Latest news with #JeevikaDidis
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Bihar Cabinet approves 35% quota for women in all govt jobs ahead of crucial state polls
Ahead of the crucial state assembly elections, the Bihar Cabinet on Tuesday approved a 35% horizontal reservation for native women in all direct recruitment posts across all departments and government service cadres in the state. "The second important decision related to general administration is that only women native to the state will be allowed 35% horizontal reservation on all posts in direct appointment in all star and all government service cadres of Bihar state..." said Bihar Chief Secretary S Siddharth Additionally, the state cabinet has approved the formation of the Bihar Youth Commission on Tuesday, which will advise the government on education and employment for youth in the state. The commission will consist of one chairperson, two vice-chairpersons, and seven members, with a maximum age limit of 45 years. The decision was taken with a few months left before the assembly elections, amid criticisms from the opposition, alleging a lack of employment opportunities in the state. In the run up to the poll battle in Bihar, Nitish Kumar has also announced that a comprehensive development plan for Punaura Dham, the revered birthplace of Goddess Sita in Sitamarhi district, was approved. The plan includes the construction of a grand temple and other structures modelled after the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra in Ayodhya. The cabinet has approved a budget of Rs 882.78 crore for the construction of the temple at Punaura Dham, which is considered to be the birthplace of Goddess Sita, the wife of Ram. Big cash moves Caste and social justice have long dominated Bihar polls , however, cash promises are in play now. Live Events On June 21, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced that all elderly, disabled, and widowed beneficiaries will receive a monthly pension of ₹1,100, up from ₹400. According to the state government, 1.10 cr people will benefit from the hike. Soon after, political rivals rushed to outdo the move. Jan Suraj leader Prashant Kishor promised to raise the pension to Rs 2,000 if voted to power, while RJD's Tejashwi Yadav claimed his party had already proposed Rs 1,500 and accused the government of acting under pressure Nitish Kumar also announced a doubling of the honorarium for 1.4 lakh workers under his flagship Jeevika project, which connects with 1.4 crore Jeevika Didis across Bihar. Additionally, self-help groups taking bank loans above Rs 3 lakh will now pay 7% interest instead of the earlier 10%, with the state government covering the difference. The move reinforces Kumar's focus on welfare schemes for women - a core segment of his support base. The Opposition RJD and Congress earlier announced to launch the Mai-Bahin Scheme, to provide Rs 2,500 per month to the Bihar women on the lines of schemes in other states. In recent elections, political parties across states have increasingly relied on cash schemes for women, with many implementing payouts after securing victory. In neighbouring Jharkhand, the Maiyan Samman scheme-offering Rs 2,500 per month to women-was seen as a key factor in the Hemant Soren-led INDIA bloc's win. Given Kumar's track record, the Bihar government is likely to announce a cash scheme for women ahead of the elections.
Time of India
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Special intensive revision of voter list gains momentum
Patna: The ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar gained momentum on Friday, with polling station officials distributing enumeration forms among one crore electors by making door-to-door visits. Bihar has become the first state in the country to launch such an intensive voter list revision drive, carried out under the guidance of the Election Commission (EC). As part of this process, polling station officers, after proper training, have been tasked with the responsibility to verify, distribute, and collect the enumeration forms door-to-door. An EC official claimed that all political parties in Bihar are actively participating in the SIR. So far, over 1.5 lakh booth level agents (BLAs) have been appointed to verify the voter list at each polling station. Out of the 7,89,69,844 voters, approximately 4.96 crore were already included in the final revised voter list as on Jan 1, 2003, a report from the EC office said. These voters only need to confirm their entries and submit the filled enumeration form. Additionally, if either parent of a voter was included in the voter list as on Jan 1, 2003, the voter will not need to present any related documents for enrolment during the 2025 special intensive revision, regardless of their date of birth, the statement said. To expedite the process, all district election officers have been instructed to seek assistance from local Anganwadi workers, Vikas Mitras, Jeevika Didis, and volunteers from NCC, NSS, and Nehru Yuva Kendra. These volunteers will not only help voters fill out forms, but also assist polling station officers in the distribution and collection tasks.
