Bihar Assembly’s 40 daylong session underway

Since 21 February, 2008, Bihar Assembly is in session

The state government presented a budget of Rs 38,574.12 crore with a surplus of Rs 4,613 crore in the Bihar Assembly for the next fiscal proposing a number of measures to improve the financial position of the state with thrust on key sectors like education, health, road, rural works, energy and phed, besides water resources department.

The Rs 4613 crore surplus budget for 2008-09 was placed on February 25 2008 by Deputy chief minister- cum-Finance Minister Sushil Kumar Modi amid a boycott by the entire Opposition. The first-ever gender budget which was presented in the Bihar assembly for 2008-09 identified the provisions that would improve the quality of the lives of women.

A roadmap is being prepared to make the state a 'foodgrain surplus state'. He informed the assembly that the state government had decided to observe the 2008-09 as 'agriculture year'. The state government would invest over Rs 4707 crore till 2012 to make farmers self-reliant. The state government has earmarked Rs 191.34 crore during the current fiscal against Rs 20.43 crore sanctioned in 2005-06 when the state was under RJD rule. It has also decided to set up 'seed villages' across the state to provide quality seeds and fertilsers to small and marginal farmers.

The state government has lowered transport tax and brought it on par with adjoining states including West Bengal, which witnessed rise in sale of chassis of trucks and buses in the state.

There are 10 key social sector departments covered this year, which are social welfare, SC and ST welfare, PHED, Minorities welfare, human resource development, health, rural development, urban development, panchayati raj and labour resource. The state government had made provision of Rs 2,247.80 crore for the 10 key social sector departments as total provisions of Rs 14,957.34 crore for the next fiscal, he said.

In the ten social sector departments which were covered, provision for women benefit-oriented schemes was 15 per cent of the total budget of the departments and was 5.83 per cent of the total budget size (Rs 38,574.12 crore) proposed for the next fiscal and 1.95 per cent of the state's gross state domestic product.

In Bihar women's population was 3.97 crore against 4.32 crore population of men but their literacy rate was just more than half than that of men. Under the gender budget, two categories were framed -- one making hundred per cent provision earmarked for women for Mahila Vidyalaya, Chief Minister's Kanya Vivah scheme, Naari Shakti Yojana, Kanya Suraksha Yojana, Indira Awas Yojana and another related to earmarking funds for women for scholarships and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan.

Earlier it was believed that public outlays were gender-neutral which was not correct. Although women constitute 50 per cent of the population, they were far behind in all aspects of human development indicators, he said.

The major gender sensitive provisions in the budget was Rs 72 crore for CM Balika Poshak (uniform) yojana, Rs 42.14 crore for CM Balika Cycle scheme and Rs 20 crore for CM Kanya Vivah scheme, he said.

Similary, Rs 26 crore was proposed for Kanya Suraksha yojana, Rs 22.50 crore for Nari Shakti yojana, Rs 5.15 crore for Swaymsidha, Rs 53.90 crore Laxhmibai Social Security scheme, Rs 13.80 crore for National Programme for Adolescent Girls Nutrition, Rs 105.89 crore for supplementary nutrition (pregnant and lactating mothers, Rs 486.98 crore for Indira Awas yojana, Rs 14.45 crore for dular strategy and Rs 1.40 crore for new ITI for women, he said.

Free textbooks would be provided to all girl students from class one to eight, while it has been proposed to provide uniforms to 10.29 lakh girl students between class six and eight and cycles to 2.11 lakh girl students between class nine and ten. The deputy chief minister said a separate cell would be set up in each of the ten departments which would monitor implementation of the schemes for women.

The state government had presented an outcome budget for 2008-09 for the third time in succession recognising that the outcome was more important than outlays. Stating that the outcome budget means estimates of outcome (physical achievement) from the budget outlays, he said that the achievement report against the outcome budget 2006-07 would be placed in July this year in the state legislature.

The surplus budget, presented for the third year in a row since 2006-07, had also indicated a healthy 14 per cent growth in terms of revenue generation from the last fiscal (2007-08) when the surplus was to the tune of Rs 3483 crore.
Placing his third budget as the Finance Minister, Modi said during the coming fiscal, the total planned and non-planned expenditure of the Government had been increased to Rs 38,574.11 crore from Rs 33,783.71 crore during the current fiscal.

Stating that the capital expenditure of the state Government during the period under review was proposed to be increased by 19.5 per cent from this year and four times from 2005-06, Modi said by following strict fiscal discipline, they had been able to restrict the fiscal deficit to only 2.89 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) during the coming financial year against the target of three per cent.

