Bihar govt revamps boards, commissions

The long-awaited exercise came a day after substantially enhancing the salary structure of their chairmen and members

The Bihar government has begun the long-awaited exercise of reconstitution of various boards and commissions after substantially enhancing the salary structure of their chairmen and members on Tuesday, according to notifications issued by the departments concerned on Wednesday.

CM Nitish Kumar addresses reporters in Patna. (Santosh Kumar/HT)

The state women’s commission was the first organisation to be reconstituted after a gap of about three years. Bihar Sanskrit Shiksha Board, Madarsa Board and the minority commission have also been constituted with representations from all major constituents of the ruling alliance, the Mahagadhbandhan (MGB).

Former MP and JDU leader Ashwamedh Devi has been nominated as the chairperson of the state women’s commission, which has got Prabhavati Manjhi, Sujata Sumbrui, Rabia Khatoon, Sunita Kushwaha, Shweta Vishas, Sulochana Devi and Geeta Yadav as members.

Bhola Yadav, former MLA and close aide of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad, has been made the chairman of the Sanskrit Shiksha Board. Lalit Mandal of RJD, Prem Chandra Mishra (Congress) and Vinay Kumar Chaudhary of (JD-U) are among the nine non-official members of the Board.

Likewise, former deputy chairman of the state legislative council and JD(U) leader Salim Parwez has been made the chairman of Madarsa Shiksha Board, while CPI (ML) legislator Mehboob Alam, Syed Ruknuddin Ahmad (RJD) and Khalid Anwar (JD-U) have been nominated as members.

Former MLA and RJD leader Riyajul Haque alias Raju has been made the chairman of the state minority commission, while JD-U leader Naushad Alam has been nominated as its vice-chairman. Seven other leaders, mostly from JD-U and RJD, have been made members.

The reconstitution exercise comes ahead of the much awaited expansion of the Nitish Kumar cabinet, which has been deferred.

This is the first such major exercise carried by the MGB alliance after it came to power in August 2022.

Congress legislature party (CLP) leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan said his party was watchful and hoped it would get due representation in the revamping of other such bodies. “There must be a proper coordination among all MGB partners. However, our priorities are different and we are preparing for the bigger objective of 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” said Khan.