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Tag: bihar news

  • Nitish has his revenge, drafts in lone LJP MLA Raj Kumar Singh

    One Bihar politician who has hogged a lot of the political dialogue within the state of late is Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief and two-time MP from Jamui, Chirag Paswan. For a lot of the latter a part of final yr he was a possible challenger to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the JD(U).
    Paswan’s LJP did make a critical dent into the vote base of JD(U) and was primarily answerable for decreasing the latter to third-largest social gathering within the Assembly polls with 43 seats – behind RJD’s 75 and BJP’s 74 seats – however the social gathering itself ended with a lone MLA.
    On Tuesday, Nitish Kumar took his candy revenge, when LJP’s single MLA – Raj Kumar Singh, who received from Matihani, Begusarai – joined JD(U). The LJP now has no member in both state Legislative Council or the Assembly. While Chirag was seen as fancying his probabilities of being a BJP ally on the expense of JD(U) earlier than the Assembly polls, Nitish appears to have drawn ranges with LJP.
    There has nonetheless been no response from Chirag on this week’s improvement, however what might be extra discomforting is BJP placing LJP on what many see as a “long-hold button”. It was speculated that LJP had walked out of NDA in Bihar earlier than the state elections with tacit consent from the saffron social gathering – LJP put up candidates in opposition to all 110 seats JD(U) contested and on solely 5 seats in opposition to “friendly foe” BJP.
    While Nitish returned as CM, Chirag stored ready for BJP’s name to develop into a Union minister – in spite of everything, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held LJP patriarch and Chirag’s late father, Ram Vilas Pswan, in excessive esteem.
    But as Nitish managed to reassert his place in state politics, Chirag’s entry on the Centre is getting delayed. The BJP, it seems, doesn’t wish to displease Nitish. Even the Rajya Sabha seat vacated by his father’s demise went to senior BJP chief and former Bihar deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi.

    Chirag, nonetheless, seems to know tips on how to play the sport of ready. If and when BJP will get an higher hand over Nitish and JD(U), Chirag’s politics can routinely revive and reboot. Or so appears to be his gameplan.

  • Bihar: Punia accuses Centre of diverting SC/ST housing funds for ‘others’

    Congress chief P L Punia, the previous chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), has accused the Centre of diverting funds from the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) and Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) underneath the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), pointing to Bihar throughout three fiscals for example of the identical.
    Punia was referring to the disbursal of Rs 2421.94 crore from the monetary years 2018-2019, 20-19-20 and 2020-2021 – a interval wherein solely 78 homes for SC beneficiaries and 54 homes for ST beneficiaries have been constructed, whereas the remainder of the funds have been diverted to homes for “others” and minorities.
    As per the PMAY portal underneath the Union Rural Development Ministry, the development of no home had been sanctioned in Bihar in 2018-19, whereas the Centre disbursing Rs 1,354.80 crore for the monetary yr underneath the SCSP technique.
    In 2019-20, a complete of 39 out of 61 homes sanctioned for SC beneficiaries have been constructed. In this fiscal, the Centre disbursed Rs 749.40 crore underneath the SCSP scheme, whereas the development of 12,85,854 homes underneath “others” and 1,89,785 homes for minorities have been sanctioned.
    In 2020-21, 39 out of 61 homes sanctioned for SC beneficiaries have been constructed, whereas Rs 39.59 crore was disbursed. During this fiscal, the development of two,25,696 homes have been sanctioned for “others”, whereas the corresponding quantity for minorities was 29,653 homes.
    For these three monetary years, a cumulative sum of Rs 278.14 crore was disbursed, whereas 54 out of 150 sanctioned homes have been constructed for tribals underneath TSP.
    A Rural Development Ministry letter issued on October 17, 2019 to pay and accounts officers clearly states: “It is reiterated that while allocating targets to districts, state should follow the formula prescribed by the ministry. It is clarified that earmarked targets for SC/ ST and minority cannot be diverted to general category. Only SC and ST targets can be interchanged if there are sufficient justifications.”
    Speaking to The Indian Express, Punia stated: “As per Planning Commission guidelines, neither the state nor the Central government can change the plan head of SCSP and TSP. Only Parliament has powers to do so. We wonder how the Centre had been diluting such rules.”
    Asked about the identical, Bihar Rural Development Department Principal Secretary Arvind Choudhary stated, “As we had constructed a good number of SC/ST houses since 2014, our priority list (60 per cent for SC/STs) had been exhausted.”

