Nitish Kumar cabinet clears ₹15,995 crore subsidy to power consumers
In order to give relief to power consumers, the cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar sanctioned ₹15,995 crore as subsidy to consumers during 2025-26.
Cabinet Secretariat Department's Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) S Siddharth said that the sum has been sanctioned under 'Mukhya Mantri Vidyut Upbhokta Sahayta Yojana' to give per unit subsidy to power consumers.
The amount would be given directly to National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) through the Reserve Bank of India, he added.
The subsidy amount is reflected in every month's energy bill, he said, adding that the subsidy has been sanctioned for a period of April 2025 to March 2026.
The state government gives subsidies every year to power consumers to offset the higher tariff rate.
Expansion of air connectivity network
With a view to expanding the air connectivity network in the state, the Bihar cabinet on Friday gave its nod to carry out 'Pre-Feasibility Study' to start commercial flight operations from six towns of the state. The Bihar cabinet today approved altogether 34 decisions.
Airport Authority of India (AAI) will carry out 'Pre-Feasibility Study' in six towns of Madhubani, Birpur, Munger, Valmikinagar, Bhagalpur and Saharsa, Cabinet Secretariat Department's Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) S Siddharth told reporters in a post cabinet briefing.
It also sanctioned a sum of ₹2.43 crore for carrying out the study, Mr. Siddharth said adding that the 'Pre-Feasibility Study' would incorporate the factors like what would be the expected number of passengers on a particular route (place), the length of airstrip required, the type of aircraft among many factors may be used for operating commercial flights.
The move would pave the way for construction of airports in these six towns which would not only ensure easy and smooth travel for people of the state especially locals but would also boost economic development of the region.
In another important decision, the cabinet also sanctioned ₹119 crore for organising a mega sporting event of 'Khelo India Youth Games' 2025 being held in Bihar for the first time.
The 7th edition of games will be held between May 4 and 15 at five places Patna, Rajgir (Nalanda), Gaya, Bhagalpur and Begusarai. Around 10,000 athletes including trainers, support and technical staff and other staff would participate in 27 different sporting disciplines.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the sporting event on May 4.
A grand temple would be built at Punauradham, the birthplace of goddess Sita, in Sitamarhi district on the lines of a grand Ram temple at Ayodhya for which a design consultant M/s Design Associates INC has been selected for the purpose on nomination basis.
The cabinet approved the tourism department's proposal for selection of the design consultant. This is the same consultant which has designed the Ram temple.
The move would help promote tourism in the state. Mr. Kumar had announced it during Pragati Yatra for the integrated development of the religious place.
A total of 17 acres of land was available at Punaurdham temple premises besides the process is currently underway to acquire 50 acres of additional land to develop the place on a grand scale.
Grant to create teaching, non-teaching post
The Bihar cabinet also gave its nod to the education department's proposal to create 526 posts that included 422 teaching and 104 non teaching staff for the proposed degree colleges.
It also sanctioned the creation of 663 non technical posts of different categories for 71 offices of integrated urban engineering organisations constituted under the Urban Development and Housing department.
The Bihar cabinet also approved the creation of 244 posts of different categories for smooth functioning of Bihar Sports University, Rajgir.
'The cabinet has also approved Bihar Vishesh Sarvekshan Evam Bandobast (Sanshodhan) Niyamawali 2025 (Bihar Special Survey and Settlement Amendment Rules 2025) which will allow farmers to exchange their land. It would be applicable to those farmers who had exchanged their land on oral basis,'Mr. Siddharth said.
