Category: Bihar

Bihar: Woman’s relatives claim newborn stolen from hospital, vandalise property

Source: indiatoday.in

Relatives of a woman in Islampur of Nalanda, Bihar, pelted stones at a primary health centre and vandalised property after alleged theft of the woman’s newborn.

On Friday night, the pregnant woman’s family had come to a primary health centre in Islampur for the delivery of the child.

However, the infant was stolen by another woman from the hospital, media reports said.

Following which, aggrieved family members of the woman resorted to violence by pelting stones and destroying the health centre’s property.

The video of furious relatives pelting stone at the health centre is being shared on social media.

In the video footage, the woman’s family members were seen throwing stones at an ambulance that was parked outside the hospital.

Commenting on the matter, Vaibhav Chaudhary, SDO, Hilsa, Nalanda, told news agency ANI that the woman was brought to the health centre on late Friday night and she gave birth at 9 am on Saturday.
He further said that the police is looking into the matter and an investigation is underway.
However, he said, the situation was soon brought under control.

Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from Bihar

Source: indiatoday.in

Union minister and Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan on Friday was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Bihar.

Ram Vilas Paswan was declared elected and the certificate was handed over to him, Bateshwar Nath Pandey, the Returning Officer and secretary to Bihar Legislative Assembly, told PTI.

The certificate of election was given to Ram Vilas Paswan in presence of a host of senior NDA leaders including Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi.

The Lok Janshakti Party chief has been elected to the Upper House in a by-poll necessitated after the resignation of his cabinet colleague Ravi Shankar Prasad, who got elected to the Lok Sabha from the Patna Sahib seat in the recently concluded 2019 general elections.

This is the second time that Ram Vilas Paswan, who began his political career as a Sanyukt Socialist Party MLA in the 1960s, has been elected to the Rajya Sabha.

Ram Vilas Paswan’s previous election to the Upper House was in 2010 when he entered the Parliament with support of his then ally the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) a year after having lost his Hajipur Lok Sabha seat.

Ram Vilas Paswan resigned from the Rajya Sabha in 2014, two years ahead of the expiry of his term, when he wrested back the Hajipur contesting as an NDA candidate.

Ram Vilas Paswan had announced his decision not to contest the Lok Sabha polls this time and to choose the Rajya Sabha route instead when the NDA in Bihar, comprising BJP, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar JD(U) and LJP came out with its seat-sharing plan last year.

The Hajipur seat, which he won a number of times, on a couple of occasions with a record margin, has been retained for his party by Ram Vilas Paswan’s younger brother and state LJP president Pashupati Kumar Paras.

After Bihar, a public health agenda for India

Source: thehindubusinessline.com

Global experience shows that building a robust health system takes decades. However, the government has made systematic efforts towards impacting the multiple determinants of health over the last five years. The second term of the Narendra Modi-led government will be crucial for ensuring full implementation of recently launched initiatives in the health sector.

First, a greater push is needed for supporting the development of dedicated public health cadres in States. Whether it is combating a Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala or preventing the death of children due to the Acute Encephalitis Syndrome in Bihar, a strong public health system is crucial. In fact, in a rapidly urbanising and densely populated India, the risk of disease outbreaks and spreading of contagion is much higher.

It took a significant human cost and socio-political crisis after the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak for China to boost investments in public health. We must make the recent deaths in Bihar a turning point for prioritising public health in India.

Expanding Ayushman Bharat

In 2018, the government announced the flagship Ayushman Bharat programme which seeks to comprehensively strengthen the health system from the primary level through to tertiary care. With respect to primary care, emphasis will need to be placed not only on accelerating the establishment of Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) but also ensuring that they are fully functional and delivering comprehensive services, including in areas like mental health and geriatrics.

A strong referral system for those identified to be at risk of non-communicable diseases will also need to be put in place. Further, suitable models for delivery of primary care in urban areas will need to be prioritised as historically sub-centres and primary health centres have not worked as effectively in large, dynamic urban agglomerations.

