Latest StoriesRegulatory

ED Charges Five with Laundering ₹36.66 Crore from Sand Mining

PATNA: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has lodged a prosecution complaint in the Special PMLA Court in Patna against Arun Yadav, Kiran Devi, Rajesh Kumar Ranjan, and Dipu Kumar, as well as their company, Kiran Durga Contractors Pvt Ltd, for money laundering. This case centers around substantial illegal funds generated primarily through unauthorized sand mining in Bihar, alongside corruption and related criminal activities. The investigation commenced following multiple FIRs filed by Bihar Police and the Special Vigilance Unit alleging various offenses, including cheating, extortion, illegal sand mining, and possession of assets disproportionate to their lawful income. During the inquiry, the ED…

Latest StoriesResidential

PMAY Houses in Bihar for 1.04 Crore: Rural Minister

PATNA: On Tuesday, Rural Development Department (RDD) Minister Shrawan Kumar presented to the state assembly that the construction of pucca houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is slated for 1.04 crore families identified through a survey, pending approval from the Centre. “The list of the 1.04 crore families eligible for pucca houses under PMAY has been sent to the Centre, and we are currently awaiting their clearance,” Kumar stated, noting that 20 lakh families have already applied online for housing under PMAY. Kumar responded to the government’s appeal for a grant of Rs 23,701.17 crore for the RDD…

Latest StoriesResidential

Bihar asks Centre to release ₹3,000 crore for PMAY-Gramin

PATNA: The Bihar government has requested the Centre to expedite the release of the pending ₹3,000 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin (PMAY-G), as announced by a state minister during Wednesday’s assembly session. In response to a question, Rural Development Minister Sharwan Kumar explained that the Centre had previously released ₹91 crore in January, which was distributed among PMAY-G beneficiaries without an SNA account. “We faced challenges in establishing an SNA account for fund distribution under PMAY-G. We have asked the Centre to release ₹3,000 crore, allowing us to distribute the funds to beneficiaries without an SNA,” he…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

Bihar CM Sets January 31 Deadline for Land Survey

PATNA: On Tuesday, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced that all pending land measurement applications will be addressed by January 31 through a special initiative. This effort aims to minimize delays, enhance transparency, and mitigate land disputes across the state. In a social media update, the Chief Minister stated these reforms will greatly benefit residents by creating a more transparent and efficient land measurement process. “People often face long wait times after applying for land measurement, which can lead to unnecessary hardships and disputes,” the CM mentioned in his post. He emphasized that all pending applications would be resolved by January…

IndustryLatest Stories

Bihar Launches Program to Resolve Land Disputes

PATNA: On Wednesday, Revenue and Land Reforms Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha announced the launch of a new initiative titled ‘Bhumi Sudhar Samvad’ (Land Reforms Dialogue) on December 12. This program aims to assist citizens in resolving land-related issues and updating their documents. A dedicated team named ‘Udan Dasta’ will be established to oversee and prevent land fraud. Sinha noted that the department has received approximately 46 lakh applications concerning land disputes, with nearly 12 lakh already resolved and documented on the portal. “The government is committed to addressing land disputes at the grassroots level while ensuring transparency,” he stated. During…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

EOU Forms STF to Combat Sand and Land Mafias in Bihar

Representative Image PATNA: The Economic Offences Unit (EOU) has established a Special Task Force dedicated to combating illegal sand mining and land mafia activities in Bihar. Led by EOU DIG Manavjit Singh Dhillon, the task force will investigate illegal assets, perform financial inquiries, and confiscate properties linked to criminal operations. They will also collaborate with government agencies and district administrations for further actions, as stated by a senior EOU official on Wednesday. EOU ADG Nayyar Hasnain Khan revealed that the task force consists of SP Rajesh Kumar, four DSPs, and five inspectors. “The team will investigate how these mafias acquired…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

I-T Flags Unreported Cash Deals in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh

NEW DELHI: The income tax department is scrutinizing cash transactions exceeding Rs 2 lakh in property deals, especially in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, particularly in areas adjacent to Nepal. Numerous violations have been identified, and sub-registrars have failed to provide the necessary data. This nationwide initiative, following a Supreme Court directive from April, led tax officials to discover instances where entire transactions were conducted in cash. Tax authorities are baffled by the inaccurate reporting from sub-registrars in Bihar and UP. The department has escalated this issue to senior officials in both states, urging them to instruct sub-registrars to share information…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

Patna to Adopt NCR Model; Metro Operations Set to Start

Representative AI image PATNA: On Wednesday, Urban Development and Housing Department (UDHD) Minister Jibesh Mishra announced plans to develop Greater Patna following the model of Delhi’s National Capital Region (NCR), utilizing a land pooling policy for organized urban expansion. Mishra also confirmed that the Patna Metro Rail project is set for inauguration this month on the priority corridor. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is anticipated to visit Bihar on September 29 and may officially inaugurate the metro service during this visit. Initially, the metro will operate across three stations with the government planning to expand the network by adding more stations…

Latest StoriesRera

Bihar RERA Orders Refund for 18 PK Villa Project Homebuyers

PATNA: On Monday, homebuyers invested in the PK Villa Project by Agrani Homes received some good news, as the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) of Bihar announced that 18 individuals who had lodged complaints against the builder will be eligible for partial refunds of their total payments. The RERA official stated, “These 18 homebuyers will receive a cumulative refund of ₹1 crore, distributed proportionally based on their contributions. Additionally, RERA Bihar is working to auction off seized lands from Agrani Homes and other developers to provide further compensation to homebuyers.” The landowner of the PK Villa Project has complied with…