The state plan during the period under review had also been increased to Rs 13,500 crore, up by 32.35 per cent from the current fiscal, Modi said, adding among the non-plan oulays for major sectors, education, health and repair of roads had also been increased by 15 per cent, 25 per cent and 12 per cent to Rs 5267 crore, Rs 1278 crore and Rs 435 crore respectively.

Expressing concern that no Central assistance had been available to the state Government so far to deal with the devastating flood in the state last year, he told the House that between 2006-07 and 2008-09, the state Government had allocated Rs 9863 crore for this purpose. Moreover, he said in agriculture, irrigation and Animal Husbandry, the total budgetory allocation for 2008-09 was proposed to be increased by 43 per cent to Rs 191 crore, by 46 per cent to Rs 1600 crore and by 75 per cent from 12.5 crore to Rs 62 crore respectively.

Earlier, protesting the Speaker's refusal to admit their separate adjournment motions for discussions on the murder of their respective leaders, the entire opposition, including the RJD, Congress, Lok Janshakti Party, CPI (M), CPI and the CPI(ML), had boycotted the presentation of the budget.

The RJD leaders accused the ruling parties of deceiving the people of Bihar, not making any headway in the area of power supply and drinking water and letting the bureaucracy run over the state while encouraging corruption in all government offices.

The opposition leaders also took exceptions to the Governor's speech saying he left out many important issues that concerns Bihar including the plights of uncommitted teachers, implementation of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, release of the BPL list, and the safety of Biharis in Maharashtra.

Earlier, the opposition leaders in the Bihar Assembly hooted Governor, R.S. Gavai, a Maharashtrian, during his customary inaugural. Bihar Governor was faced with an awkward situation in the state Assembly when some opposition and ruling party members drew his attention to the ongoing assault on people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in his home state Maharashtra and called for his intervention. The incident occurred when the Governor was exchanging pleasantries with the members after his joint address in the state Assembly on the first day of the Budget Session.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar criticized the opposition for making uncharitable remarks against Governor. The Chief Minister also appealed to the Center to impose Article 365 on Maharashtra government for its failure to protect people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in the light of violence perpetrated against them by Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena activists.

A CPI-ML (Liberation) legislator read out a parallel speech and urged the members to reject the Governor’s speech as it was a “bundle of lies”.
RJD claimed that it was only protesting against the Governor’s address to the joint session.

In his address to the joint session the Governor lauded the efforts of the Government to accelerate growth in the state and counted 29 new schemes.

The Governor had to make a hasty exit from the Assembly, but took time off to tell the media that it was regrettable that his work was being targeted because of the ethnic row.