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Cabinet OKs key projects, social schemes
Patna: The state cabinet on Tuesday approved a series of major development and welfare initiatives, including large-scale infrastructure projects, enhanced support for marginalised groups and implementation of policy announcements made by CM Nitish Kumar following consultations with women's self-help groups (SHGs) and panchayati raj institution (PRI) representatives. Among the key approvals was the intra-state Kosi-Mechi river linking project with a projected cost of Rs 6,282 crore. Once completed, the project will offer flood protection and irrigation to 2.14 lakh hectares across Araria (69,642 ha), Purnia (69,970 ha), Kishanganj (39,548 ha) and Katihar (35,653 ha). The centrally sponsored project includes a central share of Rs 3,652 crore. The cabinet also cleared the introduction of inter-state AC and non-AC deluxe bus services for passengers, including migrant workers, travelling to Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and West Bengal. Following consultations with respective state governments, 74 non-AC buses (Rs 50 crore) and 75 AC deluxe coaches (Rs 55 crore) will be procured by Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC). An additional Rs 30 crore will be allocated for 150 deluxe buses to operate under a public-private partnership during festive periods such as Durga Puja, Chhath and Holi. You Can Also Check: Patna AQI | Weather in Patna | Bank Holidays in Patna | Public Holidays in Patna To address urban infrastructure needs, Rs 331 crore has been sanctioned for a stormwater drainage system on Saidpur Nala in Patna. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now The cabinet also approved the extension of J P Ganga Path via Digha, Sherpur and Bihta up to Koilwar (35km) using the Hybrid Annuity Model. In the education sector, Rs 281 crore was approved for building boys' and girls' hostels at engineering colleges in Arwal, Rohtas and Jehanabad, as well as at the Muzaffarpur Institute of Technology (MIT) and polytechnics in Madhubani (West Champaran) and Saharsa. New digital planetariums and space/astronomy education centres will be set up in East Champaran, Jamui, and Purnia. A sum of Rs 32 crore was sanctioned for a drinking water supply system in Jehanabad. The cabinet also gave its formal approval to the policy announcements made by CM Nitish Kumar following his recent dialogues with Jeevika Didis and elected PRI representatives. This includes increasing the project sanctioning cap for mukhiya from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh and enhancing the honorarium and ex gratia payment for PRI and Gram Kutchery representatives. If an elected member dies during their term, their family will receive Rs 5 lakh. A significant welfare move was the increase in pensions for elderly, widows and persons with disabilities – from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100 per month. The cabinet also approved an interest subsidy scheme for loans taken by Jeevika Didis from banks. While banks charge 10.40% to 12.40% interest, the women will now pay only 7%, with the state govt covering the rest. Further, the cabinet approved the construction of 8,053 Kanya Vivah Mandaps, one in each panchayat, at a cost of Rs 50 lakh per mandap. These community halls for weddings and social functions will be built by the panchayats themselves, with the full project costing Rs 4,026 crore over five years. Highlighting the need for targeted economic support, chief secretary Amrit Lal Meena said the 2022-23 caste-based headcount and economic survey revealed 94 lakh families in the state with a monthly income of just Rs 6,000. The cabinet has now set up a five-member committee, headed by the chief secretary, to expedite the disbursement of Rs 2 lakh to each of these poorest households to enable microeconomic activities and entrepreneurship.
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Bihar elections: JDU defends turf as rivals too push welfare politics
New Delhi: Caste and social justice have long dominated Bihar polls, however, cash promises are in play now. On June 21, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced that all elderly, disabled, and widowed beneficiaries will receive a monthly pension of ₹1,100, up from ₹400. According to the state government, 1.10 cr people will benefit from the hike. Soon after, political rivals rushed to outdo the move. Jan Suraj leader Prashant Kishor promised to raise the pension to ₹2,000 if voted to power, while RJD 's Tejashwi Yadav claimed his party had already proposed ₹1,500 and accused the government of acting under pressure by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Top 25 Most Beautiful Women In The World Articles Vally Undo Nitish Kumar also announced a doubling of the honorarium for 1.4 lakh workers under his flagship Jeevika project , which connects with 1.4 crore Jeevika Didis across Bihar. Additionally, self-help groups taking bank loans above ₹3 lakh will now pay 7% interest instead of the earlier 10%, with the state government covering the difference. The move reinforces Kumar's focus on welfare schemes for women - a core segment of his support base. The Opposition RJD and Congress earlier announced to launch the Mai-Bahin Scheme , to provide ₹2,500 per month to the Bihar women on the lines of schemes in other states. Live Events In recent elections, political parties across states have increasingly relied on cash schemes for women , with many implementing payouts after securing victory. In neighbouring Jharkhand, the Maiyan Samman scheme-offering ₹2,500 per month to women-was seen as a key factor in the Hemant Soren-led INDIA bloc's win. Given Kumar's track record, the Bihar government is likely to announce a cash scheme for women ahead of the elections.
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Rural market, library impress Buxar DM
Buxar: Buxar DM Vidyanand Singh inspected public infrastructure at Aathhar village in Navanagar block on Thursday. "The rural market will boost local economic activity and empower women," he said. Developed under MGNREGA at a cost of Rs 34 lakh, the haat includes 84 shops, composting facilities, electricity and a landscaped garden. CCTV cameras and rural-themed artwork add to the appeal. Jeevika Didis run grocery, tailoring and beauty businesses here. He asked officials to complete pending work and hand over the facility to the gram Ppanchayat. The DM praised the library's upkeep and urged continued maintenance. He also directed the child development project officer to develop the anganwadi centre into a model facility and asked the PHED to ensure adequate water supply. At the RTPS counter, he stressed timely service delivery and staff punctuality.
