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Bihar clears ordinance to run local rural bodies till next panchayat polls
PATNA The Bihar cabinet on Tuesday approved an ordinance to amend certain sections of the Bihar Panchayati Raj Act, 2006, to empower the state government to constitute advisory committees to run three-tier rural local bodies beyond the expiry of their five-year term until fresh elections
PATNA
The Bihar cabinet on Tuesday approved an ordinance to amend certain sections of the Bihar Panchayati Raj Act, 2006, to empower the state government to constitute advisory committees to run three-tier rural local bodies beyond the expiry of their five-year term until fresh elections.
The term of all elected functionaries of panchayat raj institutions (PRIs), like gram panchayat, zila parishad and gram kutcheries, ends on June 15. As panchayat polls have been deferred in view of the deadly second Covid wave, the advisory committees would take charge of PRIs until the fresh panchayat elections once the ordinance gets the Governor’s nod.
The state government had to approve the amendments to the act via an ordinance, as it has no alternative arrangement under the Act to allow operations the PRIs beyond their five-year term, as stipulated by the 73rd amendments to the Constitution.
The state panchayati raj act would stand amended once the Governor gives his nod to the proposed ordinance.
Officials familiar with the development said that structure and powers of the advisory committees and remunerations for its members would be decided by the cabinet once the ordinance is approved. They said reputed members of previously elected PRIs might be inducted in the advisory committees.
This was among 18 proposals discussed and approved by the cabinet at its meeting chaired by chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday.
The cabinet also gave its nod for release of ₹656 crore as advance to gram panchayats in accordance with recommendations of the sixth state commission for the current fiscal.
The social welfare department’s proposal to give monthly monetary assistance of ₹1500 to the children whose parents fell victim to the pandemic was also approved. The CM had announced this scheme, Bal Sahayata Yojna, a few days ago.
The state government also okayed the bilateral agreement between Bihar State Hydroelectric Power Corporation (BSHPC) and National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), a government of India, for setting up 130 MW multi-purpose hydel power plant at Dagmara village of Supaul district for a period of 40 years. A sum of ₹700 crore has also been sanctioned for the construction of the project for the next five years.
The cabinet granted its nod for construction of a high-level RCC bridge to create additional waterways in the existing Pipraghat bridge on the river Kamla on Rajnagar-Babu Barahi-Khutauna stretch of the state highways in Madhubani district. A sum of ₹37.58 crore would be spent on its construction. The Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation has been named as executing agency to build an integrated drainage network for rain water in Katihar at the cost of ₹220.50 crore.
Other decisions
Rules to regulate operation of web media approved
₹90.38 crore released for assistance to farmers for usage of quality seeds
₹36.13 crore sanctioned for setting up optical telescope at Patna’s Indira Gandhi Planetarium
Posts of auxiliary nurses midwiferies sanctioned in various jails to tone of medical facility