Till now, there was no such provision wherein one farmer can exchange his land from another farmer.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
New joint shed for dogs, cattle to come up in Surat; sterilisation not being carried out properly: SMC Opposition leader
Surat is set to get a new cattle-cum-dog shed in a couple of months. With a capacity to house 800 cattle and 535 dogs, the shelter is being readied in Variav area. Currently, the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) operates a dog shelter in Bhestan, which accommodates up to 350 canines, and a cattle shelter in the Udhna area with a space to house 300 animals. Meanwhile, even as the SMC administrative staff has sent out a proposal to the Standing Committee for sterilisation and vaccination of stray dogs, the leader of Opposition has accused that the process is not being carried out properly due to which the number of dog bite cases is increasing. The new shelter, being built while keeping the expansion of Surat city in mind, is spread in 29,000 square metre area. It is being constructed at a cost of Rs 16.60 crore. A veterinary hospital will also be established on the premises, said an official. The infrastructure development work is being conducted in two phases: while the first phase is complete, the second one is nearing completion and will be inaugurated in a couple of months, the official of SMC Rander zone added. Meanwhile, the SMC administrative staff on Tuesday sent a proposal to the SMC standing committee seeking its nod for the sterilisation and vaccination of stray dogs being handed to a new firm. According to the details mentioned in the proposal, the tender has been given to the firm after following due process. During the two-year contract period, the firm will sterilise and vaccinate 30,000 stray dogs at a cost of Rs. 3.93 crore (approximately Rs. 1,310 per dog). Sources in SMC stated that the previous firm was doing the job at a rate of Rs 1,199 per dog. SMC Market Superintendent Digvijay Ram said, 'Till date, no survey has been done regarding the number of stray dogs. This is why the actual figure could not be known. We have been handing out two-year contracts to different firms for vaccination and sterilisation.' On how the procedure is carried out, he said, 'Once a stray dog is caught by our team from a certain area, it is kept at the Bhestan stray dog shed for four days where vaccination and sterilisation are done. Later, the dog is freed in the same area (where it was picked from). We give a 'V' shape cut on the lower part of the dog's ear so that the team that comes to impound the animals knows that this particular canine has been sterilised and vaccinated.' Ram further said, 'At present, we have a single dog shed at Bhestan. The new dog shed is coming up in Variav area; it is on the verge of completion and will be inaugurated soon. Once the new set-up becomes operational, more dogs will be vaccinated and sterilised.' Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Payal Sakariya, who is the Leader of the Opposition at SMC, told The Indian Express: 'I also have a couple of dogs at my house and I know that once a dog is vaccinated, it never bites. But despite the SMC spending crores on contracts for vaccination and sterilisation, cases of dog bites are reported at Surat New Civil Hospital and SMC-run SMIMER Hospital. If proper vaccination and sterilisation is being carried out, why is there a rise in the number of stray dogs in the city?' She further said, 'The money for vaccination and sterilisation goes into the pockets of SMC officials and the NGOs they know. We have raised this issue before the standing committee, asking why such a huge amount is being spent where there are no results. We are not against vaccination or sterilisation, but we want actual work to get done.'
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
CM asks officials to expedite metro rail project work
Patna: Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday inspected the ongoing construction work on the Patna Metro Rail Project at Malahi Pakadi and Bhootnath metro stations and asked the officials to expedite work. The secretary of urban development and housing department (UDHD), Abhay Kumar Singh, gave detailed information to the CM regarding the progress and updated status of the construction work on the priority corridor (Malahi Pakadi to Pataliputra bus terminal) as the target is to start this line by Aug 15. Abhay informed the CM that the target is to complete the construction work on the total 6.20 km from Malahi Pakadi to Khemnichak, Bhootnath road, Zero Mile, Pataliputra bus terminal on priority basis. The state govt has provided Rs 115.10 crore for its operation. The UDHD secretary also apprised Nitish about the escalator, ticket counter, passenger facility, public area, paid area, lift, path to the platform and other necessary facilities to be provided at Malahi Pakadi metro station. The CM directed the officials to expedite the construction work. "We have been continuously inspecting its construction works and instructed the officials to ensure its completion on time so that people have convenience in commuting," the CM said. UDHD minister