Over 26 lakh beneficiaries have received treatment thus far under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY). The supply of services under PM-JAY will need to be enhanced through the creation of multi-speciality hospitals in the private sector. This will also boost job creation as every additional hospital bed generates an estimated 3-4 jobs. The government can also build on the platform of PM-JAY to expand insurance coverage to a larger section of the population. For instance, a contributory health insurance scheme could be launched for various categories of professionals who are not covered under PM-JAY and can afford to pay a contribution.

A long-standing challenge for India’s health system has been the existence of patient health records in manual or disparate IT systems with little standardisation. This limits interoperability and sharing of information. A key component of the HWCs is the creation of patient health records at the community-level. Further, PM-JAY emphasises electronic records for all patient transactions. What is needed now is an entity that can create a common health data vocabulary and specify minimum data standards. NITI Aayog has put out a strategy paper on the National Health Stack.

Another area in which the government has intervened significantly is enabling access to drugs and medical devices at affordable prices by setting up over 5,000 Jan Aushadhi stores and adopting price control. Going forward, the government would need to iron out any challenges with the business model of Jan Aushadhi stores as well as take steps to boost the domestic production of raw materials for drugs, thereby reducing the country’s dependence on imports.

During the first term of the Modi government several efforts were made to reform medical education in the country. The National Medical Commission Bill, 2017 must be implemented expeditiously. Reforms should also be undertaken along similar lines in AYUSH, nursing, dental and pharmacy education. To boost medical education infrastructure, private partners may be encouraged to establish new medical colleges, linked with district hospitals. I Developing other cadres of health professionals such as AYUSH and nurse practitioners as well as allied health professionals, should be prioritised.

Of course, a key enabler for implementing these reforms and programmes is an increase in government health expenditure to at least 2.5 per cent of GDP by, if not before, 2025. State governments also have a key role to play in ensuring that they spend at least 8 per cent of their budget on the health sector. The government can consider innovative sources of raising funds for health including earmarking revenues from tobacco and alcohol sales, earmarking taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages and utilising social impact bonds.

Why Bihar was right in defeating Tejashwi Yadav and RJD in Lok Sabha polls | Opinion

Source: indiatoday.in

When results of an election are announced, they decide two important roles–who will govern and who will be in the opposition to keep a check on what the new government does. For maintaining a polity’s democratic health, the second role is somewhat more important than the first.

This is because governments exist even in non-democratic regimes. But it is the presence of a responsible opposition that makes a robust democracy distinct. How effectively the Opposition is able to conduct itself, in many ways determines how cautious, sensitive and responsible the government will be while taking policy decisions and responding to unforeseen emergencies.

These are basics taught in social science classes at the senior secondary level and not necessarily part of a grand theory or sophisticated sacred knowledge.

But when it comes to the political spectrum of Bihar, the Leader of Opposition, Tejashwi Yadav, appears to have conscientiously chosen to be oblivious about this.

Bihar is currently witnessing its worst medical emergencies in recent times with more than 110 children dead due to encephalitis in Muzaffarpur district alone. The epidemic has exposed glaring faultlines in the public heath infrastructure of Bihar–be it availability of doctors, hospital infrastructure, nutrition level (which is worse than most African countries), among others.

These are exactly the times when people look up to their leaders (both in the ruling government and the Opposition) to stand with and for them to brave the calamity. Political ideologies, colours and partisan interests ought to diffuse in the face of such widespread human sufferings.

But what has been Tejashwi Yadav’s response to the Muzaffarpur tragedy? Two words can describe it: Silence and absence. This is not only unprecedented but also unbecoming and uncharacteristic.

Ever since the encephalitis outbreak hit Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav, the Leader of Opposition in Bihar assembly who is also the de-facto head of the single largest party in the state–Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)–has been silent.

Not only is he yet to utter a single word, not many, even within his own party, seem to be even aware of his whereabouts. Senior RJD have been clueless when asked where their leader is. Some said he might be in the United Kingdom to watch the Cricket World Cup.

Is Tejashwi Yadav on a holiday? Is he unwell? Is he under a spell of unending introspection? How does he and his party plan to help the state overcome tragedies like the one in Muzaffarpur? He is a public figure, the Leader of Opposition in an honourable state assembly. The people have every right to know his whereabouts and where he stands in these dark hours.

