B>There has been a steady growth in the number of tourists visiting the state. Over 5.5 lakh foreign tourists — an all-time high — visited Bihar till November last year. The tourism department has now come up with a scheme to buy Volvo buses exclusively for tourists as the roads in Bihar have improved. he department has decided it would pay Rs 20 lakh to the transporters, operating in the tourism sector, as an “incentive” on each of the Volvo buses bought. The transporters will not have to refund the money. The venture is expected to boost the tourism in the state further./B>B>Chief minister Nitish Kumar has launched his campaign against corruption — he has invoked the special court act and has given directions to confiscate property of corrupt officials and open schools on the premises. But when his cabinet colleague and disaster management minister Renu Kumari met JD (U) workers at the party office, she received several complaints of corruption from her own rank. “Madam, do something. Officials from the mukhiya to the block development officer ask for bribe for houses under Indira Awas Yojana. These officials ask for money even for including names in the below poverty line (BPL) list. A poor man goes to have his name included in the BPL list. How can he pay such a bribe?” said a party worker. The minister listened to him and others patiently while a senior party leader wondered if corruption could ever be checked in the state.B>Ram Vitthal Choudhary, a resident of Dhanarua, and his family members beat up one Anil Prasad black and blue when he went to their house to ask for the money for the milk he had sold them on Makar Sankranti. The incident occurred in a village under Dhanarua police station on the outskirts of Patna. The FIR lodged by Prasad stated that when he asked for his money, Vitthalsaid: “We have no money. Tear our stomach to get your milk back.” However, when Prasad insisted on his money, he was beaten up. Police are investigating into the matter, hanarua police said.B>Two state government agencies have the same abbreviations. Naturally, when a letter arrived at the office of one of the agencies to put up a tableau at the Republic Day celebrations, it was delighted. A long meeting was held on the expense of the tableau and its design. When one of its officials went to the district magistrate’s office for the vehicle on which the tableau would be placed, he was in for a shock. He was told by the district magistrate’s office that his agency was not on the ist of those who were o display tableaux for the Republic Day celebrations. The other agency with the same abbreviation was actually selected./B>
Monday, 09 February 2026
