By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: In the Tuesday meeting of the Nitish Cabinet in Bihar, 45 agendas were approved, including the Bihar Civil Services Amendment Rules 2024. Additionally, a sum of ₹10 crore has been sanctioned for organising the proposed Women’s Asian Champions Trophy 2024 in Rajgir, which will take place from 11th to 20th November 2024.
Among the key decisions, the government addressed the issue of dual family pensions. An agenda was presented and approved to set an upper limit on the double family pension available to an eligible child after the death of both parents, where both husband and wife were covered under the old pension scheme. The conditions for family pensions for disabled children were also updated.
Another significant decision was the reduction in the VAT rate on the domestic and commercial sale of CNG and PNG from 20% to 12.5% for consumption up to 50,000 MCMD per day through the urban gas distribution system in the state. For industrial sales, the VAT rate on PNG was reduced from 20% to 5% for units manufacturing goods.
The Council of Ministers also gave its approval for the establishment of a 300-bed speciality hospital at Netaji Subhash Medical College and Hospital, located in the Mega Industrial Park, Bihta, Patna. Under the Fourth Agriculture Road Map, a scheme costing ₹62 crore 12 lakh 40 thousand was approved for the promotion of pulse crops, specifically Garma Moong and Urad.
Further approvals included the construction of 560-bed minority residential school buildings in Veerpur, Madhepura, and Muzaffarpur, under the Minority Welfare Department.
The Cabinet also agreed to include the villages of Dhanchuha and Jagdishpur in Nagar Panchayat Maharajganj, Siwan district, while approving the Medical Care Amendment Rules 2024 for former members of the Bihar Legislative Assembly.
Additionally, the construction of court buildings and related facilities was approved across several locations. These include:
Gogri Sub-Divisional Civil Court, Khagaria, with an allocation of ₹32 crore 56 lakh 94 thousand for 10 court buildings, lock-up facilities, and amenity buildings.
Banmankhi Sub-Divisional Civil Court, Purnia, with ₹34 crore 98 lakh 89 thousand allocated for similar infrastructure.
Manihari Sub-Divisional Civil Court, Katihar, with a budget of ₹36 crore 96 lakh 54 thousand.
Mahanar Sub-Divisional Civil Court, Vaishali, with ₹34 crore 88 lakh 14 thousand approved for court buildings, prisoner lock-up facilities, and amenity buildings.
These decisions mark a significant step in improving infrastructure, public services, and the overall development of the state.
