocodile tears and foe politicizing the communal riots in Muzaffarpur village

Lalu opposes judicial probe into Azizpur riots
Patna,(BiharTimes): Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Wednesday opposed the demand for judicial inquiry into the communal riots at Azizpur village in Muzaffarpur district in which four people were killed last Sunday.

Nitish to campaign for AAP in Delhi election
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former chief minister Niatish Kumar will campaign for Aam Admi Party (AAP) candidates in the Assembly election for Delhi

Ram Kripal-Manjhi meet sparks off speculation
Patna,(BiharTimes): Union minister of state for drinking water Ram Kripal Yadav here on Tuesday called on chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.Though the meeting was stated to be official it sparked off speculation because it came only five days after Manjhi’s meeting with Sadhu Yadav, who too is considered close to the BJP.

Five policemen suspended over Muzaffarpur riots
Patna, Jan 20 (IANS) Five police officials were suspended in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district Tuesday for negligence on duty in the light of killings of four people and arson in a village that later turned into a communal clash, police said.

Muzaffarpur riots a fall-out of Nitish-Manjhi tussle: BJP
Patna,(BiharTimes): All senior BJP leaders, be it former deputy CM Sushil Modi, Union minister of state for skill development Rajiv Pratap Rudy and former Union minister Shahnawaz Husain, have said that the communal riots in Muzaffarpur village was the fall out of the power tussle between chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and former chief minister Nitish Kumar.

Manjhi to continue as Bihar CM, says Lalu
Patna, Jan 20 (IANS) RJD chief Lalu Prasad Tuesday said Jitan Ram Manjhi will continue to be the Bihar chief minister, ending speculation that his days were numbered and he would soon be removed.

Narendra Singh softens stand, not to join BJP
Patna,(BiharTimes): Stating that he is not at all going to join the Bharatiya Janata Party in spite of provocation.

Jharkhand's ex-CM Koda summoned in coal block case
New Delhi, Jan 20 (IANS) Former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, ex-coal secretary Harish Chandra Gupta and six people and a company were summoned by a special court here Tuesday in a coal block allocation case involving Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd.

Muzaffarpur riots may compel political players to re-draw  their strategies
The communal riots in Muzaffarpur village on January 18 in  which several lives were lost came at the time of a great  political uncertainty in Bihar. 

Is Manjhi on way out? Yes, if media reports are to be  believed
Patna,(BiharTimes): Even as former chief minister Nitish  Kumar was on Monday afternoon, while talking to the  journalists, ruling out replacement of chief minister Jitan  Ram Manjhi some regional television channels were running  detail reports claiming that the latter is on way out.

Mangal Pandey blames Bihar government for Muzaffarpur violence 
Patna,(BiharTimes): A day after praising chief minister Jitan  Ram Manjhi the state BJP chief Mangal Pandey on Monday held the  deteriorating law and order situation in Bihar responsible for  violence in Azizpur village under Sariya block of Muzaffarpur  district.

Nitish condemns communal riots, says no question of removing  Manjhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Stating that there is no question of  removing chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi from his post,  former chief minister Nitish Kumar strongly condemned the  communal riots in Azizpur village of Muzaffarpur district.

Myanmar vice president prays at Bodh Gaya
Patna, Jan 19 (IANS) Myanmar Vice President Sai Mauk Kham Monday visited Bodh Gaya and prayed at the Mahabodhi temple, Buddhism's holiest shrine, officials said.

Intense cold kills 15 in Bihar, schools closed
Patna Jan 19 (IANS) Intense cold in Bihar has claimed 15 more lives, pushing the total number of casualties due to inclement weather to 42, officials said Monday.


Death toll in Muzaffarpur riots reaches five, many missing
Patna,(BiharTimes): The death toll in the communal violence in Alitpur-Bhilwara village under Saraiya police station of Muzaffarpur district has reached five with many more people still missing. Several of those injured have been rushed to the SKMCH in Muzaffarpur town.