Members of Legislative Assembly in Bihar

West Champaran
Dhanha - Rajesh Singh (RJD)
Bagaha - Purnamasi Ram (JDU)
Ramnagar -Chandra Mohan Rai (BJP)
Shikarpur -Bhagirathi Devi (BJP)
Sikta - -Khursheed Ahmed (INC)
Lauriya - -Pradip Singh (JDU)
Chanpatia -Satish Chandra Dubey (BJP)
Bettiah - Renu Devi (BJP)
Nautan - Baidyanath Pd Mahto (JDU)
East Champaran
Raxaul - Dr. Ajay Kumar Singh (BJP)
Sugauli - Ramchandra Sahni (RJD)
Motihari -Pramod Kumar (BJP)
Adapur - Shyam Bihari Prasad (JDU)
Dhaka - Avnis Singh (BJP)
Ghorasahan -Laxmi Narayan Yadav (RJD)
Madhuban -Shivaji Rai (JDU)
Pipra - Krishna Nandan Paswan (BJP)
Kesaria - Rajesh Raushan (RJD)
Harsiddhi -Maheshwar Singh (LJP)
Govindganj -Mina Devi (JDU)
Gopalganj
Kataiya - Amrendra Pandey (BSP)
Bhore - Anil Ram (RJD)
Mirganj - Ram Sevak Singh (JDU)
Gopalganj -Subhash Singh (BJP)
Barauli - Rampravesh Rai (BJP)
Baikunthpur -Deodutt Prasad Yadav (RJD)
Siwan
Basantpur -Manik Chandra Rai (RJD)
Goriakothi -Indradeo Prasad (RJD)
Siwan - Byasdeo Prasad (BJP)
Mairwa - Ramayan Manjhi (BJP)
Darauli - Amarnath Yadav (CPI ML)
Jiradei - Shyam Bahadur Singh (JDU)
Maharajganj -Damodar Singh (JDU)
Raghunathpur -Jagmato Devi (JDU)
Saran
Manjhi - Gautam Singh (JDU)
Baniapur -Manoranjan Singh (JDU)
Masrakh - Kedar Nath Singh (JDU)
Taraiya - Ramdas Rai (RJD)
Marhaura -Lal Babu Rai (IND)
Jalalpur -Janardan Singh Sigrewal (BJP)
Chapra - Ram Pravesh Rai (JDU)
Garkha - Gyan Chand Manjhi (BJP)
Parsa - Chotelal Rai (JDU)
Sonepur - Ramanuj Pd Yadav (RJD)
Vaishali
Hajipur - Nityanand Rai (BJP)
Raghopur -Rabri Devi (RJD)
Mahnar - Ramakishore Singh (LJP)
Jandaha - Dr. Achyutanand Singh (LJP)
Patepur - Prema Choudhry (RJD)
Mahua - Shivchandra Ram (RJD)
Lalganj - Vijay K Shukla (JDU)
Vaishali -Vrishna Patel (JDU)
Muzaffarpur
Paru - Ashok Kumar Singh (BJP)
Sahebganj -Raju Kumar Singh (JDU)
Baruraj - Shashi Kumar Rai (JDU)
Kanti - Ajit Kumar (JDU)
Kurhani - Manoj Kumar Singh (JDU)
Sakara - Bilat Paswan (JDU)
Muzaffarpur -Vijendra Choudhary (IND)
Bochaha - Ramai Ram (RJD)
Gaighatti -Maheshwar Pd Yadav (RJD)
Aurai - Arjun Rai (JDU)
Minapur - Dinesh Prasad (JDU)
Sitamarhi
Runnisaidpur -Gudi Devi (JDU)
Belsand - Sanjay Kumar Gupta (RJD)
Sheohar - Ajit Kumar Jha (RJD)
Sitamarhi -Sunil Kumar Pintu (BJP)
Bathnaha -Nagina Devi (LJP)
Majorganj -Dinkar Ram (BJP)
Sonebersa -Dr. Ramchandra Purve (RJD)
Sursand - Jainandan Pd Yadav (RJD)
Pupri - Shahid Ali Khan (JDU)
Madhubani
Benipatti -Saligram Yadav (JDU)
Bisfi - Haribhushan Thakur (IND)
Harlakhi -Ramnaresh Pandey (CPI)
Khajauli -Ram Preet Paswan (BJP)
Babubarhi -Kapildeo Kamat (JDU)
Madhubani -Ram Deo Mahto (BJP)
Pandaul - Vinod Narayan Jha (BJP)
Jhanjharpur -Nitish Mishra (JDU)
Phulparas -Dev Nath Yadav (SP)
Laukaha - Hari Prasad Shah (JDU)
Madhepur -Jagat Narayan Singh (RJD)
Darbhanga
Manigachi -Lalit Kumar Yadav (RJD)
Bahera - Abdul Bari Siddiqui (RJD)
Ghanshyampur -Izhar Ahmed (LJP)
Baherhi - Hari Krishna Yadav (RJD)
Darbhanga (R) -Pitambar Paswan (RJD)
Darbhanga (T) -Sanjay Sarogi (BJP)
Keoti - Ashok Kumar Yadav (BJP)
Jale - Ram Niwas Prasad (RJD)
Hayaghat -Hari Nandan Yadav (RJD)
Samastipur
Kalyanpur -Ashwamegh Devi (JDU)
Warisnagar -Maheshwar Hazari (LJP)
Samastipur -Ramnath Thakur (JDU)
Sarairanjan -Ramchandra Nishad (RJD)
Mohiuddin Nagar -Ajay K Bulganeen (RJD)
Dalsingh Sarai -Ramlakhan Mahto (RJD)
Vibhutipur -Ramdeo Verma (CPM)
Rosera - Gajendra Pd Singh (RJD)
Singhia - Dr. Ashok Kumar (INC)
Hasanpur -Sunil Kumar Pushpam (RJD)
Begusarai
Balia - Jamshed Ashraf (JDU)
Matihani -Narendra Kumar Singh (IND)
Begusarai -Bhola Pd Singh (BJP)
Barauni - Rajendra Pd Singh (CPI)
Bachwara -Ramdeo Rai (INC)
Cheria Bariyarpur- Anil Choudhary (LJP)
Supaul
Bakhri - Ram Vinod Paswan (CPI)
Raghopur -Neeraj K Singh 'Babloo' (JDU)
Kishanpur -Aniruddh Pd Yadav (JDU)
Supaul - Vijendra Pd Yadav (JDU)
Triveniganj -Vishwa Mohan Kumar (JDU)
Chattapur -Vishwa Mohan Bharti (JDU)
Saharsa and Madhepura
Kumarkhand -Ramesh Shrideo (JDU)
Singheswar -Rameshwar Pd Yadav (JDU)
Saharsa - Sanjiv Kumar Jha (BJP)
Mahishi - Gunjeshwar Shao (JDU)
Simri-Bakhtiyarpur-Dinesh Chandra Yadav (JDU)
Madhepura -Manindra K Mandal (JDU)
Sonbarsa -Kishore Kumar 'Munna' (IND)
Kishanganj -Renu Kumari (JDU)
Alam Nagar -Narendra N Yadav (JDU)
Arwal
Arwal - Dularchand Singh (LJP)
Kurtha - Suchitra Sinha (JDU)

