Jan Suraaj alleges NDA diverted ₹14,000 crore World Bank funds ahead of Bihar polls
New Delhi: Still recovering from its poor performance in the Bihar Assembly elections, the Prashant Kishor-led Jan Suraaj has levelled serious allegations against the NDA government, claiming that money transferred to women voters under a state scheme may have come from funds originally sanctioned by the World Bank.
Speaking to ANI, Jan Suraaj spokesperson Pavan Verma said the party had information suggesting that the ₹10,000 credited to the accounts of 1.25 crore women voters under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana was drawn from ₹21,000 crore allocated by the World Bank for another project. He alleged that ₹14,000 crore was moved “an hour before the model code of conduct came into force,” though he also admitted that the information “may or may not be true”.
“If this is wrong, I seek forgiveness. But if it is true, the question of ethics arises,” Verma said, adding that governments were capable of reallocating funds and justifying the move after elections.
Verma also claimed that Bihar’s public debt stands at ₹4.06 lakh crore, with a daily interest burden of ₹63 crore. He alleged that the state’s finances were under severe stress and that the “treasury is empty”.
He further said that ahead of voting, rumours had circulated that women who had not yet received the ₹10,000 benefit, around 2.5 crore of the state’s four crore women, might not get the money if the NDA failed to return to power. This, he suggested, had influenced voter behaviour.
Asked whether such welfare transfers had become a decisive factor in the polls, Verma referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s past criticism of “freebies”, noting, “Maybe he said it in the context of Delhi and former CM Arvind Kejriwal. Now what happened in Bihar?”
Verma rejected speculation that Jan Suraaj’s performance was weakened by Prashant Kishor’s earlier stand on lifting the liquor ban if elected. He argued that illegal liquor was available across the state at inflated prices and that the burden ultimately fell on women running households.
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Elephant calf brought from Bijnor kept under care at Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
Pilibhit (PTI): A 19-day-old elephant calf, brought from Bijnor, was placed under care at the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) on Sunday, an official said and added that the calf got separated from its mother in the forest area of Bijnor.
The calf was born on December 2 in the Bijnor forest area and got separated from its mother shortly after birth, the official said.
The forest department made several attempts to reunite it with its mother, but without any success. To ensure the calf's safety and better care, it was decided to transfer it to the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve on the instructions of senior officials.
On Saturday, Deputy Director Manish Singh received the calf. Special arrangements have been made in the reserve for its care. It has been kept in a safe and clean environment to provide it with a natural setting and protect it from external noise and disturbances.
Singh told reporters that raising an 19-day-old calf is challenging.
It requires a special diet as a substitute for mother's milk and constant monitoring.
He said a special team has been formed to provide 24-hour care. Since the calf is very young, it is being cared for like a newborn baby.
According to Singh, the primary responsibility for monitoring the calf's health has been entrusted to PTR's veterinarian, Dr Daksh Gangwar. Under his supervision, a complete record of the calf's health checkups, diet, and body temperature is being maintained. The team is ensuring that the calf does not contract any infection.