    However, Punia famous that when the precedence checklist is exhausted, a state authorities has to tell the Centre and the disbursal underneath the SCSP and TSP funds needs to be stopped instantly. “But this fund cannot be diverted to the ‘others’ category under any condition,” he stated.
    The Congress chief added, “It is very sad that the Centre has done away with concepts of SCSP and TSP, running since 1976 and 1980 respectively… The Centre has now been only putting up a list saying they have done work for SCs and STs… The change of fund head is a major issue. We are going to raise the matter in Parliament soon.”
    Asked in regards to the “diversion” in SC/ST funds, as alleged by Punia, Choudhary stated: “It cannot be called diversion. We used it with the Cenre’s permission.”
    According to Delhi-based RTI activist Rajeev Kumar, Ministry of Rural Development Deputy Director General (Rural Housing) Gaya Prasad has said that as a precept, the plan head of SC or ST fund can’t be modified. “Only Parliament can change it, that too after a cabinet note,” he stated.

    When requested about Punia’s objections, Union Rural Development Secretary Nagendra Nath Sinha advised The Indian Express: “In Bihar’s case, its chief secretary had written to us about its priority list of SC/ ST beneficiaries getting exhausted.”
    Asked in regards to the Planning Commission pointers and the ministry’s 2019 letter, Sinha stated, “These guidelines are for broad perspective. Funds are regulated from our end.”
    Under the PMAY (Gramin) scheme, the identification of beneficiaries was primarily based on the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC 2011) information. A complete 27,48,163 houseless households, together with 2,85,709 eligible SC/ST households, have been recognized by the Bihar authorities, of which 26,78,748 homes have been sanctioned, with 2,75,880 beneficiary households belonging to the SC and ST communities.
    Under the PMAY(G) scheme, the development of 17,73,055 homes has been accomplished, of which 2,23,443 homes are for SC/ST beneficiaries (81 per cent of the sanctioned homes for SC/ST households).

  • RJD chief gunned down, Tejashwi targets Nitish

    RJD chief Nirmal Bubna was killed by motorcycle-bound assailants at Bihar’s Katihar on Saturday night time.
    The incident came about on the Salmari outpost space when Bubna was returning dwelling. The assailants, who have been in hiding, indiscriminately fired on the RJD chief from shut vary, killing him on the spot.
    IGP (Purnia Range) Sudhir Prasad Choudhary stated, “Two persons have been detained. We have been conducting raids to arrest assailants. We have suspended Salmari outpost in-charge for negligence of duty.”

    Bubna, who had earlier been within the liquor enterprise, had converted to the garments enterprise after prohibition was imposed in Bihar. He had earlier been arrested in reference to the homicide of the son of a zila parishad member.
    Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav attacked Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, claiming that the law-and-order scenario was deteriorating below his authorities. “Criminals have no fear of police. Bubna was fired upon with 27 bullets. The government’s tall claims on law-and-order have fallen flat.”
    Tejashwi claimed that in 10 days, 5 members of a household have been killed, a number of folks died allegedly as a consequence of consuming illicit liquor in Mawada and Begusarai, whereas a Bhagalpur man died in police custody.

  • Canadian girl arrested in Bihar for coming into India with out visa

    A Canadian nationwide was arrested close to right here on Wednesday whereas making an attempt to sneak into the Indian territory from adjoining Nepal dodging immigration officers and with no legitimate visa, an immigration division official mentioned.
    The 26-year-old Ontario resident was arrested from a bus heading for Bettiah in neighbouring West Champaran district, the official mentioned.
    The police had been alerted by the immigration division officers that the girl had reached Raxaul border outpost in an auto-rickshaw from Nepal and had fled upon being requested to halt and present her paperwork, the official mentioned.
    The womans passport, digital camera and a video recorder had been seized from her.
    During interrogation she claimed to have visited India lengthy again and that her on-line request for a visa in January 2020 when she was in Nepal was declined by the Indian authorities due to the coronavirus pandemic, the official mentioned.
    The girl claimed that in her earlier visits she had extensively toured Himachal Pradesh, Bengaluru, New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, he added.
    She was taken to Haraiya police station the place a case has been registered in opposition to her beneath the Foreigners Act, the police mentioned.

