Paswan criticises Bihar govt for mismanaging flood relief

New Delhi, Aug 24 (UNI) Lok Janshakti Party leader and Chemical and Fertilizers Minister Ramvilas Paswan today criticised the Bihar Government for mismanaging the flood situation and said the cabinet decision to set up a National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) in Hajipur would go a long way in development of the state.

Mr Paswan told UNI that the Nitish Kumar government has totally failed in providing relief to flood- affected people of Bihar.

However, Public Sector Undertakings like the Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL), National Mineral Development Council and RINL have sent relief material worth Rs 15 crore to the flood- affected of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. These include items like rice flakes, sattu, plastic sheet, clothes, salt, matchboxes, candles etc, he informed.

Welcoming the cabinet decision to open six new NIPER in the country at a cost of Rs 200 crore each, Mr Paswan said the institute would provide skilled people in the field and students from Bihar and across the country would get opportunities to study and conduct research.

The NIPER in Hajipur would start with ofering three courses of higher education in the field of pharmaceuticals from this year itself. Hundred acre land for the institute has already been allocated by the state government.

Earlier, only one NIPER was in Mohali near Chandigarh and now the government has decided to set up more such institutes in Hajipur, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kolkatta, Guwahati and Uttar Pradesh. In UP, the institute would either come up in Amethi or Rai Bareilly depending on the availability of the land.

Mr Paswan, an MP from Hajipur, had earlier as the railway minister facilitated setting up of the Railway Zonal Office in his constitutency.

UNI