Women government employees in Bihar will now get accommodation near workplace
The Bihar Cabinet on Tuesday (June 10, 2025) took a policy decision to provide accommodation to women government employees near their place of posting.
The announcement, which comes months ahead of the Assembly election, has come as a relief to the women employees, including schoolteachers, posted in faraway rural areas.
Speaking to the media after the meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Cabinet Secretariat Department's Additional Chief Secretary S. Siddharth said round four lakh women employees will benefit from the decision. The move will ensure their safety and security, he said.
Mr. Siddharth clarified that those opting for the government's leased accommodation facility will not get house rent allowance (HRA).
Accommodation will be provided after entering into a lease agreement with private individuals. Expression of Interest will be invited from interested parties for this purpose.
A committee, headed by District Magistrate, will be constituted to select buildings for providing accommodation. The committee will check the safety aspects of the building besides ensuring basic facilities such as electricity and water availability. The Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) will fix the rent for the accommodation.
'The leased accommodation facility will first be provided to employees at the district and divisional headquarters. Those working at the block level or in rural areas will have to send an application to the SDO concerned through their respective office heads and then, the SDO will start the process,' Mr. Siddharth said.
One clerk per panchayat
In another important decision, the Cabinet also approved the Panchayati Raj Department's proposal to create 8,093 clerical posts for the successful implementation of the panchayat-level schemes.
Mr. Siddharth said that with this decision, there will now be a clerk in every panchayat across the State. It will be a permanent post, he added.
It also approved the agriculture department's proposal for creation of 14 posts in different categories at the headquarters level. These posts have been created for the newly formed Agriculture Marketing Directorate. The objectives of the directorate are – ensure fair price for the farmers' produce, help farmers with value addition and market access, arrange storage facility, and assist in the processing and packaging of agriculture products.
The Cabinet also approved amendments to the Bihar Birth & Death Rules, 1999, which will be replaced by the Bihar Birth & Death Registration (Amendment) Rules, 2025. The amendments will make it easier for people to obtain birth and death certificates.
During the Cabinet meeting, it was also decided that the Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities should get the benefit of the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) scheme.
It sanctioned Rural Development Department's proposal to extend the benefit of the PM Awas Yojana to nine communities of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) – Asur, Birhor, Birjiya, Hilkhariya, Korwa, Malpahariya, Parhaiya, Sauriyapahadiya and Saawar. They will get ₹2 lakh in four equal instalments.
A total of 22 decisions were taken in the Cabinet meeting.
Mr. Siddharth was accompanied by Nishith Verma, Additional Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat.
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