The Times of India        27.08.2014    

Govt to create Patna Metro Development Authority  

PATNA: The state government has decided to create Patna Metropolitan Development Authority (PMDA) to plan comprehensive development of the state capital besides Fatuha, Phulwarisharif and Danapur areas. The cabinet on Tuesday approved the urban development and housing department (UDHD) proposal in this regard. UDHD secretary will be chairman of the 10-member PMDA.

Following the severe waterlogging problem in Patna last week, chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi had criticized the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) functioning and asked the chief secretary to evolve a new mechanism.

The PMDA would be empowered to undertake comprehensive development plan and survey work of the proposed Patna metropolitan area, including the infrastructure development for water supply, drainage and sewerage.

Briefing media after the cabinet meeting, principal secretary, department of cabinet coordination, Brajesh Mehrotra said besides Patna DM, chief town planner, Patna municipal commissioner, executive officers of Danapur, Khagaul and Phulwarisharif civic bodies, two government experts would also be the members of the authority. The chief executive officer of PMDA would be the member secretary of the authority. Representatives of the state road construction department and public health and engineering department would also be included in the committee.

The cabinet also gave its nod for signing the memorandum of agreement with the Centre for setting up one model rural health research unit, six multidisciplinary research units, besides five viral research and diagnostic labs in the state.

It also approved Rs 586 crore for the construction of a medical and nursing college at Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sheikhpura, Patna. Similarly a sum of Rs 100 crore has been sanctioned for the expansion and renovation of Darbhanga Medical College Hospital.

The cabinet also cleared the creation of 108 posts for ECG technicians for attending to heart patients at district level government hospitals. The government has increased the existing amount for the treatment of hip and knee replacement, plastic surgery and acid burn case patients under the CM Medical Relief fund. Now, the patients will get Rs 50,000 each for hip and knee replacement as against the existing amount of Rs 20,000. Similarly, for plastic surgery and acid burn cases, the limit has been extended from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh.

The government has also accorded state festival status to Pritipaksh mela at Gaya and Sonepur cattle fair.

For the proper implementation of the Land Acquisition Act, the cabinet approved the proposal of framing Bihar Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, Resettlement Transparency Rights Rules 2014. It will include rehabilitation and resettlement scheme, compensation related issues, preliminary notification and social impact assessment. The rules would be uploaded on the website for seeking public opinion before finalizing it.

Under the Bihar Public Service Rights Act 2011, cabinet okayed the proposal to reduce the period from 60 days to 30 days for delivering ration cards to people. For the development of horticulture in the state, the cabinet approved Rs 178.94 crore to the Bihar horticulture development society. It cleared Rs 40 crore for the timely distribution of the amount among the flood victims of 2014.