Raghuvansh urges Manjhi to include Paswans in Mahadalit list
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former Union rural development minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh on Sunday called upon chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi to include Paswan (or Dussadh) sub-caste of Scheduled Castes in the list of Mahadalit.

 

Three burnt to death as mob set ablaze 50 houses Patna,(BiharTimes):At  least three persons were burnt to death as a mob torch nine houses in Ajitpur village near Muzaffarpur district in Bihar following the recovery of an abducted youth’s corpse.


Vashistha calls on Sharad, says party chief upset over remarks of spokesmen
Patna,(BiharTimes): The state unit chief of Janata Dal (United), Vashistha Narayan Singh, said on Sunday that the party’s national president Sharad Yadav does not approve the statements given by the two state spokesmen of the party,Neeraj Kumar and Ajay Alok.

Bihar police to post SC/ST SHOs as per their population
Patna,(BiharTimes): Crime Investigation Department (CID) ADG (Weaker Sections) Arvind Pandey on Saturday sent a letter to all SSPs, SPs and Superintendents of Railway Police (SRPs), asking them to ensure posting of efficient SC/ST police officers as SHOs in proportion to the reservation granted to them by the state government.

Pappu Yadav backs Manjhi, asks BJP not to fish in troubled waters of JD(U)
Patna,(BiharTimes): Accusing the BJP, especially its leader Sushil Kumar Modi, of fishing in the troubled waters of the Janata Dal (United) Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Pappu Yadav on Sunday said that no effort whatsoever should be made to disturb chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi till the next Assembly election. In the same breath he added that it would not be wrong if Nitish Kumar is made the chief minister once again after the election.

Narendra Singh urges Sharad to call high-level party meet
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar’s agriculture minister Narendra Singh on Sunday asked the Janata Dal (United) chief Sharad Tadav to call a meeting to discuss the issues arising after the statements made by the two spokesmen of Janata Dal (United), Neeraj Kumar and Ajay Alok.

Indian Oil Bihar refinery to raise capacity to 9 MTPA
Barauni (Bihar), Jan 19 (IANS) The capacity of the 50-year old Barauni refinery will be raised to 9 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said Sunday.

Mangal Pandey praises Manjhi, says he is not weak
Patna,(BiharTimes): The president of Bihar unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Mangal Pandey, on Sunday said that if chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi wants to cross over his party may consider his plea.

Five Maoists arrested in Bihar
Patna, Jan 18 (IANS) Five wanted Maoists were arrested in Bihar's Jehanabad district Sunday, police said

Another JD(U) spokesman speaks his master’s voice; calls for resignation of two ministers
Patna,(BiharTimes): Hours after one JD(U) spokesman Niraj Kumar criticized chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi another party spokesman, Ajay Alok, asked two ministers of his cabinet, Narendra Singh and Nitish Mishra, to resign from their posts and join the BJP.

Sadhu hits back at JD(U), says Nitish was a murder accused
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former MP and brother-in-law of Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad on Saturday strongly hit back at the Janata Dal (United) spokesman Neeraj Kumar for calling him a symbol of ‘aatank’ and ‘bhay’ (fear).

JD(U) spokesman flays CM for meeting Sadhu Yadav
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Janata Dal (United) spokesman, Neeraj Kumar, on Saturday came down strongly on his own party chief minister, Jitan Ram Manjhi, for meeting former MP, Sadhu Yadav, who is now considered close to the BJP.

Maternal mortality rates come down in Bihar
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar has registered a decline of 11 points in the maternal mortality rate between 2011 and 2013. This is still the second highest rate in the country.Deaths of mothers that take place within 42 days of childbirth is defined as the maternal mortanlity. Registrar General of India report said that 208 mothers die in the state per one lakh live births. The overall figure per year in the state is 7,680.