Purnea
Amour - Abdul Jalil Mastan (INC)
Baisi - Syed Ruknudin (IND)
Banmankhi -Krishna Kumar Rishi (BJP)
Dhamdaha -Dilip Kumar Yadav (RJD)
Kasba - Pradip Kumar Das (BJP)
Purnea - Raj Kishore Keshri (BJP)
Rupauli -Bima Bharati (RJD)
Araria
Araria - Pradeep Kumar Singh (BJP)
Forbesganj -Laxmi Narayan Mehta (BJP)
Jokihat - Manzar Alam (JDU)
Narpatganj -Janardan Yadav (BJP)
Raniganj -Ramji Das Rishidev (BJP)
Sikti - Murlidhar Mandal (JDU)
Kishanganj
Bahadurganj -Md. Tousif Alam (INC)
Kishanganj -Akhatarul Iman (RJD)
Thakurganj -Gopal Kumar Agarwal (SP)
Katihar
Korha - Sunita Devi (INC)
Barari - Bibhash Chandra Chaudhary (BJP)
Katihar - Tar Kishor Prasad (BJP)
Kadwa - Abdul Zalil (NCP)
Barsoi - Munnaf Alam (CPI-ML-L)
Pranpur - Mahendra Narayan Yadav (RJD)
Manihari -Mubarak Hussain (INC)
Bhagalpur
Pirpainti -Shobha Kant Mandal (RJD)
Colgong - Ajay Kumar Mandal (JDU)
Nathnagar -Sudha Shrivastav (JDU)
Bhagalpur -Ashwini Kumar Choubey (BJP)
Gopalpur -Narendra Kumar Niraj (JDU)
Bihpur - Shailesh Kumar (RJD)
Sultanganj -Sudhanshu Shekhar Bhaskar (JDU)
Banka
Amarpur - Surendra Prasad Singh (RJD)
Dhuraiya -Budheo Choudhary (JDU)
Banka - Ram Narayan Mandal (BJP)
Belhar - Janardan Manjhi (JDU)
Katoria - Raj Kishor Prasad (RJD)
Jamui
Chakai - Phalguni Prasad Yadav (BJP)
Jamui - Abhay Singh (JDU)
Sikandra -Rameshwar Paswan (JDU)
Jhajha - Damodar Rawat (JDU)
Munger
Tarapur - Shakuni Chaudhury (RJD)
Kharagpur -Anant Kumar Satyarthi (JDU)
Khagaria
Parbatta -Ramanand Prasad Singh (JDU)
Chautham -Panna Lal Singh 'Patel' (JDU)
Khagaria -Poonam Devi (Yadav) (JDU)
Alauli - Pashupati Kumar Paras (LJP)
Monghyr
Monghyr - Monazir Hassan (JDU)
Jamalpur -Shailesh Kumar (JDU)
Lakhisarai
Surajgarha -Prem Ranjan Patel (BJP)
Lakhisarai -Phulena Singh (RJD)
Barbigha -Ramsundar Ram Kanaujia (JDU)
Sheikhpura
Shiekhpura -Sunila Devi (INC)
Nalanda
Asthawan -Jitendra Kumar (JDU)
Biharsharif -Dr. Sunil Kumar (JDU)
Rajgir - Satyadeo Narain Arya (BJP)
Nalanda - Shrawon Kumar (JDU)
Islampur -Ramswaroop Prasad (JDU)
Hilsa - Ramcharitra Pd Singh (JDU)
Chandi - Hari Narayan Singh (JDU)
Harnaut - Sunil Kumar (JDU)
Patna
Mokameh - Anant Kumar Singh (JDU)
Barh - Gyanendra Kumar Singh (JDU)
Bakhtiarpur -Vinode Yadav (BJP)
Fatuha - Saryug Paswan (JDU)
Masaurhi -Punam Devi (JDU)
Patna West -Nitin Navin Pd Sinha (BJP)
Patna Central -Arun Kumar Sinha (BJP)
Patna East -Nand Kishore Yadav (BJP)
Danapur - Asha Devi (BJP)
Maner - Shrikant Nirala (RJD)
Phulwari -Shyam Rajak (RJD)
Bikram - Anil Kumar (BJP)
Paliganj -Nand Kumar Nanda (CPI-ML-L)
Bhojpur
Sandesh - Vijendra Yadav (RJD)
Barhara - Asha Devi (JDU)
Arrah - Amrendra Pratap Singh (BJP)
Shahpur - Munni Devi (BJP)
Jagdishpur -Sri Bhagwan Singh (JDU)
Piro - Narendra Kumar Pandey (JDU)
Sahar - Ram Naresh Ram (CPI-ML)
Buxar
Brahmpur -Ajeet Chaudhari (RJD)
Buxar - Hriday Narayan Singh (BSP)
Rajpur - Shyam Payari Devi (JDU)
Dumraon - Dadan Singh (AJVD)
Rohtas
Karakat - Arun Singh (CPI-ML-L)
Bikramganj -Jai Kumar Singh (JDU)
Dinara - Sita Sundari Devi (BSP)
Sasaram - Jawahar Prasad (BJP)
Chenari - Lalan Paswan (JDU)
Nokha - Rameshwar Prasad (BJP)
Dehri - Pradip Kumar Joshi (IND)
Kaimur
Ramgarh - Jagadanand Singh (RJD)
Mohania - Chhedi Paswan (JDU)
Bhabhua - Ram Chandra Singh Yadav (BSP)
Chainpur -Mahabali Singh (RJD)
Aurangabad
Nabinagar -Vijay Kumar Singh (LJP)
Deo - Renu Devi (JDU)
Aurangabad -Ramadhar Singh (BJP)
Rafiganj -Md. Nehaluddin (RJD)
Obra - Satya Narayan Singh (RJD)
Goh - Dr. Ran Vijay Kumar (JDU)
Jehanabad
Makhdumpur -Krishnandan Pd Varma (RJD)
Jahanabad -Sachita Nand Yadav (RJD)
Ghosi - Jagdish Sharma (JDU)
Gaya
Belaganj -Surendra Pd Yadav (RJD)
Konch - Dr. Anil Kumar (JDU)
Gaya Mufasil -Awadesh Kumar Singh (INC)
Gaya Town -Prem Kumar (BJP)
Imamganj -Uday Narayan Chaudhry (JDU)
Gurua - Shakeel Ahmad Khan (RJD)
Bodh Gaya -Hari Manjhi (BJP)
Barachatti -Jitan Ram Manjhi (JDU)
Fatehpur -Ajay Paswan (RJD)
Atri - Kunti Devi (RJD)
Nawada
Nawada - Purnima Yadav (IND)
Rajauli - Banwari Ram (BJP)
Gobindpur -Kaushal Yadav (IND)
Warshaliganj -Pradip Kumar (IND)
Hisua - Anil Singh (BJP)