This is the same Tejashwi Yadav who two months ago would not miss even a minuscule opportunity to hit out at the NDA governments at the state and national level; the same Tejashwi Yadav who on May 17 (the last day for campaigning for Lok Sabha polls) took a jibe at Nitish Kumar, daring him to at least release his party manifesto on the last day; the same Tejashwi Yadav would be active on Twitter to share visuals from his rallies and regularly question the government and launch scathing attacks on it throughout the polls.

But all this was during the election seasona season when promises are served like hot pakodas; when people’s dreams are colonised by political colours of all hues in the buzzing atmosphere characterised by one-upmanship.

Now with the poll season is over, have things suddenly changed for Tejashwi Yadavthe politician whose Facebook cover image screams the words “Pratham pratigya, Pratham pyar, sukhi samridh sarvottam Bihar (My first pledge and first love is to see a happy and prosperous Bihar)”.

Is the strength of his pledge and love so weak that it could be rattled by a humiliating electoral defeat?

No doubt that when results of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections were declared on May 23, they came as a nightmare for Tejashwi Yadav and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

The party founded and nurtured by Tejashwi’s father Lalu Yadav, who is in jail, was routed and failed to win any of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. This was its worst performance and came despite an aggressive posturing, and an even more aggressive campaign led by Tejashwi Yadav against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

But Tejashwi should have known that defeat is also a time that tests your character and leadership. It is easy to be a leader in victory because the tide is in your favour. But it takes political and moral courage to accept defeat, work for the future, and shoulder one’s responsibility as an opposition leader.

If silence and complete absence from public life is the kind of leadership that Tejashwi Yadav had to offer the people of Bihar in times of a catastrophe like the one in Muzaffarpur, it is for good that most people in the state chose to vote against his party in the Lok Sabha elections.

Defeat, just like victory, is part of a political journey. If a de-facto party president and Leader of Opposition cannot see beyond the humiliating results of a general election, it is better that the people chose not to repose faith in his leadership. One wonders if Tejashwi Yadav is naive to understand the basics that a political party’s socio-political responsibilities do not cease to exist in the post-election season.

Being a responsible opposition leader does not mean that he necessarily has to militate against the ruling government at all cost. In times of crisis, maturity commands that the opposition and the government work as a unit and support each other to tackle the situation.

But for this, our politicians need to look beyond the optics of electoral politics. And this is where Tejashwi Yadav has failed miserably.

He may be a popular politician in Bihar, but the larger question is: Is he a leader?

L&T shares gain on mega power project order in Bihar

Source: moneycontrol.com

Larsen & Toubro shares gained more than a percent intraday on June 24 after bagging big power project in Bihar.

“The power business of L&T has bagged a mega engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) order from SJVN Thermal Private Limited to set up a 2×660 MW ultra-supercritical power plant in Buxar district, Bihar,” the infrastructure major said in its BSE filing.

SJVN Thermal Private Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SJVN Limited, a joint venture of the Government of India and the Government of Himachal Pradesh and a Mini Ratna public sector undertaking.
L&T said the scope of work for L&T includes design, engineering, manufacture, procurement, supply, construction, erection, testing commissioning of Buxar Thermal Power Project (2×660 MW),

on turnkey basis, covering steam generator, steam turbine generator, electrostatic precipitator, NOx control system, flue gas desulphurization (FGD) system and complete balance of plant (BoP) systems.

The stock was quoting at Rs 1,541.20, up Rs 1.20, or 0.08 percent on the BSE at 1006 hours IST.

While maintaining buy call on L&T being on conviction list with a target price at Rs 1,700, Goldman Sachs said company continued to show strength in core business and vigour in non-core business. “In bull-case scenario, we 26 percent upside from current levels.

AES in Bihar: Poor anganwadi centres failed to deliver

Source: downtoearth.org.in

Imagine a dilapidated room, with no plaster on the walls and any doors, window panes — this is what an anganwadi centre (AWC) in Bihar’s Talimpur village in East Champaran district looks like. More, the building has neither a toilet, hand washing facility nor drinking water.