  • Indian-Americans donate over Rs 1 cr for well being sector in Bihar, Jharkhand

    An Indian American couple has donated over Rs 1 for crore healthcare works in Bihar and Jharkhand, the Bihar Jharkhand Association of North America (BJANA) introduced on Monday.
    The beneficiant donation of USD 150,000 by the Ramesh and Kalpana Bhatia Family Foundation to the BJANA could be used for healthcare efforts within the rural areas of the 2 states by the PRAN-BJANA clinic initiative.
    The Pravasi Alumni Nisshulk (PRAN) is an initiative by like-minded Indian-American physicians who’re working to supply healthcare to the underprivileged and underserved in Bihar and Jharkhand.
    These medical doctors has arrange a PRAN clinic in Ranchi, offering free healthcare companies to the needy. Their endeavour is to supply free healthcare companies throughout the states.

    “With the generous donation of Ramesh and Kalpana Bhatia, this became possible. BJANA getting a large donation is a testament to its ongoing philanthropic activities both here and back home,” BJANA president Avinash Gupta mentioned.
    Alok Kumar, former FIA president, mentioned this sort of donation would assist the BJANA perform its healthcare works within the area.
    Bhatia got here from NIT, Patna, and runs a profitable enterprise in Texas.

  • Upendra Kushwaha amongst 12 nominated to Bihar Upper House

    Former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha, who not too long ago returned to the JD(U), was among the many 12 individuals who had been nominated to the Bihar Upper House on Wednesday.
    The JD(U) and the BJP cut up the seats equally amongst themselves, prompting ally Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), led by former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, to threaten a “big decision”.
    Other nominated leaders from JD(U) are Building Construction Minister Ashok Kumar Choudhary, Sanjay Kumar Singh, Sanjay Singh, Ramvachan Rai and Lallan Sharraf. Those nominated from BJP are Janak Ram, Devesh Kumar, Rajendra Prasad Gupta, Ghanshyam Thakur, Dr Pramod Kumar and Nivedita Singh.

    Besides HAM(S), the Vikasshil Insaan Party (VIP), too, hasn’t acquired an MLC berth. While VIP has not gone public with its reservations, HAM(S) has been vocal in regards to the “unfair treatment to an ally”.

    HAM(S) spokesperson Danish Rizwan stated: “Our leader Jitan Ram Manjhi is very upset. The entire party’s rank-and-file is upset. We were not at all consulted before 12 names were finalised… It is a very serious matter. The party may take a big decision soon.” Rizwan didn’t elaborate on this.

    JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar stated: “The Chief Minister had been authorised by all NDA allies to nominate MLCs. There is no ambivalence in it and the government is in a comfortable position.”
    NDA has easy majority of 127 within the 243-member Bihar Assembly. The BJP has 74 legislators, JD(U) 44, and HAM (S) and VIP 4 every. The JD(U) has additionally help of 1 Independent MLA. The RJD-led Grand Alliance has 110 MLAs, 12 wanting a easy majority.