22 IPS officers transferred
Patna,(BiharTimes): The state government on Thursday shifted 22 IPS officers, including superintendent of police of some districts and two IGs.Senior SP of Gaya, Nishant Kumar Tiwari, has been transferred and appointed as BMP-1 Commandant (Patna). He has been replaced by P Kannan, who was posted as AIG (Q).

Story by jailed former MP included in textbook
Patna, Jan 16 (IANS) A story written in Hindi by former Bihar MP Anand Mohan, serving life term for the 1994 lynching of Gopalganj district magistrate G. Krishnaiah, has been included in a Class VIII text book.

Partial shutdown in Bihar over acquittals in Dalit massacre
Patna, Jan 16 (IANS) Road and rail traffic in Bihar was partly hit Friday during a shutdown called by the CPI-ML to protest against the acquittal of 24 people in the massacre of 22 Dalits in 1999.

Lalu vacates Delhi ministerial bungalow
Patna,(BiharTimes): Two months after an eviction order was passed in November 2014 the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad on Tuesday vacated the 7,000 sqm ministerial bungalow he had been occupying for last 13 years.After the heart surgery in August last year Lalu had sought an extension.

Option open for Manjhi, says SuMo
Patna,(BiharTimes): Departing from his past stand senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Thursday said that his party has left all its options open in dealing with the emerging political situation in the state, especially involving chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.

Private Secretaries of Rudy, Giriraj appointed
Patna,(BiharTimes): Kundan Kumar, a 2004 batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre and Sudhanshu Kumar, a 1996 batch IPS officer of Bihar cadre have been appointed as Private Secretaries to Union Ministers Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Giriraj Singh respectively.

We are not in a hurry, says Lalu
Patna,(BiharTimes): RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav said on Thursday that nobody is in a hurry for merger of the parties of Janata Parivar.

Man in Bihar tries to sell son for liquor, arrested
Patna, Jan 15 (IANS) A man was arrested in Bihar's East Champaran district after he tried to sell his minor son to purchase liquor, police said Thursday.


Political churning at ‘dahi-chura’ parties
Patna,(BiharTimes): Prominent leaders of Rashtriya Janata Dal  and Janata Dal (United) attended the ‘chura-dahi’ parties  thrown by Lalu Prasad Yadav and Vashistha Narayan Singh on  Wednesday.


Shakuni Chaudhary questions merger of JD(U) with parties of  Janata Parivar
Patna,(BiharTimes): Janata Dal (United) leader Shakuni  Chaudhary on Wednesday questioned the very process of Janata  Dal (United) merging with the Rashtriya Janata Dal.

Merged parties of Janata Parivar may pose a big challenge to  BJP: Upendra Kushwaha Patna,(BiharTimes): Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP)  president and Union Minister of State for Education Upendra  Kushwaha on Wednesday acknowledged that the merger of the  five parties of Janata Parivar would no doubt pose a big  challenge to the BJP and its allies in Bihar in the Assembly  election to be held later this year.

Merger causing trouble to some people, says Lalu
Patna,(BiharTimes): Taking a dig at the BJP the Rashtriya  Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Wednesday said that some  people are finding themselves in deep trouble over the merger  of the parties of Janata Parivar as it would change the  political scenario of the country.

Diesel price to go up by Rs 3.02 as Bihar makes upward  revision of VAT
Patna,(BiharTimes): The state cabinet on Tuesday decided to  make an upward revision of the value added tax (VAT) on  diesel. The state would now impose 18 per cent VAT on diesel  against the earlier rate of 16 per cent. 

State cabinet decision on diesel price
Patna,(BiharTimes): Trade bodies and opposition parties have  flayed the decision of the state cabinet to increase the VAT  on diesel. flayed

Bihar cabinet nod on tax exempt to ‘pk’
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Jitan Ram Manjhi cabinet approved a  government decision to exempt Hindi movie, ‘pk’, from  entertainment tax with retrospective effect from January 2  this year.

