Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary
By Alok Mohit
Patna: The Bihar cabinet on Wednesday (May 13, 2026) approved a series of key decisions, including a hike in dearness allowance (DA) for government employees and pensioners, creation of new rural policing posts and clearance for an artificial intelligence initiative aimed at boosting innovation in the state.
The meeting, chaired by chief minister Samrat Choudhary, cleared 18 proposals related to finance, policing, education, transport, industry and information technology.
In a major relief to nearly nine lakh state government employees and pensioners, the cabinet approved a two-percentage-point increase in dearness allowance under the revised Seventh Pay Commission structure, raising it from 58% to 60% with effect from January 1, 2026.
Cabinet secretariat department additional chief secretary Arvind Kumar Chaudhary said employees and pensioners drawing salaries and pensions under the Fifth and Sixth Pay Commissions would also benefit from revised DA and dearness relief rates. Under the Fifth Pay Commission, DA has been increased from 474% to 483%, while under the Sixth Pay Commission it has gone up from 257% to 262%.
The cabinet also approved a home department proposal for creation of new posts of superintendent of police (rural) in sensitive districts of East Champaran, Samastipur, Madhubani, Vaishali and Siwan to strengthen policing and improve crime control in rural areas.
Among the major technology-related decisions, the state government sanctioned Rs 209 crore for the “Aryabhatta Drishti Project”, an initiative aimed at promoting artificial intelligence and innovation in Bihar with support from Singapore-based Global Finance and Technology Network (GFTN).
In another key decision, the cabinet approved the Bihar Electric Vehicle (Amendment) Policy, 2026, as part of the government’s push for environmentally sustainable transport. It also cleared the ‘Mukhyamantri Bihar Paryavaran Anukul Parivahan Rozgar Yojana’ with an outlay of Rs 110 crore to generate employment through eco-friendly transport services.
The cabinet also approved an industry department proposal to transfer 100 acres of land free of cost in Vaishali district to the Union government for establishment of the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM). Incentives for a dairy plant project at Sikandarpur Bihta in Patna district under the state’s industrial promotion policy were also cleared.
In the education sector, the government approved establishment of three new degree colleges in Piprasi and Bhitaha blocks of West Champaran district and Tetia Bambar block in Munger district. A total of 132 teaching and non-teaching posts were sanctioned for the institutions.
The cabinet also approved dismissal of former Bhojpur district programme officer (education) Mohammad Irshad Ansari after allegations of embezzlement against him were found to be true. Officials said he would also be barred from future government employment.
Other major approvals included permission for the state government to raise loans worth Rs 72,901 crore, including market borrowings, during the 2026-27 financial year, and allocation of land in Kishanganj district for a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) training centre.
The cabinet also allowed the commercial taxes department to extend Tata Consultancy Services’ contract for maintenance of the VATMIS software system for another year at an estimated cost of Rs 1.31 crore.
About the Author
Alok Mohit is a senior journalist based in Patna with decades of experience in mainstream journalism. He has previously served as Senior News Editor at Hindustan Times, Patna, and later at Hindustan Times, Chandigarh, where he played a key role in shaping news coverage and editorial direction. Known for his in-depth understanding of socio-political issues and strong editorial judgement, he continues to contribute insightful analysis and reporting on matters of public interest.
About the Author