  • Speaker and minister interact in an uncommon spat inside Bihar Assembly

    The Bihar meeting on Wednesday witnessed an uncommon offended trade between the Speaker and a member of the state cabinet.
    Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha, who was a minister himself within the earlier NDA authorities, was visibly shaken on the disdain proven in direction of the Chair by Samrat Chaudhary who holds the Panchayati Raj portfolio.
    Nearly half an hour after the proceedings started at 11 am, Chaudhary rose to answer to a starred query from an MLA.
    The minister was instructed by the speaker that departments have been additionally purported to ship replies on-line to his workplace however the identical was not obtained for the query.
    “You check it. The reply must be there. Out of 16 questions related to my department, replies for 14 have been sent online”, Chaudhary stated dismissively.
    Sinha identified that his workplace was in receipt of “only 11” replies until morning to which Chaudhary stated “vyakul hone se kaam nahin chalega” (getting stressed won’t do).
    The speaker felt slighted and requested the minister to “take back” his phrases although Chaudhary dug in his heels and, waving a finger in direction of the Chair, stated “you cannot run the House in this fashion”.
    Unable to take it any longer, Sinha ordered adjournment of the proceedings until midday.
    At 12 pm, when the home reassembled, JD(U) MLA Narendra Narayan Yadav occupied the chair whereas Sinha selected to stay inside his chamber, understandably in a sulk.
    Yadav knowledgeable the home that issues scheduled to be raised in the course of the Zero Hour could be referred to the committee involved whereas calling consideration motions scheduled for the day will now be taken up on Friday, March 19.
    The home was, subsequently, adjourned until 2 pm. In the post-lunch session, the speaker was again and minister for parliamentary affairs Vijay Kumar Chaudhary rose and requested that Samrat Chaudhary wish to specific remorse for the “unintentional insult” to the Chair.
    Samrat Chaudhary rose and provided a quick apology after which regular enterprise resumed.
    The humiliation confronted by the speaker, who by the way belongs to the BJP just like the minister, earned him sympathy among the many opposition.
    CPI(ML) MLA Mahboob Alam and Congress legislator Shakeel Ahmed Khan demanded sacking of Samrat Chaudhary from the cabinet for the disrespect proven by him for the chair.
    BJP sources stated on situation of anonymity that there have been consternations over makes an attempt by Sinha, a 3rd time period MLA who was a minister within the earlier authorities, to rub his personal occasion colleagues the flawed method in a bid to look “impartial”.
    They pointed in direction of expression of dismay by Deputy Chief Minister Tarkishor Prasad a few days in the past when he alleged that the chair was extending “sanrakshan” (patronage) to the belligerent chief of the opposition Tejashwi Yadav.
    The opposition, on its half, has been charging that the treasury benches have been attempting to “dictate to the chair”.

    Caught within the crossfire, the speaker had come out with a press release on the ground of the home Tuesday asserting that expenses leveled by the opposition in addition to the treasury benches have been “baseless”.
    “Those who resolve to act in a transparent manner, cannot keep all happy..let us remember, the world is ephemeral. All those who have been born have to die. We will be remembered for our actions once we are gone”, the speaker had stated within the emotionally worded assertion.