Dalits angry as Bihar massacre accused are acquitted
Patna, Jan 15 (IANS) Family members of the Dalits who were killed in 1999 in Bihar's Arwal district, allegedly by the outlawed, upper -caste militia Ranvir Sena men, are disheartened and devastated over the release of all the accused.

Bihar woman says man harassed her via 750 mobile numbers
Patna, Jan 14 (IANS) A woman in Bihar here has claimed that a man called her from 750 mobile phone numbers in the last six years asking her to accept him as her lover.

No merger at Bihar level, says Lalu
Patna,(BiharTimes): Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad  Yadav is of the view that the merger of the Janata Parivar parties would take at the national level and not at the Bihar level as is being highlighted in a section of media.

Bihar court acquits 24 accused in 1999 Dalit massacre
Patna, Jan 13 (IANS)Citing lack of evidence, a Bihar court Tuesday acquitted 24 people of the 1999 massacre of 22 Dalits, a government lawyer said.

RJD-JD(U) to merge before mega-merger of Janata Parivar, says  JD(U)
Patna,(BiharTimes): Now it appears to be clear from the  Janata Dal (United) point of view.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal and Janata Dal (United) would merge  before the six parties of the Janata Parivar finally merge.  The indications in this regard were given by the national  president of the Janata Dal (United) Sharad Yadav and the  state unit chief Vashistha Narayan Singh.

Mulayam Singh not inclined to mega-merger, says Sushil Modi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on  Tuesday asked whether the RJD would merge with the JD(U) or the latter with the former; or whether both the parties would  dissolve themselves and come up with a new party.

Mission-185 will fail in Bihar, says Congress leader
Patna,(BiharTimes): The media incharge of the Bihar unit of  Congress Prem Chand Mishra said on Tuesday that the Mssion-185  would fail in Bihar as it had failed in Jammu and Kashmir,  Haryana and Jharkhand.

No need of Mahadalit CM for development of this section:  Shyam Rajak
Patna,(BiharTimes): Without taking anyone’s name food  minister Shyam Rajak said that it is not necessary that the  chief minister of Bihar should be Mahadalit for the  development of this section of the society.

I will continue to be Bihar CM, says Manjhi
Patna, Jan 12 (IANS) Jitan Ram Manjhi Monday said he will continue to be chief minister of Bihar.
On being told by the media at his weekly 'janata durbar' that some Janata Dal-United leaders wanted to oust him, Manjhi said he will continue to be the chief minister "for now".

Rabri-Lallan patch-up: Another instance of RJD, JD(U) coming closer
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi and minister of road construction Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lallan Singh on Monday filed petitions in a local court here seeking closure of a case filed by the latter against the former.

Have stopped BJP’s bid to walk away with Mahadalit votes: Manjhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said on Monday that he had stopped the BJP’s bid to walk away with the Mahadalit votes.Talking to the media on the sidelines of the Janata Darbar at his official residence the chief minister said that he had stopped BJP’s hands towards the Mahadalits (“haath ruk gaya hai”).

Will hold Amit Shah’s meeting on road if Miller School ground is denied: SuMo
Patna,(BiharTimes): Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said on Monday that his party would commemorate the birth anniversary function of former chief minister Karpoori Thakur on January 23 at Beer Chand Patel Marg itself if the ruling Janata Dal (United) government refuses to give the Miller School or Veterinary College ground for this purpose. The party’s national president Amit Shah is to attend the function.


BJP to hold public rally in Gandhi Maidan on April 14
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Bharatiya Janata Party will organize a public meeting at Patnas Gandhi Maidan on April 14 next.This decision was taken at the meeting of the core group from Bihar presided over by the party;s national president, Amit Shah in New Delhi on Sunday.


Yet another assertion by Manjhi: CM presides over meet of SC, ST officials
Patna,(BiharTimes): For the first time in the history any chief minister of Bihar presided over the meeting of officials belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the state Secretariat and that too on Sunday.

