Tag: Patna

InfrastructureLatest Stories

Bihar to Build 11 Satellite Townships via Land-Pooling Model

PATNA: A senior official announced on Monday that the development of 11 proposed satellite townships in Bihar will proceed through land-pooling under the Town Planning Scheme (TPS). On Wednesday, the state government approved the establishment of these greenfield townships and enacted a moratorium on land sales, transfers, developments, and construction activities in the identified regions. Urban Development and Housing Department (UDHD) principal secretary Vinay Kumar stated to reporters, “We aim to include everyone in the development process. The townships will be developed using land-pooling under the TPS, whereby 55% of the developed land will be returned to the farmers.” The…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

Bihar Cabinet Greenlights Satellite Towns and ITI Revamp

PATNA: In the inaugural cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Wednesday, three major proposals were endorsed. These include the creation of 11 satellite townships with new names, the establishment of a research park at IIT-Patna to transform it into a technology hub for Eastern India, and the upgrading of 75 industrial training institutes (ITIs) to enhance the skill set of youth. The cabinet also approved an additional 19 proposals, as stated by cabinet secretariat department’s additional chief secretary (ACS) Arwind Kumar Choudhary. For the 11 satellite townships surrounding key cities, urban development and housing department principal secretary…

IndustryLatest Stories

Patna Civic Body to Survey Properties to Boost Revenue and Curb Abuse

PATNA: The Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) is launching a comprehensive survey to address the significant disparity between electricity connections and registered properties in the state capital. This initiative aims to identify unregistered properties, verify self-assessments, confirm actual occupancy status, and uncover misuse of residential properties for commercial activities. According to PMC officials, there are over five lakh electricity connections in Patna, yet only around 3.06 lakh properties are registered with the municipal body. Alarmed by this inconsistency, the urban development and housing department (UDHD) has directed a thorough survey across all sectors under PMC jurisdiction to validate these records. This…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

Patna’s property tax collection surpasses ₹116 crore milestone

PATNA: The Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) has set a new record in property tax collection, amassing ₹125 crore in the fiscal year 2025-26, surpassing its target of ₹116 crore. This achievement is attributed to enhanced enforcement measures and the effective implementation of a one-time settlement scheme. The tax collected this fiscal is ₹11 crore more than the ₹114 crore gathered in the 2024-25 financial year. PMC officials noted that the total revenue from various sources reached around ₹250 crore, although these figures are provisional and may increase as calculations are finalized. The municipal area encompasses 3.06 lakh holdings, with collections…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

Patna civic body collects ₹1 crore in special tax drive

Representative AI image PATNA: The Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) successfully collected around Rs 1 crore in property tax within just two days through a targeted recovery initiative. A six-member flying squad visited various wards to collect outstanding dues from property owners with arrears exceeding Rs 50,000. Municipal Commissioner Yaspal Meena convened a review meeting on Friday with revenue and executive officers to streamline further collection efforts. Officials warned that property owners who do not settle their dues by the deadline risk having their bank accounts frozen and their properties attached. The corporation has already issued notices to major defaulters, prohibiting…

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 StoriesRegulatory

CAG Highlights Issues in PMAY-Gramin Bihar Implementation

PATNA: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has raised concerns about irregularities in the implementation of the PMAY-G scheme in Bihar. Allegations include the sanctioning of pucca houses to minors and geo-tagging of houses located in Delhi and Jharkhand. The findings were presented in the state Assembly on Thursday. According to the report, “During the audit of sampled districts, instances were found where houses were sanctioned to ineligible beneficiaries. The PMAY-G does not allow the registration of houses to minors unless specific conditions are met. In September 2017, the central government clarified that if both beneficiaries (husband and…

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…