“I have to carry chairs, utensils and other essentials for making food, charts for teaching children, and my registers everyday to and fro from home,” says the sevika (the main service provider) of the AWC in Talimpur village’s Madhuban block told DTE.

Most AWCs in Muzaffarpur, East Champaran (Motihari) and Sitamarhi districts that Down To Earth (DTE) visited, appears to be in similar appalling condition.

The state has recently witnessed a massive outbreak of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES), which claimed lives of more than 130 children. Malnourishment has widely been pegged as the causal factor for AES.

The state also has the highest case of malnourished children (43.9 per cent) in India.

The Anganwadi scheme was started as a rural child care programme in 1975 as part of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme. The centres are responsible for providing food and nutrition to children and also pregnant women.

An AWC has a sevika and sahaiyka (the helper who prepares food). The menu is fixed — khichdi, kheer, halwa, rasiav (a sweet local dish to be given on particular days of the week). Typically, an AWC, registers 40 children (3-5 years) for food.

It registers another 40 (0-3 years), eight pregnant and eight lactating mothers to provide take-home-ration (THR). The THR consist of 2.5 kg rice, 2.5 kg dal and some soybean to each of the beneficiaries.

But, many centres get children and mothers more than they could afford. As a result, many do not get registered and remain under nourished.

This is despite the 2006 Supreme Court order directing anganwadi services to be universalised.

“There are many more but I can’t register all of them as the numbers are fixed. Therefore I also have to face wrath of parents whose kids I don’t register,” said Sahaiyka from Talimpur village, adding they try to take only one member (child/lactating or pregnant woman) from a family even if there are more eligible members so that more and more families can be covered.

Out of 2.96 lakh children registered in AWCs of the district’s villages, 27,000 are malnourished, according to a survey report sent by Muzaffarpur district programme manager of ICDS department. This was about those children who are registered. The level of malnourishment in children not registered is yet to be known, the report said.

Most of the deceased’s families that DTE visited said their child was not registered with any AWC.

“There is no AWC nearby. The one that is far did not register my child,” said a man from Muzaffarpur’s Marwan block, who lost his child due to AES. Parents in Sitamarhi and Motihari also narrated a similar story.

Moreover, many of sevikas have also not received their salaries as well as the budget allocated for their centres.

“The villagers come charging on me as to why I am denying food. But the fact remains if I am not getting money what can I do,” said the sevika from AWC in Runni Saidpur block of GIddha Phulwariya village in Sitamarhi district.

The last budget was received in the month of March, she said, teary-eyed. Till the next lot, she provides the children with biscuits from her own pocket on a daily basis.

“If we don’t do it, the children will stop coming and they would not turn up even when I would have the budget. Then I will be questioned by supervisor why children are not there. What would I do then when I would be slapped with notices,” the sahayika rued, adding that they have raised the concern to authorities, but to no avail.

The story is same across AWCs of all the three districts where DTE visited.

According to the recent national family health survey, only 37 per cent children got food from AWCs in Bihar. Incidentally, Bihar had second highest number of malnourished children after Uttar Pradesh till NFHS-3 But in last NFHS survey, it even surpassed Uttar Pradesh.

“Whatever you found in the anganwadi kendras of these villages is in fact of story of villages across Bihar. The story would not have been different, had you not visited the villages before the advent of AES,” said Shakeel, the Bihar coordinator of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan.

“Besides the central government’s scheme, the state also has a couple of them. But the result is to be seen on the ground,” Shakeel added.

Bihar police arrest Maoist injured in encounter, seize arms

Source: newindianexpress.com

PATNA: Bihar police have arrested a Maoist who was injured during an anti-naxal operation in Vaishali district of the state on Monday.

The injured Maoist has been identified as Mohammad Aijaz. His associate Raja Sahni managed to flee.

The encounter between the anti-naxal team and the ultras ensued after the cops intercepted the duo. The cops found them moving suspiciously near Ram Sharan College on Jandaha-Mahnar road.