Jibesh Kumar; principal secretary to the CM, Deepak Kumar; secretary to the CM, Kumar Ravi; Patna commissioner Chandrashekhar Singh; DM Thiyagarajan SM; SSP Avkash Kumar and other senior officials of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and Patna Metro Rail Project were present on the occasion. Patna: Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday inspected the ongoing construction work on the Patna Metro Rail Project at Malahi Pakadi and Bhootnath metro stations and asked the officials to expedite work. The secretary of urban development and housing department (UDHD), Abhay Kumar Singh, gave detailed information to the CM regarding the progress and updated status of the construction work on the priority corridor (Malahi Pakadi to Pataliputra bus terminal) as the target is to start this line by Aug 15. Abhay informed the CM that the target is to complete the construction work on the total 6.20 km from Malahi Pakadi to Khemnichak, Bhootnath road, Zero Mile, Pataliputra bus terminal on priority basis. The state govt has provided Rs 115.10 crore for its operation. The UDHD secretary also apprised Nitish about the escalator, ticket counter, passenger facility, public area, paid area, lift, path to the platform and other necessary facilities to be provided at Malahi Pakadi metro station. The CM directed the officials to expedite the construction work. "We have been continuously inspecting its construction works and instructed the officials to ensure its completion on time so that people have convenience in commuting," the CM said. UDHD minister Jibesh Kumar; principal secretary to the CM, Deepak Kumar; secretary to the CM, Kumar Ravi; Patna commissioner Chandrashekhar Singh; DM Thiyagarajan SM; SSP Avkash Kumar and other senior officials of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and Patna Metro Rail Project were present on the occasion.
Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Indian Express
Patna gets its first double-decker flyover: How this will help ease traffic
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Wednesday afternoon inaugurated state's first double-decker flyover in Patna, a Rs 422-crore infrastructure project aimed at easing congestion along the capital's bustling Ashok Rajpath corridor. The 2.2-km flyover, stretching from Kargil Chowk near Gandhi Maidan to Science College, is said to be the city's first two-lane, direction-based double-decker elevated corridor, completed in just over three years by the Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Limited, with construction beginning January 15, 2022. The flyover – together with ongoing metro and rail projects in the city — is being seen as a step towards 'making Patna's transport system future-ready', with officials saying it will function as an alternative route for vehicles entering from Gandhi Setu and Krishna Ghat. The unveiling comes ahead of the assembly elections in Bihar. The project was completed on May 31, 2025 and features two tiers with 8.5-metre-wide one-way carriageways. The upper deck, measuring 2,175.50 metres, runs from Kargil Chowk to Science College, while the lower deck, spanning 1,449.30 metres, connects Patna College Main Gate to Gandhi Maidan, allowing vehicles to move in opposite directions on each level. Officials said that 'uniqueness' of the Patna double decker flyover lies in its design of two separate decks with each handling one-way traffic. This design is expected to streamline traffic flow for commuters, students, and patients around key areas like NIT, PMCH, Science College, and Patna University. The flyover integrates with the city's emerging metro network and the JP Ganga Path, with ramps linking both decks and a lift pit for the upcoming University metro station already in progress. It further enhances connectivity to Gayghat, Patna City, and Kachchi Dargah, serving as an alternative route for vehicles entering from Gandhi Setu and Krishna Ghat. Bihar Road Construction Minister Nitin Nabin said: 'This will significantly smooth traffic on one of Patna's busiest stretches, benefiting thousands of daily commuters'. Officials said plans also include a connection to a proposed multi-level parking facility at the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH). Another double-decker structure in Bihar announced before the Patna flyover is likely to open soon in Chhapra. It was said to be Bihar's first such project of its kind, with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar laying the foundation stone on July 11, 2018, years before the Patna Ashok Rajpath flyover's foundation was set in December 2021. However, the Chhapra initiative, initially targeted for completion by June 2022, has lagged behind due to land acquisition hurdles. In a tweet on X, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said: 'With the construction of this state-of-the-art flyover, the traffic problems on Ashok Rajpath will be completely resolved, and Patna's traffic system will become much smoother. Patients and their families going to Patna Medical College and Hospital will find commuting much more convenient. This flyover will give a new direction to Patna's urban landscape and connectivity'.
