Bihar

• 09 Feb 2023

Justice K Vinod Chandran will be the Chief Justice of Patna High Court

Why In News?

On February 8, 2023, the Supreme Court Collegium appointed Senior Judge justice K.K. Singh of the Kerala High Court. The Supreme Court has recommended Vinod Chandran for elevation as the chief justice of the Patna High Court.

Key points

• The Supreme Court will send its recommendation to the Central Government. After the consent of the Central Government and the President. A notification will be issued to appoint Vinod Chandran as the Chief Justice of Patna High Court.
• The post of Chief Justice of Patna High Court was lying vacant since the elevation of Patna High Court Chief Justice Sanjay Karol as a judge of the Supreme Court. At present, senior judge of Patna High Court Chakradhari Sharan Singh has been appointed as the acting Chief Justice of Patna High Court.
• The Supreme Court collegium had earlier recommended justice K Vinod Chandran as the chief justice of the Gauhati High Court. But then the collegium withdrew its recommendation keeping in mind more vacancies and promotion of chief justices to the Supreme Court.
• After this, Justice K. Vinod Chandran has been appointed as the Chief Justice of Patna High Court. K. Vinod Chandran is 24, due to retire in April 2025.
• On 13 December, 2022, the Supreme Court Collegium had recommended the names of three Chief Justices and two Judges from different courts of the country for the post of Supreme Court Judges. It also included the names of Patna High Court Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah.

Two Districts of Bihar in Top-5 Among 112 Aspirational Districts of the Country

Why In News?

On February 8, 2023, Niti Aayog released underdeveloped 112 aspirational districts the 'Champion of Change Delta Rankings' for of the country, in which two districts of Bihar Banka and Katihar ranked first and Katihar second among the five best aspirational districts of the country in the field of agriculture and water resources.

Key points

• It is noteworthy that this report is released by the Niti Aayog to compete among the aspirational districts.
• It is known that in the year 2018 of Bihar, 13 districts- Katihar, Begusarai, Sheikhpura, Araria, Khagaria, Purnia, Aurangabad, Banka, Gaya, Jamui, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi and Nawada were included.
• This announcement of the Center provides special assistance in the blocks of these 13 districts of Bihar. The focus in these districts is on key sectors such as health, nutrition, education, agriculture developing, water resources, financial condition and infrastructure.
• For the education sector, mainly school education and library facilities, infrastructure in schools, in which toilets and drinking water etc. are the main ones.
• It is noteworthy that the central government has announced 500 aspirational blocks in the country, out of which 61 aspirational blocks are also from Bihar. The central government will run special programs with the help of the state government. These blocks have been selected under the Centre's Aspirational Block Programme. Efforts will be made to bring these blocks backward on many parameters of development into the category of developed blocks.
• In the initial phase, special attention will be paid to indicators such as health and nutrition, education, agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion and skill development in these blocks. Additional funds will also be managed from the Centre for these districts. The blocks will be ranked so that they can increase the competition to move forward.
• Blocks of 13 aspirational districts (AD) of the state have also been selected under this program. Bhagalpur and Kaimur districts have the highest number of 5 blocks each, followed by 10 blocks, Begusarai (4), Munger (4), Jamui (4), Aurangabad and Gaya (4 blocks each). At the same time, the names of three blocks Katihar and Banka each of Bhojpur, are included.