The operation was carried out on a specific intelligence input by ASP (operation). Vaishali Superintendent of Police (SP) MS Dhillon, who monitored the operation said, ” We got tip off that some persons affiliated to a Maoist outfit led by one Amarnath Sahni were reaching a spot to purchase arms and ammunition”.

Following this, an anti-naxal team was formed and rushed to the spot. “The ultras came in a bike. When intercepted, one of them fired on the police party. The team retaliated and in the encounter Mohd. Aijaz suffered bullet injuries in his leg,” Dhillon said, adding, Sahni, a resident of Dih Bicholi, however, escaped.

“Both are wanted in three murder cases and three other cases under Arms Act and ULAP act. A country-made revolver, 6 ammo and one fired cartridge along with bike have been seized from the duo, the SP further added.

None of the cops was injured in the encounter.

The captured accused, Aijaz, son of Mohammad Idrees Mian from Chandsarai has been hospitalised and is said to be out of danger. “Even after the encounter with ultras, the areas affected with Naxal activities are being sanitised for remaining associates”, Dhillon said.

In the past, two farmers were abducted and killed by CPI (Maoists) after they were returning from a nearby village Dihouchauli. The areas falling under the Jandaha and Patepur police stations in Bihar’s Vaishali district are suspected to be in the grip of ultras.

Jharkhand Minister Calls Mob Lynching Death a ‘Cut & Paste’ Allegation, Says Wrong to Politicise Incident

Source:- news18.com

A man who was assaulted on suspicion of theft in Jharkhand’s Kharsawan district and beaten up for hours before being handed over to the police on June 18, succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital on Saturday.

Reacting to allegations that Ansari’s death was a result of mob lynching by right-wing outfits, Jharkhand minister CP Singh called it a “cut and paste” job of using whatever allegations fit such incidents.

“Trend is prevalent these days to associate such incidents with the BJP, RSS, VHP and Bajrang Dal. It’s a time of ‘cut and paste’ wherein who fits what words and where, it is difficult to say. The government is conducting an investigation. The trend to politicise such incidents is wrong,” Singh was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

The incident came to light after several videos of the assault went viral on social media. In one of the clips, Ansari is seen being beaten with a wooden stick. At the end of another video, he is shown being forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Jai Hanuman’.

“Tabrez was with two other men who had gone there to steal. The villagers caught them. While two of the men fled, Tabrez was caught by the villagers and beaten up,” Chandan Kumar Sinha, SP of Seraikella-Kharsawan told HuffPost India. The primary accused, Pappu Mandal, was arrested after his death.

In one of the videos, Ansari can be heard denying the charges against himself.

According to reports, Ansari worked as a welder and labourer in Pune and had returned to his home in Kharsawan for Eid last month and to get married.

A Jharkhand-based activist said Ansari left for Jamshedpur at 5 pm on June 18 with two men, unaware of where they were taking him.

Bigg Boss Marathi 2, Weekend Cha Daav, June 23, 2019, written update: Vidyadhar Joshi gets evicted; saves Neha from eviction

Source:-timesofindia.indiatimes.com

In the latest episode of Bigg Boss Marathi 2, Mahesh Manjrekar calls Vaishali, a partial supervisor during the task ‘Ek Daav Dhobi Pachad’. She tries to justify herself but Mahesh tells Team B that he would have been happy if they won the task without Vaishali’s help.
Mahesh appreciates Veena for her strategy of applying oil on the pipe during the same task

Later, Parag and Veena get into a fight as Veena blames him for being disloyal to his group. On the other hand, Parag blames Shiv for dividing their group.

Veena gets angry at Shiv as he is trying to impress her and at the same time he is also trying to give attention to Heena. On that, Shiv tries to explain to her that Abhijeet Kelkar and Vaishali had only asked him to do that to gain more attention from the viewers.

Mahesh then sends some of the housemates one-by-one to the confession room for the Chugli Booth activity. During this activity, Veena’s fan sends her a message that Heena is trying to separate Shiv and Veena on Abhijeet Bichukale’s orders.

