Admin launches drive to boost voter turnout
Patna: Patna DM Thiyagarajan SM on Tuesday asked officers under the SVEEP (Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation) programme to conduct door-to-door visits in a phased manner.
The officers are to inform every voter about their designated booths and encourage them to participate on polling day.
To ensure maximum turnout in urban areas, the DM directed electoral registration officers (EROs) to hold camps in apartments and localities across the city. These camps aim to update voters about their booths and entries in the electoral roll, as well as motivate them to vote.
He urged residents to participate actively in elections.
"Patna, a district with a rich historical legacy and one of the highest literacy rates, is the capital of a state known as the birthplace of democracy. Therefore, all stakeholders must work to improve Patna's voter turnout. Everyone whose name appears on the electoral roll must vote," he said.
The DM emphasised the importance of participation by first-time voters, women, and persons with disabilities (PWD). "The administration is committed to accessible elections for all, especially for PWDs and senior citizens," he said.
A team of approximately 500 officers and personnel will be deployed to raise voter awareness in the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) area. All six executive officers have been tasked with leading awareness campaigns to tackle urban voter apathy.
Public outreach will be enhanced using 69 Public Address Systems installed by Patna Smart City Limited at key intersections. Activities such as banners, slogans, selfie points, rangoli, and other creative methods will be deployed across malls, markets, haats and other public places to engage citizens.
He also highlighted the ongoing 'Mission 60' campaign, led by the Election Commission of India, which targets the 60 polling stations with the lowest turnout in each assembly constituency. The aim is to boost turnout from these locations to 66%.
"Preparations are in full swing across the district as per the Commission's guidelines," he said. "We are committed to making this festival of democracy a meaningful and pleasant experience. Every voter must cast their vote to further strengthen our democracy," the DM added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
‘Patna, Bihta airports to serve together'
1 2 Following heightened aviation safety concerns, Patna divisional commissioner Chandrashekhar Singh speaks to TOI's Sheezan Nezami about runway extension, infrastructure upgrades and long-term plans for Patna and Bihta airports. Excerpts: The recent plane crash in Ahmedabad raised safety concerns across airports in the country. We all know that Patna airport is considered one of the riskiest airports in India, especially due to its short runway. Is there any plan to extend it? If yes, how? Yes, there is a plan to extend the runway. The airport authority has submitted a proposal. On the western side, 200x300 metres of govt land will be made available. This land, although previously leased, is currently unused. The district magistrate is preparing a proposal for its transfer, which will be sent to the state cabinet. Similarly, on the eastern side, 300x500 metres of land is being sought. This can be arranged by reallocating 15 acres from Patna coo. A proposal is being prepared for this as well. The zoo will be compensated with land from the Golf Club, which has around 102 acres. An ideal golf course requires only 50 to 55 acres. Once the airport is extended towards the zoo side (Gate No. 2), an underpass will be constructed to ensure mobility, replacing the existing road. The clock tower at the Old Secretariat has long been considered a major threat to Patna airport. Will any concrete steps be taken? The clock tower falls directly within the funnel zone, making the already short runway even less usable. While 9,000 feet is the international standard, Patna's runway is only 6,800 feet and a further 400 feet cannot be used due to the tower's obstruction. Landings at Patna occur at an angle of 3.15 to 3.50 degrees instead of the standard 3 degrees, causing aircraft to jolt upon landing. Reducing the tower's height would resolve these issues. The airport authority has proposed a height reduction of 17.5 metres and a formal proposal will be sent to the cabinet. The clock tower now serves only an aesthetic purpose from the British era, much like other old clock towers in various cities. Apart from the clock tower, birds are said to pose a threat to Patna airport, especially due to the secondary garbage point in Gardanibagh, which attracts them. A site in Yarpur has been sanctioned for relocating this garbage point and Patna Municipal Corporation is working towards this. By Aug 15, the Gardanibagh area will be cleared and may be repurposed by PMC as a yard. Meat and fish shops along the lane from Chitkohra to Anisabad, also seen as risks, have already been shifted. The waterlogging on the airport's southern side near the railway line also draws birds. A major drainage project has been proposed there to address this. What about the dense population surrounding the airport? Do buildings comply with regulations? Has there been a height survey? Also, what about encroachments in the vicinity? Yes, a joint survey is carried out by the airport authority and the municipal corporation to monitor building heights, particularly within the funnel area. During construction approval, the corporation checks height compliance, and any violations are acted upon. As for encroachments, we have already removed those at Kaushal Nagar. Bihta airport is expected to serve as an alternative to Patna airport, yet progress seems slow. When can we expect it to be fully operational? Work has commenced and the project is expected to be completed by 2027. Will Patna airport shut down once Bihta airport becomes operational? No, both airports will function simultaneously. In fact, air traffic demand is projected to grow significantly and both airports will be required to meet that future demand.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Hindustan Times