Row in Bihar Legislative Council over protocol violation

The Bihar Legislative Council witnessed noisy scenes on 3rd March as members cutting across party lines raised the issue of non-allocation of room in circuit house to council's acting chairman Arun Kumar during his recent visit to Ara.

Raising the issue, Dilip Choudhary (Congress) said the issue was related to violation of protocol. Choudhary was supported by party members Mahachandra Prasad Singh and Chandan Bagchi. Singh demanded stern action against the officer responsible for the "misconduct".

Joining the issue, Bhim Singh (RJD) said that a privilege motion should be brought against the erring official.

He was supported by senior party leaders Mundrika Singh Yadav and leader of Opposition Ghulam Gaus.Urging the members to maintain order in the House, the working chairman narrated the incident to the members and said that though he had no problems personally yet the matter should be looked into by the government.

Taking note of his observation, deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi informed the House that government would conduct an inquiry into the incident. He also sought guidelines from the Chair in the matter.

The matter cropped up again in the post-lunch session of the Upper House when minister of revenue and land reforms Ramnath Thakur informed the House that Bhojpur district magistrate appeared before the acting Chairman during lunch break and tendered an apology for the incident. The minister, quoting the DM, said that incident took place due to some communication gap. Thakur, reading out from a written reply, accepted that it was a clear case of violation of warrant of protocol. The Opposition, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the government reply and pressed for initiating a privilege move against the erring official.

Supporting Bhim Singh's move in this regard, leader of Opposition Ghulam Gaus said the Opposition still sticks to its demand of privilege motion.

However, energy minister Bijendra Yadav termed the Opposition demand as unjustified and assured the House that in future the government would ensure strict adherence to the warrant of protocol.

