Patna: History was made Thursday when the Bihar government fulfilled its promise of opening a primary school in the confiscated Patna property of a high-ranking civil servant found corrupt.

Four days after the Bihar government confiscated the palatial house of Shiv Shakar Verma - an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer who was investigated for having assets disproportionate to his known sources of income - was turned into a primary school Thursday.

Human Resources Department principal secretary Anjani Kumar Singh confirmed that a primary school was opened in the confiscated house. "The palatial house is now a school," Singh told IANS by phone.

According to district administration officials, the primary school at Rukunpura, Musahri, a suburb of Patna, till now a two-room affair in the locality, will officially begin in the three-storey house from Thursday. It was handed over to the district education officer late Wednesday.

Nitish Kumar has repeatedly said at public meetings across the state in last few months that ill-gotten property of corrupt officials will be confiscated and turned into schools for poor children.

The Rukunpura school will benefit the downtrodden as most of the children enrolled in the school there are Mahadalits, an official said.

"The state cabinet Tuesday gave its consent to a free-of-cost transfer of the house to the HRD to relocate any nearby school that has no building of its own," cabinet coordination department principal secretay Ravikant said.

He added that entire process to relocate the school in the confiscated house - first time in Bihar and maybe in the country - was conducted without fanfare. Verma became the first officer to face such action under the Bihar Special Courts Act, 2010.

A former minor irrigation secretary, Verma and eight of his relatives faced a case of disproportionate assets amounting to Rs. 1.44 crore.

Last month, the Patna High Court rejected Verma's petition challenging the vigilance court's order to confiscate his house.

Verma was suspended after vigilance sleuths searched his residence in 2007.

Nitish Kumar declared war against corruption after he became chief minister for the second consecutive term last year.
   

Home | Top of the Page

Top Stories

Delhi blast email traced to Kishtwar, cops hunt for suspect

Police had got vital clues about the person who had sent an email claiming responsibility for the Delhi High Court blast after raids on a cyber cafe in Kishtwar in the state, officials said Thursday.  »

Delhi explosion toll rises to 12

Delhi blast: A horror retold

Blast victims pour in at Delhi hospital

  Most Read

The land swap accord between India and Bangladesh has triggered angry protests in Assam with border villagers, student groups and the opposition calling it an 'act of betrayal' and vowing  »

Riot in Nandurbar; Spat between police and Ganesh Mandal turned communal

Curfew is imposed in some parts of Nandurbar, the tribal district in North Maharashtra, September 07 after a tussle between police and members of a local Ganesh Mandal previous night turned into a communal violence killing one person. According to Shafeeque Ahmed Qasmi, Jamiatul  »

  News Pick

With seven cotton growers committing suicide in the past two days, a total 514 farmers have so far killed themselves in 2011 alone in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, an NGO fighting for farmers'  »

Palestinian official hits out at US policy on UN bid

The United States is showing “disdain” for Arabs by trying to prevent the Palestinians from gaining statehood recognition at the United Nations  »

UN Vote on Palestine State: US envoy 'threatens to punish' PA

The South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) should be implemented in letter and spirit to ensure greater economic integration among south Asian countries, a Pakistani lawmaker said here Thursday. "There is a   »

Picture of the Day

The 27th of Ramadan (August 26, 2011 this year), "Laylet al-Qadr" (Night of Power), is one of the holiest nights of the Islamic calendar, the night when the Quran began to be revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). Millions from around the world visit the Grand Mosque in Makkah from all over the world and pray over the night.