After standoff with DM, Kanpur chief medical officer suspended
Following a high-profile bureaucratic standoff, the state government has suspended Kanpur's chief medical officer (CMO) Dr Hari Dutt Nemi who was embroiled in months of tension with district magistrate Jitendra Pratap Singh. The suspension order also attaches Dr Nemi to the state headquarters and initiates a departmental inquiry into alleged irregularities in the appointment of doctors, as well as procedural and administrative lapses. Dr Nemi has said he will challenge his suspension in court. Dr Udaynath, additional CMO from Shravasti, has been appointed as the new Kanpur CMO. The administrative action comes a day after Hindustan Times prominently featured the controversy. The state government has cited three key grounds for Dr Nemi's suspension: failure to publish recruitment notices on the National Health Mission's website, delay in releasing interview results despite specific directives, and relieving a senior finance officer from statutory responsibilities in violation of protocol. After his suspension, Dr Nemi sent a letter to chief minister Yogi Adityanath and held a press conference. During the press conference, he alleged caste-based discrimination and extortion demands by the district magistrate. He claimed that the DM was angered when he refused to reverse the transfer of Dr Subodh Prakash Yadav—an ACMO accused of corruption and political bias—and that he was repeatedly humiliated for being a Dalit. 'The DM told me I lacked intelligence, could not understand the system, and didn't know how to earn money,' Dr Nemi alleged during the press conference. Reacting to Dr Nemi's allegations, district magistrate Jitendra Pratap Singh said that publicly criticising an official suspension order and levelling baseless allegations against fellow officers amounts to gross indiscipline. He also said all relevant facts have been communicated to the competent authority and that appropriate action will be taken in accordance with procedure. The tensions reportedly began on February 5, 2025, when the DM conducted a surprise inspection at the CMO's office and found 34 employees absent, prompting a public reprimand and salary deductions. Since then, administrative hostilities intensified, with mutual accusations of insubordination and corruption. One of the most serious allegations levelled by Dr Nemi is that the DM pressured him to clear a payment of over ₹1.6 crore to JM Pharma—a firm reportedly chargesheeted by the CBI. The CMO claimed to have resisted the order, citing a 125-page departmental report and a warning letter issued by the senior finance officer. The controversy soon spiralled. While a section of BJP MLAs from Kanpur had reportedly expressed support for Dr Nemi, others wrote to the chief minister demanding his immediate removal on grounds of alleged irregularities and insubordination. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav had also publicly taken a jibe over the issue. Audio recordings purportedly featuring Dr Nemi and his driver had also surfaced. In one clip, Dr Nemi was heard criticising the DM in strong language.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Hindustan Times
State seeks details on ₹1,500 Cr TDR approved by former Pune civic chief
The Maharashtra urban development department (UDD) has sought information from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) over the issuance of transfer of development rights (TDR) worth nearly ₹1,500 crore, sanctioned by former municipal commissioner Rajendra Bhosale just before his retirement on May 31. A senior official said the UDD department has asked PMC to submit records and explanations about the approvals, which have sparked widespread criticism from citizens, activists, and political leaders. According to records published by PMC, Bhosale approved TDR within days before stepping down from office, raising eyebrows over the timing and the beneficiaries. Seven private builders had reportedly submitted proposals to the civic body seeking additional floor space index (FSI) by using the TDRs in question. 'This appears to be an attempt to benefit a few developers in a hurry. We had already raised concerns about the sudden spurt in TDR issuance, and now they are lining up for FSI clearances,' said BJP leader Ujwal Keskar. He said the UDD secretary had personally contacted the municipal commissioner's office for a detailed explanation. The TDR mechanism is intended to compensate landowners whose properties are reserved for public amenities by allowing them development rights that can be sold or used elsewhere. However, critics argue that the process under Bhosale lacked transparency and could lead to undue benefit to certain builders. Civic activists have questioned whether due diligence was followed in approving the TDRs, and why such a large quantum was cleared so close to the end of the commissioner's tenure. Allegations include lack of proper scrutiny, selective approvals, and attempts to push through the proposals without public consultation. 'Former municipal commissioner Rajendra Bhosale single-handedly opened a ₹1,500 crore TDR market under his authority. He sidelined the very existence of the 'City Improvement Committee',' said Vijay Kumbhar, RTI activist. Bhosale was unavailable for comments. The state government's intervention is likely to result in a formal review. According to PMC sources, documentation related to TDR approvals is being compiled for submission to UDD. The controversy comes at a time when Pune is already facing scrutiny over the misuse of development tools like TDR and premium FSI, which many claim have led to unplanned growth and burdened civic infrastructure.