Unprecedented human migration and misery due to manmade floods

Preliminary findings of the Fact Finding Team

Nearly 73.06 per cent of the area of Bihar is prone to flooding. It is estimated that about half a million have migrated from the embanked Kosi region alone. In the face of mass exodus from the state, the resumption of flood control embankments aggravates the situation of countrywide condemnation and humiliation that migrant Biharis face. These structures have compelled them to migrate in search of livelihood.

A multidisciplinary 14 member Fact Finding Team has concluded its 8 daylong travel of the flood affected regions of North Bihar wherein it traversed along the embanked parts of Kosi, Kamala, Bhutahi Balan and Baghmati rivers. The visit from March 1-8, 2008, entailed visiting Khagaria, Saharsa, Supaul, Saptari, Kunauli, Kamalpur, Mahadeo Math, Nirmali, Ghoghardiha, Kosi barrage, Runni Saidpur, Sitamarhi, Vaishali and other places.

The manner in which floods have been amazingly sustained in this region despite over five decades of relentless efforts have been the core idea behind this voluntary mission.

Backed by volume of secondary literature but limited primary exposure of ground realities, this team is anguished to conclude that not only are these floods manmade but that the worse is yet to come should the political economy of flood control continue to pivot itself around `temporary embankment' as the only solution to the scourge of floods. The state pretends that it is afflicted by the colossal ignorance regarding the primary function of floodwater--draining out excess water and the fact that no embankment has yet been built or can be built in future that will not breach.

The team is outraged to report that the government's investment of over Rs 1600 crores since the early 1950's has helped increase the flood prone area from 25 lakh hectare during the pre-plan era to over 68.8 lakh hectare today, an unprecedented three-fold increase. Proposed as temporary measure to control floods in the 1950s and having had failed on all fronts, the team is bewildered to note that the business of embankment construction has resumed after a lapse of 17 years with a Rs 792 crores package to tame the Bagmati. There is another proposal to embank the tributaries of Mahananda at an estimated cost of Rs 850 crores. Clearly, the lessons in human misery have not been learnt.

That over 2 million people are permanently trapped between the flood control embankments and an equal number of people faced with acute water logging in the so-called flood protected areas, only exposes the stark failure of the state's democratic governance. The team observed the inevitability of migration due to loss of livelihood that is a consequence of state's benign intervention and its callousness. This exposes the migrant Bihari population to the wrath of perverted political monsters in Assam, Maharasthra, Punjab, and Delhi. Sporadic incidents across the country demonstrate state's collusive inaction. The team is astounded to observe that the state remains a mute spectator to the denial of basic rights of livelihood and instead it accentuates their misery by pretending ignorance about the outdated, tried, tested and failed technology of embankments as if it is caught in a time warp.

The team observed state's arrogance and misplaced faith in engineering that has stopped the natural process of `landbuilding' by these rivers, a process that had ushered in necessary socio-cultural conditions for emergence of `civilisation'. Need it be said that the marriage of natural capital and social capital had made Bihar the apex knowledge center. The total collapse of this knowledge culture within the state is a result of embankment of this capital.

The team notes that 8.36 lakh hectare of land in North Bihar is permanently waterlogged, which is nearly 16 per cent of the North Bihar's total area. Some 8 million people have been directly hit by water logging, earning the state the dubious distinction of being the leading claimant of this kind of manmade submergence. Draining vast stretches of waterlogged land is technologically and financially unfeasible. Can any welfare state afford to keep its most fertile lands under water?

The team witnessed how the poor and the powerless are obviously the main victims. It emerged from the narratives of the villagers that embankments are for the benefit of the contractor politicians and the technocratic development ideology to deal with flood suits them unmindful of the environmental and social mess.

As the embankment lobby has gained momentum once again, the fact that such interventions will raise river levels by several meters, making the land between the embankments uninhabitable for millions of people displacing them for good. The bitter experience of flood control embankments has given birth to a strong sentiment against it.

The team shockingly wondered about the land use change that has adversely affected the ecosystem of the region contributing to the rupture of its carrying capacity. It makes a classic case requiring urgent measures to undo the damages that appear beyond redemption.

The team examined the impact of flood control measures and the trends in consequent losses in the region. The team has inferred that migration is an indicator of the enormity of glaring state failure. Embanjavascript:void(0)
Publish Postkments remain the main loss-determining factor. The team calls for a white paper on the impact of existing embankments.

Those living today in the flood-affected region are promised other ecologically disastrous projects like Barahkshethra Dam and Interlinking of Rivers is like proposing one catastrophe to solve another a la devil and the deep sea.

The observations made by the team are its preliminary findings. The final and detailed report of the Fact Finding Team would be shared in due course.

Lalu Prasad's Gift to Chhapra

Railway Minister Lalu Prasad presented his achievements in the Railway Budget on 26th February.

