Bihar resources depleted by bifurcation: Governor

By Our Special Correspondent

PATNA, FEB. 23. The first session of the two Houses of the Bihar legislature after the southern part was carved out into a separate Jharkand State commenced today and the impact of the division was felt in real terms.

Almost one third of the seats were empty despite the fact that today happened to be the joint session of the two Houses of the State legislature customary on the opening day of the Budget session. However, 12 members of the Upper House who have been notified as belonging to the new State and to retire as and when their term ends were present, maintaining for the present a connection between the old and the new. These 12 MLCs would continue as members of the Legislative Council as Jharkhand does not have an Upper House.

The Governor, Mr. V. C. Pandey's speech, which was hardly audible, was weighed down by the bifurcation blues. It lasted no more than 15 minutes and the Governor only stood up to hastily conclude his speech when some members took exception to his addressing them seated in the Speaker's chair.

The Speaker, Mr. Sadanand Singh, however, had advised him to remain seated, being indisposed, but it was on his suggestion that Mr. Pandey rounded up, skipping most parts of his written speech. The members did not hide their irritation on not being able to hear him at all, notwithstanding the disturbance by a section of the House. They booed him and one member even alleged that the entire exercise had been reduced to a mockery.

Mr. Pandey pointed out that the State stood divested of mineral resources, industries and a major share of revenue following the division and the per capita income too had come down with three- fourths of the population having to be taken care of in the truncated state.

He, however, underlined the State Government's resolve to exploit the potential available for the development of the State and uplift of the people. Mr. Pandey laid particular emphasis on development in the spheres of forests, science and technology and power which had particularly been affected with the creation of Jharkhand.

The State had been left with forest cover of just 6.8 per cent following the division as against the requirement of 33 per cent for ecological balance. He said that extra efforts would be made to plant more trees to bridge the gap.

The State now had only four engineering colleges and 13 polytechnic institutions. The State Government has written to the Centre to establish at least one branch each of IIT and IIM, a Regional Engineering College, and an Indian Institute of Information Technology to put technical education in the State on par with the rest of the country.

The government is also contemplating giving permission for establishment of private engineering colleges as it lacked funds. It proposes to increase the number of seats for Information Technology and Computer Sciences.

On the power front, the Governor said the effective generation capacity of its plants at Barauni and Muzaffarpur were no more than 150 MW which were far below the State's requirements. The State Government has sent proposals to the Centre for expansion of the existing plants and establishment of new projects at Nabinagar and Katihar to make the State self-reliant.

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Section  : Other States
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