Cool Bihari: Bihar Diary

Finally after long prolonged ordeal Patna University is finally going to be accorded the Status of a Central University.

The Centre has decided to open an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Bihar besides an Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT). It has also decided to accord Central university status to one of the universities in the state, preferably Patna Univeristy. The announcements were made by Union minister of state for HRD MAA Fatmi at the inaugural ceremony of a new experiment of the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) called "On Demand Examination" here on Monday.

Fatmi said, "The proposal for one IIT for Bihar and two for Orissa and one Western Indian state besides one IIIT to Bihar will be included in 11th Five Year Plan". He said that five universities were being upgraded as Central universities of which one will be from Bihar. "The process for the upgrade has already started," he said.

Suger Complex Coming Up.

The Bihar government on August 17 approved a proposal from Glucon Limited for setting up Rs 550-crore sugar complex at Rasoolpur in Saran district. The state cabinet recently cleared the proposal.

The meeting also cleared a proposal from the agriculture department to provide Rs 10 as subsidy on purchase of a litre of diesel by farmers in light of the drought-like situation over a vast area in the state due to scanty rains, Cabinet Secretary A K Chouhan told reporters after the meeting.

The cabinet sanctioned a sum of Rs 49.50 crore for providing the subsidy to farmers through gram sabhas, he said.

Chouhan said the cabinet sanctioned Rs 7.41 crore for reconstituting industrial centres at all district headquarters, besides regularising the temporary appointment of 238 employees in the planning department.

The cabinet also decided to entrust the home department the task of undertaking the construction of walls in graveyards across the state.

Mahila Udyog Mela on it way..

the 11th Bihar Mahila Udyog Mela, which is run solely by women entrepreneurs, is getting business inquiries from states which never participated in any business fair in this state before. The September 14-to-18 fair is likely to see participation from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra this year. "This is unprecedented.

Till now our participants would be mainly from Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. But this year we have been flooded with inquiries from other states," said Bihar Mahila Udyog Sangh president Pushpa Chopra. She said entrepreneurs from Patiala, Haryana, Delhi, Lucknow, Pune, Kolkata and Andhra Pradesh have confirmed theirparticipation. They have also booked stalls at the fair. "It is not just about an individual's enterprise. But these states would be sending clusters of women accompanied by a staff of the government as well," Chopra said. From Andhra Pradesh, an entire team of lace makers would come. The number of participants from West Bengal is expected to go up this year.

A woman entrepreneur said, "Till now women from other states were afraid of visiting Bihar. They often told us that they had heard all kinds of stories and would rather stay away. But this year there is a sense of confidence among the same people. They are now willing to come and showcase their products."....

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