The Indian Railways in its ''historic'' profit-making binge has been ''kicking one 'Goal' after another (creating records) and every child in the country is today cheering 'Chak De railway, Prasad said in his budget speech.

''We have not only shown dreams but turned them into reality...... 'Mungeri Lal ke Haseen Sapne' (Mungeri Lal's sweet dreams) have been turned into reality and are being implemented,'' he said, amid laughter and applause from all sides.

As Prasad's speech progressed and was later disrupted by angry protests from members from several parties including Congress and supporting Left members, his daughters and a son-in-law witnessed his performance in rapt attention from the Speaker's Gallery.

Discussion with Sonia Gandhi

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition L K Advani were present in the House. Before delivering his two-hour long speech, Prasad was seen in discussion with Gandhi.

Prior to the disruptions, Prasad announced a train between Chhapra, his constituency, and Mathura, saying he could now go directly to the abode of Lord Krishna.

When some MPs complained that the translation system was not working, Prasad told them ''I will translate this for you'' and explained a Hindi couplet in English. ''We have sowed a tree and now it is my duty to ensure that fruits can grow,'' he said.

Finance Minister P Chidambaram, whose seat is adjacent to that of the Railway Minister on the front row, was seen sitting behind, apparently to make space for Prasad to deliver his budget address.

There will be a weekly train from Patna in Bihar to Vasco da Gama in Goa. The train will run on the Konkan railway tracks.

Gaya in Bihar, where Buddha is said to have achieved enlightenment, will be linked with a weekly express train to Chennai in Tamil Nadu.

In the last budget, Prasad had announced setting up of a coach factory in his Lok Sabha constituency, Chhapra, introduction of Garib Rath (a no-frills air-conditioned train), besides increasing the frequency of 50-odd trains crossing Bihar in the last four years.

Earlier, Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister urged Lalu to accord top priority to implement all the pending projects in Bihar. He said the railway projects which were pending for the last four years, if implemented would benefit the people of the state.
"Usually, Lalu resorts to tricks and raise fares indirectly by altering the rules," Kumar charged and sarcastically remarked "Lalu gives from one hand, takes the benefits back from another."


Kumar, who himself had been the Railway minister during the NDA regime, said that it was only after some time people come to realise that they had been taken for a ride in the name of reduction of fare or freight cost.

On Lalu's promises to present attractive railway budget from the point of view of common man's interests, Kumar alleged that Lalu was making promises only to get approving thumping of desks on the floor of parliament.

Mauritius PM in Harigaon

The Prime Minister(PM)of Mauritius, 60-year-old Navinchandra Ramgoolam set foot on his native village, Harigaon, for the first time in his life. The entire hamlet as also thousands of people from neighbouring areas assembled to have a glimpse of the man whose grandfather had been taken to Mauritius over 130 years ago as an indentured labourer.

An emotional Ramgoolam, eyes welled and voice choked, said, "Man gadgad ho gayil, aankh me aansu bhar gayil" (I am extremely delighted and my eyes are tearful)," to the jubilant crowd, which had gathered near the pond named as Moheeth Sarovar, in the memory of his grandfather, Moheeth Ramgoolam.

Accompanied by wife, Veena Brizmohun, other family members and his entourage, Ramgoolam, serving his second term as PM of the island nation, paid homage to his ancestors. Greeting the villagers, he said, "Hamra aap se janam janam ka rishta ba. Main Bihar ka hoon. Bhojpuri parivar ka hoon. Dada ka kul yahi gaon me ba (I have been sharing relations with you for generations. I am a Bihari. I belong to Bhojpur. The descendents of my grandfather are living in this village." A helicopter carrying Ramgoolam descended on the helipad some three km from Harigaon. The moment he arrived on the dais, there was a roar of applause and cheering from the waiting crowd.

Looking around, Ramgoolam seemed overwhelmed and recalled with pride how his grandfather and other girmitiya labourers journeyed to and worked in Mauritius under trying conditions. "Hamar dada Bihar se Mauritius gaye to kuchh nahi tha.

Par apni shakti se, khoon se, pasina se itna kiya ke hum aaj is jagah par hain (When my grandfather sailed to Mauritius, there was nothing in Mauritius. It is because of his sweat and blood that I am holding this post)," he said.

He also taught a lesson to his villagers. "Always remember this and never think that your father has become weak," he told them and hoped that villagers and people of Bihar would prosper like Mauritius. He also reiterated his announcement to give US$ 2.5 lakh for the development of this village and scholorship to two Bihari students in the University of Mauritius before concluding his speech with "Jai Bihar, Jai Bharat, Jai Mauritius". The administration made elaborate arrangmeent right from Ara, the Bhojpur district headquarter, 15 km to the village. Harigaon presented a new look with villagers dressed in their fineries occupying each corner of the ground, with some carrying flags of India and Mauritius.

