Patna: The Bihar government has approved the development of five new industrial areas in Begusarai, Bakhtiyarpur, Siwan, Saharsa, and Madhepura, acquiring 2,627 acres at a cost of Rs 812 crore. The move, part of 30 decisions cleared in the latest cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is expected to boost employment and strengthen the state’s economy.
An Integrated Manufacturing Cluster under the Amritsar–Kolkata Industrial Corridor will also be expanded in Dobhi, Gaya, with 1,300 acres acquired at Rs 416 crore. Specific land acquisitions include 548.87 acres in Madhepura’s Gwalpara zone (Rs 41.26 crore), 420.62 acres in Saharsa’s Kahra zone (Rs 88.01 crore), 167.34 acres in Siwan’s Mairwa zone (Rs 113.92 crore), 991 acres in Begusarai’s Kusmaut Mauja (Rs 351.59 crore), and 500 acres in Bakhtiyarpur’s Saidpur, Bahadurpur, and Tarachandpur Mauja (Rs 219.34 crore).
A textile mill in Guraru, Gaya, worth Rs 35.14 crore will employ 237 workers.
The cabinet also sanctioned an OLS survey for airports in Veerpur, Munger, Bhagalpur, Saharsa, Muzaffarpur, and Valmikinagar at Rs 290 crore. Additionally, 18 acres will be acquired for expanding Gayaji Airport’s runway, with CAT-I lighting installation costing Rs 137.37 crore.
Pensions for JP movement veterans have been doubled: from Rs 7,500 to Rs 15,000 for those jailed 1–6 months, and from Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000 for those jailed over six months. The state has 3,354 pensioners under this category.
Honorariums for Booth Level Officers have been raised from Rs 10,000 to Rs 14,000, and for BLO supervisors from Rs 15,000 to Rs 18,000. Vehicle owners scrapping Bharat Stage-1 and 2 models will get a 50% registration fee discount when purchasing a new vehicle.
The Education Department has reduced the attendance requirement for uniforms under the Chief Minister’s Poshak Yojana to 75% between April 1 and July 31.
A real-time digital database will be developed for farmers, integrating weather and crop data with departmental schemes.
The rules for Bihar Vidhan Mandal members’ allowances have also been amended, granting them a lump-sum amount to cover telephone and internet bills instead of paying out of pocket.