MoS Railways blames Bihar for delay in two bridges over Ganga
Patna,(BiharTimes): Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha on Sunday held the Bihar government responsible for the delay in construction of approach roads of rail-cum-road bridges at Digha in Patna and Munger.

Nitish postpones Sampark Yatra, says no change of CM in Bihar
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former chief minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday postponed his Sampark Yatra and all political programmes of the Janata Dal (United) till the merger of all the six parties of Janata Parivar.

Bajrang Dal attacks Christian bhawan in Bihar town
Patna, Jan 11 (IANS) A group of Bajrang Dal activists Sunday attacked and vandalized the Christian bhawan (building) at a Bihar town, police said.


CMs' meet to speed up road links in Maoist-hit states
New Delhi, Jan 11 (IANS) Union Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari has convened a chief ministers' conference of eight states haunted by Left-wing extremism to resolve bottlenecks in speedy implementation of road projects being executed in remote areas of these states.


Girl born with parasitic twin struggling for survival
Patna, Jan 9 (IANS) Nine-year-old Lakshmi Tatma, who was born with a parasitic twin that was removed after a highly-publicised operation in Bengaluru in 2007, is again facing health problems that may threaten her life, her parents say.


Confusion time in Bihar politics
Patna,(BiharTimes): With the Assembly election nine months from now the political situation is extremely fluid in Bihar.Almost all the political parties, be it the ruling or the opposition, are unable to draw their strategy. The bigger the party in the state Assembly, the bigger is the challenge before them.

Judges do not do justice, they only pronounce judgement: Manjhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said that judges do not do justice, but they only pronounce judgement.Speaking at a seminar on Immediate Solution to Land Disputes in Patna on Saturday the chief minister quoted the first President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad, who had once asked the judge in a case to do justice (nyay), upon which the latter said that he only pronounce judgement (faisla).

Dr C P Thakur comes to Manjhi’s rescue, welcomes him to BJP
Patna,(BiharTimes): Two days after the former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi strongly criticized both Jitan Ram Manjhi and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar former Union minister and senior BJP leader Dr C P Thakur on Saturday said something quite different.

Monks reprise Buddha's walk route after enlightenment
Patna, Jan 10 (IANS) Over 400 Buddhist monks Saturday took part in a 13-km 'heritage walk' in Bihar in a bid to revive the ancient route between Jethian and Venuvan which Gautam Buddha took after attaining enlightenment.

Sharad, Nitish meet Lalu in New Delhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Janata Dal (United) leaders Nitish Kumar and Sharad Yadav held talks in New Delhi on Friday to chalk out the merger plan.Though they discussed the issue of merger they rejected speculation that their meeting was on leadership change in Bihar.

Manjhi terms Nitish Kumar 'Chanakya'
Patna, Jan 9 (IANS) At a time when speculation is rife that Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi will be removed, he Friday described former chief minister Nitish Kumar as 'Chanakya' of politics.

Sharp fall in Maoists’ violence in Bihar in 2014Patna,(BiharTimes): There has been a sharp decline in the Maoists’ violence in Bihar in 2014, especially in its second half, than in 2013. Most of the incidents occurred in the state in the first half, that is, during the Lok Sabha election.

Uncertainty taking its toll in Bihar: SuMo
Patna,(BiharTimes): Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Thursday said that the political tussle between chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and his predecessor, Nitish Kumar, is taking a huge toll on the development and law and order situation in Bihar.

Nitish is Buddhiman, says Manjhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Friday gave yet another ‘loaded’ statement.Speaking at a function organized to commemorate the establishment of Ram Sundar Das Mahila College at Sonepur.Manjhi went on to say that Nitish is ‘Buddhiman’ (sensible and mature) person. However, in the same breath he said that may be Jitan Ram Manjhi is a ‘Buddhu’ (stupid or less sensible). “Who does not know how ‘Buddhiman’ Nitish Kumar is?” he asked amidst clapping.

