BJP Demands Name Change Of Bihar Railway Station To Nalanda Or Rajgir !

A BJP member today made a demand in Rajya Sabha to name the Bakhtiyarpur Railway Station in Bihar after famous Buddhist tourist spots, saying it was a matter of concern that oppressor Bakhtiyar Khalji who destroyed Nalanda University was still being glorified.
Gopal Narayan Singh (BJP) demanded that Railways immediately change the name of Bakhtiyarpur Railway Station to Nalanda or Rajgir, saying Khalji had destroyed the world-famed Nalanda University and killed 2,000 to 3,000 Buddhist monks.

He said the magnitude of destruction could be gauged from the fact that books of the university kept burning for two to three years.

He said burnt books are still being recovered in fresh excavations in 6 km area around the university and the government should immediately remove the name of the oppressor from all such places.

Raising another issue, Prashant Nanda (BJD) demanded a masterplan for conservation and protection of world famous Konark Temple in Odihsa, a UNESCO heritage site.

Samir Oraon (BJP) raised the issue of neglect of tribals even after over 70 years of Independence and demanded that a separate autonomous university for tribals be set up in Jharkhand.
Source: https://bit.ly/2SG3879

New research at Nalanda varsity to raise farmers’ income !!

At Rajgir-based Nalanda University in Bihar, a new research entitled “Aquifer Storage & Recovery for Sustainable Agriculture” (ASRA) is being carried out by the School of Ecology and Environment Studies to create a model of “Aquifer Storage and Recovery” (ASR) technology using floodwaters to provide an opportunity to farmers to raise their income.

The research is being undertaken with support from the Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research.

The model aims to help farmers of south Bihar to raise their income through agriculture and allied activities with the help of assured irrigation from reuse of water stored beneath the surface during episodes of high rainfall, run-offs and water logging.


“The project will benefit farmers by making them co-participants in the process...widespread recharge activities during the rainy season over several years is likely to build up an underground water bank...ASRA research will reveal if there is a net recharge of aquifers and if there is a positive impact on the natural water systems related to underground aquifers,” said a Nalanda University note.


‘Avant-garde courses’
“Innovative research is the only way forward for a global institution such as Nalanda. Our effort therefore has been to have avant-garde courses at the University and research aimed at building new regional structures with global peace and growth in the direction of development through emerging new research,” said Prof. Sunaina Singh, Vice-Chancellor of the University.

Aquifer map
The university research is essentially focussed on converging water solutions that primarily address the irrigation needs of an agrarian community but could also provide drinking water security with appropriate safeguards.

The project would also deliver a comprehensive aquifer map for recharge and estimation of the potential injection of surface water into the selected aquifer.

“A model for implementation, including awareness, local capacity and chain of facilities, will be available in a manual to ensure sustainability of the technology and wider adoption in the region in areas with similar hydrological characteristics,” the University note on the research further said.
Source: https://bit.ly/34FbZs3

Nalanda University hasn’t received any contribution from East Asian countries since 3 years !!

Nalanda University is one of the oldest universities in India, dated back to 400 AD was founded during the reign of Gupta Emperor. It was ruined by Turkish leader Bakhtiyar Khilji in 1193 but in 2006, former President APJ Kalam proposed the idea of reviving the university. So, in 2010, the university came into existence through Memorandum of Understanding  (MOU) between countries making Nalanda University an International Varsity supported by Australia, China, Laos and Thailand. But lately, MEA announced that no funds have been received from the countries for the last three years.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) led by Subrahmanyam Jaishankar informed the parliamentary committee that the last contribution by the participating countries was in August 2016 and only India has been contributing with the last installment released in July 2019.

“Nalanda University is an excellent institution for intellectual, philosophical and historical studies and the delay in the project completion is highly condemnable,” the committee said.

Before August 2016, Australia and China granted $1 million each, Thailand gave $132,000 while Laos gave $50,000. The construction of the university is said to be finished by 2021-2022.

Nalanda University situated in Bihar has been named as an ‘International Institute of National Importance’ by the Parliament of India. Lord Buddha, Mathematician Aryabhatta, Emperor Harshvardhan and Buddhist master Atisa are said to be a part of the original Nalanda University.

Source: https://bit.ly/2sNFkmQ