Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is set to embark on another state-wide journey after the Chhath festival in November with a special focus on women voters. Nitish, who is also national president of JD(U), will try to gauge the mood of women voters ahead of the assembly elections and will also get feedback from them about government-sponsored schemes for them. Women are considered to be core voters of Nitish as their support to him increased after he imposed prohibition in April 2016. Also, he has given 50% reservation to women in panchayati raj institutions and 35% quota for women in government jobs. New ‘bed & breakfast’ scheme for 15 districtsNow, anyone with a house near tourist spots can earn extra money. The Bihar government has rolled out a ‘bed and breakfast’ scheme that allows house owners living near 28 tourist sports to play host to tourists. Called ‘Mukhya Mantri Homestay Bed and Breakfast Protshahan Yojna’, the schemes have been launched in 15 districts, including Gaya, Nalanda, Kaimur, Rohtas, Nawada, Jamui, East Champaran and West Champaran. The state will pay an interest up to `2.5 lakh on loans taken for renovating rooms near these tourist spots. The interest will be paid up to five years.NDA ally finds faults with liquor banBihar’s liquor ban has once again come under scrutiny, with Union minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha patron Jitan Ram Manjhi openly criticising its implementation. Manjhi expressed his dissatisfaction on how the prohibition law is enforced in the state. He accused the Bihar government of targeting poor citizens while letting off big liquor smugglers to go free. “Those who can afford are still consuming liquor. They’ve easy access to bootleggers who delivered at their doorstep,” the former Bihar chief minister said. On the contrary, the poor and people from deprived sections of the society have been facing the brunt of law enforcing agencies.RamashankarOur correspondent in Biharramashankar@newindianexpress.com
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