Bihar introduces its scheme for employment

Patna, Feb 22 (UNI) The Bihar government today gave its green signal to the Employment Guarantee Scheme(EGS) to ensure job to every hand at least for 100 days in a year on the pattern of the similar scheme, introduced by the Centre across the country.

The Cabinet colleagues of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar held a meeting and sanctioned the scheme to be implemented in those 15 districts, which had remained uncovered under the Centre's EGS.

Briefing about the Cabinet's decision, state Cabinet secretary Sashisekhar Sharma told newspersons here that the unemployed youths would be facilitated with employment for 100 days in a year under the new scheme.

Mr Sharma said only 23 districts of Bihar had been covered under the EGS launched by the Centre.

The districts, where the state government-sponsored EGS would be implemented, were Arwal, Banka, Buxar, Begusarai, Bhagalpur, East Champaran, Gopalganj, Khagaria, Madhepura, Saharsa, West Champaran, Saran, Sitamarhi, Sheikhpura and Siwan.

The Cabinet also approved installation of the 3000 new tubewells in the state, the proposal for which was brought by the Minor Irrigation department According to Mr Sharma, about Rs 66.21 crore would be incurred on installing the tubewells. Once the tubewells became functional, it would provide irrigating facility in around 40 lakh hectare of land.

Maintenance of the new tubewells would be handed over to farmers availing its facilities, he added.

Mr Sharma said drinking water projects for Purnea and Siwan had also been cleared by the Cabinet. The State government would incur expenses of Rs 857.12 lakh and Rs 579.40 lakh in Purnea and Siwan districts respectively.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet nominated a retired IAS officer as member of Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC).

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