  • Bihar minister concerned in liquor commerce, Nitish helpless: Tejashwi

    RJD chief Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday launched a frontal assault on the Nitish Kumar authorities in Bihar, alleging the involvement of a BJP minister in illicit liquor commerce and claiming that the Chief Minister appeared “weak and helpless” and, subsequently, unable to behave and stem the rot.
    The chief of the opposition, who had on the day past raised contained in the meeting the difficulty of seizure of illicit liquor from a college constructing located on a property that belonged to minister for land reforms and income Ram Surat Rai, went for the jugular and charged that he suspected “direct involvement” of the cabinet member.
    Brandishing a bunch of sheets at a press convention right here, he mentioned, “here are copies of the FIR and documents relating to the Arjun Memorial school of which the minister happens to be the founder while his brother is the vyavasthapak (manager). Anybody who cares can go and verify the facts.”
    The college, from the place liquor was seized in November final yr, is located in Muzaffarpur. Ram Surat Rai is the MLA from Aurai in the identical district.
    After wresting again the seat from the RJD, Rai was inducted into the cabinet from the BJP quota, practically a fortnight after confiscation of the liquor.
    Consumption and sale of liquor within the state was banned by chief minister Nitish Kumar 5 years in the past. Yadav was then his deputy.
    The RJD chief challenged Kumar to take motion in opposition to the minister and alleged that he appeared “clueless whenever we raise any anomaly involving his government”.
    Raking up the difficulty of JD(U) chief Mewa Lal Chaudhary, who needed to step down instantly after taking cost because the training minister in November final when an argument erupted over his title having cropped up in a rip-off involving an agriculture college, Yadav questioned “how does the chief minister find yourself appointing tainted individuals in his cabinet.
    “Even newspapers have been flagging this matter. But, he takes no note until we raise a hue and cry”.
    He additionally ridiculed the assertion given by Ram Surat Rai in his defence that he would resign as minister and quit politics if his complicity within the liquor case was established.
    “Where was he once we had been elevating the matter on the ground of the House? Those defending him proffered a lame excuse that the property had been leased out to someone else.
    “We are now charging that he is very much involved in running of the school from where liquor was seized”, Yadav mentioned.
    He additionally reiterated {that a} “parallel black economy” has been thriving within the state ever since prohibition got here into drive and folks with the “right connections” continued to devour liquor at a premium.
    “Videos have been viral on social media of legislators belonging to the chief ministers JD(U) gyrating tipsily and lewdly beside dancing ladies.
    “And who can forget our expose of a few years ago when we shared photographs of a liquor mafia from Bhojpur, an accused in a hooch tragedy case, getting snapped along with the chief minister at his official residence?” Yadav remarked.
    “The chief minister, who heads the government and also holds the all important home portfolio, has obviously a lot to answer. We reiterate that he is tired and grown weak and helpless”, Yadav, youthful son of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, alleged.
    Meanwhile, the state BJP was left peeved on the RJD leaders makes an attempt at “character assassination” of Ram Surat Rai.
    “The drawback of Tejashwi Yadav is that Rai belongs to the Yadav group whom the RJD has at all times handled as its chattel.
    “Before pointing fingers at Rai, he should have had a word with his father Lalu Prasad who must be knowing the impeccable credentials of Rais deceased father and family”, BJP spokesman Nikhil Anand mentioned in an angrily worded assertion.
    Prohibition was hotly mentioned within the legislative meeting on Tuesday throughout a debate on Prohibition, Excise and Registration division’s budgetary demand.
    Highlighting crackdown on individuals violating the liquor legislation, Prohibition division minister Sunil Kumar had mentioned over 3.46 lakh individuals have been arrested beneath the provisions of the stringent laws in opposition to alcohol within the state.
    Among them 5000 individuals have been arrested from Punjab, Haryana and Jharkhand for illegally supplying liquor in dry Bihar, the minister had mentioned.
    Kumar,who retired from the police service earlier than contesting final yr’s ballot on a JD(U) ticket, additional mentioned that the federal government businesses have seized 53 lakh litres of nation made liquor and 97 lakh litres of India Made Foreign Liquor until February this yr.

  • Budget session: Nitish govt focuses on industrialisation, chaos in House over farm protests

    The Nitish Kumar authorities in Bihar on Friday asserted that it was working with an intention to spice up industrialisation of the state which might help its fast tempo of growth and in addition result in job creation.
    In his customary deal with to the state legislature because the funds session started, Governor Phagu Chauhan mentioned that within the industrial coverage formulated in 2020 a provision has been made for “additional capital subsidy” which might incentivise organising of latest models.
    The governor, who spoke for greater than half-an-hour, additionally mentioned the state authorities has succeeded in retaining the COVID-19 pandemic below management, and had wonderful charges of testing and restoration whereas the mortality price stood manner beneath the nationwide common.
    Chauhan additionally mentioned that the state authorities has remained dedicated to establishing rule of legislation, which has fostered an setting of social and communal concord.

    Besides, “zero tolerance for corruption” has been evident in crackdowns on public servants accused of corruption and confiscation of property value Rs 45.81 crore, amassed by 45 individuals going through motion below the Money Laundering Act, he mentioned.
    The state authorities has remained dedicated to offering its residents with an environment friendly and clear administration and empowered the individuals by measures just like the Right to Public Services Act, he added.
    About the federal government’s plans for the longer term, the governor’s speech touched upon ‘Saat Nishchay 2’, the second section of the chief minister’s seven resolves, a key part of which is the pledge to irrigate each discipline.
    Another key part is ‘Yuva Shakti Bihar Ki Pragati’, below which ‘a culture of enterprise’ can be promoted within the state by measures like making entrepreneurship part of the curriculum, the governor mentioned.
    The governor talked about that the state authorities was commited to environmental preservation and enhancements in well being and schooling.
    Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy CMs Tarkishor Prasad and Renu Devi, chief of the opposition Tejashwi Yadav and minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain have been amongst these current within the House throughout the governor’s deal with.
    The governor’s deal with was adopted by Tarkishor Prasad, who additionally holds the finance portfolio, tabling the financial survey.
    Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha adjourned the House until Monday after studying out condolence references for deceased former members of the legislature and in addition Buta Singh and Rama Jois, each of whom had held gubernatorial assignments within the state.
    A suggestion by Tejashwi Yadav that tributes be paid to the “more than 260 farmers”, who’ve died throughout the ongoing agitations towards the farm legal guidelines, was turned down.