Earlier, Ramgoolam laid the foundation for upgradation of three projects: Moheeth Sarovar, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam high school and Navinchandra Ramgoolam hospital. CM Nitish Kumar said like Moheeth Ramgoolam, thousands of Biharis go to other places in search of job and they work hard wherever they go. "Biharis will not be at the mercy of anybody anywhere, whether it is Maharashtra of Assam." He called upon people to rise above caste, religion and region and work unitedly for the progress of Bihar.

Mayawati in Patna

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's rally in Patna at the historical Gandhi maidan is eying Bihar. Mayawati landed in a helicopter.

On one hand where RJD chief Lalu Prasad has hailed Mayawati's rally in the state, LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan is not ready to allow any intrusions into his home turf. Paswan has said that Maya's magic will not work in Bihar.

The rally is meant to unite underprivileged and extremely poor people in the state to give "a befitting reply to those in the power putting hurdles in the way of their uplift".

The BSP's rally comes after opposition RJD and Lok Janshakti Party held rallies in October and November last year here seeking to highlight the alleged failure of the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar.

It was at the Gandhi Maidan that Jaiprakash Narayan had made the historic call for a “Total Revolution” in 1974.

When contacted, District Magistrate, Patna, B Rajendra said that the request for landing the chopper inside Gandhi Maidan was made citing the twin factors of “security” and “time.” “For security reasons and also to save time, the request for landing the UP Government chopper inside Gandhi Maidan was made and we granted it”, Rajendra said. He said that the UP Chief Minister will reach Patna airport by a state aircraft and then board a state chopper to land at the maidan.

CM Nitish Kumar strongly refuted the security factor and pointed out that convenience might have led her to decide to land in the maidan. “So far as security is concerned, I can say with authority that the state Government is competent to safeguard any VIP. But if somebody wants to land at the maidan for convenience, then what can we do”, said Kumar.

Mauritius PM’s rural roots on radar

A little-known village in Bihar has found fame and is set for a facelift as it has been officially identified as the native place of former Mauritius prime minister Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam. Harigaon in Bhojpur district, about 60 km from here, was like any other village in rural Bihar without roads, electricity connection and a health centre.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Before Nitish Kumar gets ready to receive the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Navinchandra Ramgoolam, to unveil his father and predecessor, Seewoosagur Ramgoolam’s, statue — he better settle the controversy over the PM’s rural roots first.

Though the chief minister today clarified that according to the Prime Minister himself, Hargaon, in central Bihar’s Bhojpur district, is Ramgoolam family’s ancestral village, people from as many as three other villages in Sahabad district have staked their claim of being the “original” birthplace of the Ramgoolam family.

Nitish stressed that his office had received a communiqué from the Mauritius government that clearly stated that “Hargaon under Bihian paragana in Bhojpur district” was Ramgoolam’s ancestral village. However, villagers of Chhauttupur, especially one Deonarayan Ojha, yesterday sent a fax to the Mauritius Embassy at New
Delhi stating that Seewoosagur Ramgoolam was “the son of one Swayamvar Ojha who had been taken as a bonded labourer to the island nation in 1871 by the British”.

The document also has an “inquiry report” conducted by local civil officials appended with it. Also appended, is a report of a janata darbar that Buxar district magistrate organised to pronounce Chhauttupur as Seewoosagur Ramgoolam’s “original home” on November 18, 2007.

On the other hand, residents of Barka Singhanpura in Buxar are also claiming to know the Ramgoolam family. In 2007 they handed a packet of soil, from land where a deity worshipped by Ramgoolam’s family and the villagers is kept, to Nitish. The chief minister handed the packet of soil to Navinchandra Ramgoolam.

Then there is Keshopur in Buxar. Villagers there have staked their claim on the Ramgoolam family as well. They too have faxed letters to the Mauritius Embassy in New Delhi to support their claim.

Last year when the chief minister visited Mauritius, he had formally invited Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam to unveil the life-size statue of his father and Mauritius’s first Prime Minister in February 2008.

At that time, Navinchandra Ramgoolam reportedly showed keen interest to find out more of his family’s roots. Though Seewoosagur Ramgoolam never visited “his village”, his son wishes to do so.

And since he is ready to offer financial help to boost development in his ancestral land, it’s not going to hurt to be a part of the Ramgoolam root, either. Thus, claimants are not ready to step down.

“We are in touch with the Mauritius Embassy and will request Navinchandra to visit Chhauttupur and not go by false claims,” said Deonarayan Ojha.