Manjhi will continue to be CM till Assembly poll: Narendra Singh
Patna,(BiharTimes): One of the senior most ministers of Bihar, Narendra Singh, said on Friday that Jitan Ram Manjhi would remain as the chief minister of Bihar till the next Assembly election.

Who am I to give assurance on whether Manjhi will remain or not: Nitish
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, in a way, dismissed the speculation that he is going to New Delhi to discuss the fate of Bihar chief minister with party chief Sharad Yadav, RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav and Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.


I have not learnt hoshiyari, says Manjhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): “Sab kuch mein ne sikha na sikhi hoshiyari. Such hai dunya walon hum hain anari.” (I have learnt everything, but not how to become mature.) So said the Bihar chief minister, Jitan Ram Manjhi, while talking to the media on Thursday. He was actually commenting on the recent political developments, especially the comments made by his own parliamentary affairs minister Shrawan Kumar that chief minister keeps changing his statement after every two minutes.

I am a novice in politics: Manjhi
Patna, Jan 8 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi Thursday expressed his helplessness for repeatedly committing faux pas, saying he was a "novice" in politics.

After OTA and CUB, Gaya gets IIM
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Union Human Resources Development Minister Smriti Irani has reportedly agreed to the state government’s proposal to set up Indian Institute of Management on the campus of the Magadh University in Bodh Gaya. Classes are likely to start from this academic session, though no final words have yet come from the Centre.

Bihar minister apologises for his remarks against Manjhi
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar’s parliamentary affairs minister Shrawan Kumar on Thursday apologized for his remarks made against the chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi a day earlier.“Hamari zabaan phisal gayee, nikal gayee koi baat, hum uske liye sorry bole hain, maafi manga hai.”

Cabinet nod to five decimal land to homeless SC/ST families
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Jitan Ram Manjhi cabinet on Wednesday gave green signal to the proposal to provide five decimal land to homeless SC, ST and other eligible persons.According to the decision if the settlement is a cluster, preferably of 20 families then 100 decimal land will be given for housing and additional 20 decimal land for road and community centre.

State govt increases Maternity Leave to 180 days
Patna,(BiharTimes): The state cabinet on Wednesday increased the Maternity Leave to 180 days from 135 days, and also made provisions for 730 days of Child Care Leave.According to Principal Secretary, Cabinet Coordination Department B Pradhan it was realised that there was no provision for Child Care Leave for women government employees

Manjhi asserts by shunting IAS officers close to Nitish
Patna,(BiharTimes): The state government late on Tuesday transferred 18 senior IAS officers, including principal Home Secretary, Amir Subhani. He has been shifted to the General Administrative Department after serving as the home secretary for about six years.

Four other rebel JD-U MLAs move court
Patna, Jan 7 (IANS) Four rebel JD-U legislators Wednesday filed a petition in the Patna High Court challenging assembly Speaker Uday Narayan Choudhary's decision to terminate their membership.

Manjhi changes statement after every two minutes, says his own minister
Patna,(BiharTimes): The parliamentary affairs minister of Bihar, Shrawan Kumar, on Wednesday advised the chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, to speak carefully and not to raise controversies.

Hunkar Rally blasts: NIA frames charges against 11
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Special Court of Anil Kumar Singh of National Investigation Agency (NIA)on Tuesday framed charges against 11 accused for the serial blasts at the then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi’s October 27, 2013 Hunkar Rally at Gandhi Maidan in Patna.

Rekha likely to be made brand ambassador of Bihar
Patna,(BiharTimes): Veteran actress Rekha is likely to be made the brand ambassador of Bihar

Manjhi ready for talks with Maoists
Patna,(BiharTimes): Adopting soft line towards the Left extremists Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi see no wrong in what Maoists are doing by collecting levy from contractors engaged in building roads, community buildings and other government works.