    This was protested by the members of the RJD and its MLA Bhai Virendra trooped into the effectively and introduced that every one members of the occasion shall be observing a two-minute silence on the ground of the House.
    Members of the opposition occasion, which has the biggest variety of MLAs, thereafter stood in silence for 2 minutes, in an expression of solidarity with agitating farmers, earlier than leaving the House.

  • Bihar units up 10 groups to test testing knowledge in all 38 districts

    The Bihar Health Department Saturday introduced the organising of 10 groups to randomly confirm Covid testing knowledge from throughout all of the state’s 38 districts within the wake of The Indian Express investigation that discovered evident gaps in testing information.
    Probes started in 26 districts and show-cause notices have been despatched to medical officers accountable for Primary Health Centres in Araria, Forbesganj and the Purnaiah PHC of Sheohar.
    As a part of its investigation, The Indian Express visited six PHCs in Jamui, Sheikhpura and Patna, and accessed their testing information for January 16, 18 and 25. It tracked down 885 entries at these PHCs, and spoke to a number of staffers to seek out that primary knowledge protocol was bypassed in a scramble to fulfill the day by day goal — from fudged cellular numbers to faux names and dodgy entries.

    Records from Jamui and Sheikhpura present how in a number of circumstances, the cellular numbers supplied for these examined have been owned by unrelated folks from different districts and even states. In some circumstances, a number of unrelated individuals have been listed underneath one quantity. In a couple of circumstances, the numbers used have been these of the PHC staffers themselves. This would make it more difficult to do contact-tracing if the circumstances are optimistic.
    Acknowledging these irregularities, state Healh Department Principal Secretary Pratyaya Amrit stated: “Phone numbers were found wrong in Barhat and Sikandara. Irregularities were found too. Departmental enquiry has been initiated against those held accountable. State health department will ensure those found guilty will be brought to book… There were irregularities in Barhat and Sikandara PHCs of Jamui”.
    “We have completed random probe in 26 districts and found multiple zeroes in several phone numbers in Araria and Forbesgang (in Araria district) and in the Purnaiah PHC of Sheohar,” stated Amrit. “Even though physical probe showed that tests were actually conducted, we issued show-cause notices to these medical officers for improper data preparation.”

    He underlined that “offenders cannot undermine the efforts of those who risked their everything for countering the onslaught of the Corona virus infection”.
    The Indian Express investigation discovered that of the 885 testing entries tabulated, solely 230 confirmed getting examined. About 325 entries had both 10 zeroes for cellular numbers or the contact columns have been left clean.
    Nine officers, together with the Jamui Civil Surgeon, District Programme Officer, District Immunisation Officer have been suspended.
    “At many places, numbers of ANMs and lab technicians were found mentioned against valid patients,” stated Amrit. He added that bodily verification confirmed there have been many circumstances the place names didn’t match the numbers however the topics have been examined.

    Though no formal order has been issued to ask for any legitimate id doc for these being examined for Covid, most officers on the bottom advised The Indian Express that they’ve begun insisting on id proof.

    Said an official in Begusarai: “We cannot risk anything under the pressure of meeting the testing target. We are asking for some documents, writing down their full addresses so that even if there is no phone number, we can still trace the persons”.

    While the state remains to be testing about 20,000 RT-PCR samples per day, districts have been advised to not “rush to meet target”. Some districts, together with Sheikhpura and Saran have finished away with day by day Antigen testing goal.
    Covid testing determine in Bihar is down from 75,000 per week in the past to only over 65,000 on February 12. Bihar was among the many states hardest-hit by the pandemic with the return of over 20 lakh migrant employees as infections peaked in the course of final yr. The state has thus far recorded 2,61,568 optimistic circumstances, with 700 energetic circumstances, and over 1,500 deaths linked to Covid.