Later, Mahesh calls one of the viewers on the stage to punish the culprit of the week. She calls Parag as the culprit and punishes him to apologise to Veena, Kishori, and Rupali.

After apologizing, Parag- Rupali, and Veena- Shiv present a romantic dance whereas Vaishali sings a song for them.

Mahesh plays some songs and asks the housemates to guess the contestant to whom the song is addressed to. Surekha Punekar performs on the song ‘Mala Mhantyat Ho Punyachi Maina’ whereas Vidyadhar shows some dance moves with Kishori to the song ‘Vaajale Ki Bara’.

After all the fun moments, Mahesh moves towards the elimination process. He announces that among all the 6 nominated contestants, Vidyadhar gets evicted and has to take an exit from the show.

While Vidyadhar takes his bags, everyone gets emotional. Shiv and Vaishali get teary-eyed.

Mahesh calls him on the stage and shows a small video clip of his journey in Bigg Boss house.

Lastly, Mahesh gives him the special power to save anyone for the next week. He saves Neha and gives her a birthday gift.

AES outbreak puts focus on ailing healthcare infrastructure in Bihar

Source: livemint.com

NEW DELHI: The rising death toll of children suffering from acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district not only points to a health crisis, but also the crippling healthcare infrastructure in the state.

According to the latest data available with the ministry of health and family welfare, about 79.5% of the 1,719 villages in Muzaffarpur district do not have a public healthcare facility. There are only 630 public healthcare facilities in Muzaffarpur, the data reveals.

“What can easily be managed at a primary health centre level, is reaching Muzaffarpur at a critical stage causing deaths. Since there is no primary health infrastructure nearby and no health experts to tell these families the preventive measures, the problem arises,” said a senior health ministry official, requesting anonymity.

Experts also said that in view of the children’s deaths and the number of new cases being reported every day, the district level infrastructure is about to collapse.

“Encephalitis cases have always been witnessed in areas which are economically disadvantaged and have rudimentary health infrastructure at the primary care level. Health infrastructure is a major issue given the high mortality in Bihar. The easy solution to this disease is balanced diet in each meal,” the official said.

“Even if children show early signs, regular glucose consumption can solve the problem. The early warning signals that should be provided to villagers also seem to be absent,” he added.

The official said malnutrition, compounded by heat and humidity, unusually high this year, is the major cause for the high death toll.

According to the census of 2011, Bihar is the third most populous state in India, with around 40% of its population below the poverty line. The major health and demographic indicators of the state, such as infant mortality rate, maternal mortality ratio, and total fertility rate, are substantially higher than the all-India average, and reflect the poor health status of the people. The state has a shortage of 1,210 sub-centres, 131 primary health centres (PHCs), and 389 community health centres (CHCs).

So far, 167 children have died in Bihar, with Muzaffarpur recording 117 deaths. Other districts include Vaishali (19), Motihari (12), Begusarai (8), Samastipur (8), and one each in Arrah, Sheohar and Purnia.

“Blame it on the scarcity of health facilities or unawareness among masses, patients from almost all the villages in Muzaffarpur are coming to us in critical stages, which is increasing the death toll. Private hospitals are unable to handle the pressure,” said Sunil Shahi, medical superintendent, Sri Krishna Medical College, Muzaffarpur, which is handling a majority of the cases.

Interestingly, Muzaffarpur city is part of the centre’s smart cities’ list. According to a recent report by the Smart Cities Mission of Housing and Urban affairs, the doctor-patient ratio at Muzaffarpur is as low as 80:100,000 patients. The report said there are four large hospitals in the city, 46 nursing homes and 175 medicine shops. The city provides some access to healthcare for its residents, but healthcare facilities are “overburdened and far from many residents”.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India 2018 report said improved healthcare facilities could not be provided because of project delays. “Completion of 75 CHCs was delayed by one to 33 months. Further, 11 CHCs was incomplete even after the delay of one to 36 months, due to non-availability of dispute-free land and slow execution of work. Consequently, there was a delay in the completion of 86 CHCs, which delayed the intended objective of providing improved healthcare facilities.”