SuMo asks reinstated JD(U) MLAs to join BJP
Patna,(BiharTimes): Urging the four reinstated Janata Dal (United) MLAs to join the BJP senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said that the Patna high court ruling is a slap in the face of former chief minister Nitish Kumar.


Patna High Court restores membership of four disqualified JD(U) MLAs
Patna,(BiharTimes):The Patna High Court on Tuesday reinstated membership of four rebel Janata Dal-United MLAs, who were earlier disqualified by the Bihar Assembly Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary.


Supporters of reinstated MLAs greet HC ruling with burst of gunfire
Patna,(BiharTimes): The ruling of single bench of the Patna high court reinstating the membership of four JD(U) MLAs may have come as a shot in arm to the opposition in Bihar. But the news was greeted in a highly unlawful manner by the supporters of these MLAs and BJP.

Nitish refuses to comment, Manjhi welcomes High Court ruling
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Tuesday welcomed the ruling of the single bench of the Patna high court on the four terminated legislators of the Janata Dal (United).

BJP aims to add 75 lakh members ahead of Bihar polls
Patna, Jan 6 (IANS) The BJP plans to add 75 lakh new members in Bihar ahead of this year's assembly election, party leaders said Tuesday.


Janata Parivar front won't materialise: Paswan
New Delhi, Jan 6 (IANS) The proposed formation of a political front by erstwhile Janata Parivar parties was a "distant possibility" and "they won't get anything out of it", union minister Ram Vilas Paswan said Tuesday.


Patna family injected with sedatives, robbed
Patna, Jan 6 (IANS) Unidentified armed men carried out a robbery here Monday night by breaking into a house and injecting the family with sedatives before fleeing with cash and valuables worth lakhs of rupees, police said Tuesday.


Shoe thrown at Bihar CM Manjhi in Patna
Patna, Jan 5 (IANS) A shoe was hurled at Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi during his weekly 'Janata Durbar' (public meeting) in Patna Monday but missed its target, police said, adding that the man who threw it has been arrested.

Bihar ADG does not approve of Patna City (Central) SP’s behaviour
Patna,(BiharTimes): Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters), Gupteshwar Pandey, on Monday said that the treatement meted out to the Inspector of Police of Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh) by the Patna City (Central) SP, Shivdeep Lande, was not appropriate.

No fixed deadline for merger of parties of Janata Parivar
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former Bihar chief minister and JD (U) leader Nitish Kumar said on Sunday that though the process of merger is on track no deadline has yet been fixed for it.Talking to the media after two-day (Jan 4-5) meeting of the Political Advisory Committee of Janata Dal (United) in Patna he said that the merger would be according to a set process and all formalities would be finalized.

Men held for raping Japanese innocent, says family
Patna, Jan 5 (IANS) The family of two brothers arrested for the rape of a 22-year-old Japanese tourist in Bihar say they are innocent.

Around 1,700 Hindus convert to Buddhism in Bihar
Patna, Jan 5 (IANS) Around 1,700 Hindus in Bihar have embraced Buddhism citing the religion's emphaisis on unity and no discrimination among its followers, an official said Monday.

Manjhi backs Maoist levy on contractors
Patna, Jan 4 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi Sunday courted another controversy Sunday by supporting the Maoists' levy from contractors and businessmen.

Consensus in JD-U over merger with RJD
Patna, Jan 3 (IANS) A consensus emerged Saturday in Bihar's ruling JD-U over the party's merger with the RJD of Lalu Prasad to counter the BJP in state assembly polls later this year.

Nearly 500 Hindus convert to Buddhism in Bihar
Patna, Jan 3 (IANS) Nearly 500 Hindus, including women and children, converted to Buddhism Saturday in half a dozen villages in Bihar's Gaya district, officials said.

Woman's tongue cut off for defecating in field
Patna, Jan 3 (IANS) A woman's tongue was allegedly cut off by her neighbour in a Bihar village for defecating in the open in his field, police said Saturday.

Bihar paan seller offers free condoms
Patna, Jan 3 (IANS) In an innovative way to create awareness about population control, a paan seller in Bihar has been offering his customers a free condom with each betel leaf.

Kolkata police bust gang behind rape of Japanese tourist
Kolkata, Jan 2 (IANS) The city police Friday busted an inter-state racket operating in Kolkata and Bihar whose members had allegedly duped and raped a 22-year-old Japanese tourist in November, arresting five people.

JD(U) throws ‘chura-dahi’ party for RJD
Patna,(BiharTimes): The Political Advisory Committee of the Janata Dal (United) on Saturday gave green signal to the merger of the party with five other parties, including the Rashtriya Janata Dal.

Jharkhand Assembly poll compels Bihar parties to close ranks
Patna,(BiharTimes): The results of Jharkhand election may not  have much impact on the national politics but it certainly  will matter a lot in neighboring state of Bihar, where  election is due after 10 months.

Manjhi’s New Year visit to Lalu politically significant
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s  visit to 10-Circular Road––official residence of forner CM  Rabri Devi––to greet RJD chief Lalu Prasad on New Year’s Day  is being interpreted differently in political circle in  Bihar.

Policeman shot dead on train in Bihar
Patna, Jan 2 (IANS) A policeman was shot dead by unidentified criminals over a minor dispute on a train in Bihar's Munger district early Friday, police said.


Bihar CM, a dozen ministers possess firearms
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and a  dozen of his ministers possess various types of firearms,  including double barrel guns, rifles, pistols and revolvers.

Bihar paan seller offers free condoms
Patna, Jan 3 (IANS) In an innovative way to create awareness about population control, a paan seller in Bihar has been offering his customers a free condom with each betel leaf.

Bihar govt denying PAC chief post to opposition leader: SuMo
Patna,(BiharTimes): Stating that various anti-corruption institutions in the state have deliberately been weakened by the Janata Dal (United) government in the year 2014 senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Wednesday alleged that action against corrupt officials and confiscation of their assets have been slowed down. Over 35,000 cases are lying pending in State Information Commission, but the state decreased the number of its members from five to three.

Manjhi again blames Centre for cut in Plan size
Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi once again held the Narendra Modi government responsible for the cut in annual plan-size to Rs 51,000 crore from Rs 57,000 crore. He said the Centre made cuts in the plan allocations to different sectors in the current financial year.

Bihar launches operation against child trafficking
Patna, Jan 1 (IANS) Bihar Police Thursday launched a special drive named "Operation Mahavir" against trafficking of children, an official said.


'PK' made tax-free in Bihar

Patna, Jan 1 (IANS) Aamir Khan's movie "PK" will be exempted from tax in Bihar so that the poor can watch the film that exposes the fraud taking place in the name of religion, Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi announced Thursday.


Two arrested in Bihar in fake note racket
Patna, Dec 31 (IANS) Two people were arrested Wednesday with fake currency notes of face value Rs.7 lakh in Bihar's Patna district, police said.

Abhayanand retires after 37 years service
Patna,(BiharTimes): Former Director General of Police Abhayanand retired on the last day of 2014 after 37 years in service.He was Director General (Home Guards and Fire Services) at the time of retirement.

ECR GM Madhuresh Kumar retires
Patna,(BiharTimes): The General Manager of East Central Railway (ECR), Hajipur, Madhuresh Kumar, retired from his post on December 31, 2014. He served the Indian Railways for 38 long years.A farewell function was held at ECR headquarters on Wednesday on the eve of his superannuation.

Lalu gifts red rose to Rabri on New Year's Day
Patna, Jan 1 (IANS) RJD chief Lalu Prasad celebrated New Year's Day in his inimitable style when he gifted a red rose to his wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi.

Patna zoo's oldest tigress dies
Patna, Dec 31 (IANS) The oldest tigress at the Patna zoo, 19-year-old Sita, has died after prolonged illness, an official said Wednesday.

 

 

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