Patna: The Bihar cabinet, chaired by chief minister Nitish Kumar, has approved 43 proposals in its first meeting of the new government, signalling an aggressive development agenda centred on employment generation, investment and infrastructure.
The meeting, held on Tuesday at the state secretariat in Patna, was attended by both deputy chief ministers, Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, along with the full council of ministers. Government sources said the decisions mark the start of implementing commitments made by the NDA during the 2025 assembly elections.
Push for jobs and private investment
Ministers agreed to prepare a special action plan to boost job creation, including fast-tracking the filling of long-vacant posts across government departments. Officials indicated that large-scale recruitment proposals are likely in the coming months, with a particular focus on opportunities for young people.
Alongside public sector hiring, the cabinet underlined the importance of attracting private investment to create employment. Decisions were taken to accelerate policies linked to industrial development, infrastructure expansion, start-ups and skill development, with the aim of strengthening Bihar’s economic base.
Son River water-sharing dispute resolved
In a significant inter-state development, the cabinet approved an agreement between Bihar and Jharkhand resolving the Son River water-sharing dispute that has remained pending for more than five decades.
Briefing reporters, additional chief secretary Arvind Chaudhary said that under the 1973 Bansagar agreement, undivided Bihar had been allocated 7.75 million acre-feet of water. Following bifurcation, Jharkhand had sought a share, delaying progress on Bihar’s Indrapuri reservoir project.
After discussions at the Eastern Zonal Council meeting in Ranchi in July 2025, both states agreed that 5.75 million acre-feet would go to Bihar and 2.00 million acre-feet to Jharkhand. The cabinet’s approval clears the way for the Indrapuri project and is expected to strengthen irrigation in districts including Bhojpur, Buxar, Rohtas, Kaimur, Aurangabad, Patna, Gaya and Arwal.
Underground power cabling for Patna
The cabinet sanctioned a Rs 653 crore project to shift electricity supply in Patna to underground cabling. The scheme, to be implemented across 13 divisions under the Patna Electric Supply Undertaking, aims to ensure more reliable and uninterrupted power while reducing outages and safety risks.
Education, energy and industrial projects
Ministers approved Rs 14.855bn for 789 government secondary and senior secondary schools for 2025-26 under the PM Shri scheme. The funding will support modern teaching methods, innovation and technological literacy for students in classes 6 to 12, in line with the National Education Policy 2020.
To support industrial growth, the cabinet cleared the construction of a 220 kV DC transmission line for the Integrated Manufacturing Cluster at Gaya. The332.9m project will connect the cluster to the Chandauti grid substation, strengthening power supply for manufacturing units.
Administrative reforms and new posts
The meeting also approved the restructuring and creation of 694 posts in the agriculture department, including new roles for plant protection supervisors and inspectors. Other decisions included restructuring 200 posts in the fisheries directorate, the temporary creation of a non-cadre post of forest and environment adviser, and amendments to the Bihar Executive Rules, 2025.
Bihar Bhavan in Mumbai and welfare measures
Administrative approval of Rs 314.2m was granted for the construction of a Bihar Bhavan in Mumbai, aimed at supporting residents and officials travelling to the financial capital. The cabinet also agreed to provide a state guarantee for a Rs 7,000 crore loan for the upcoming Kharif and Rabi marketing seasons.
Additional approvals includedRs138.82 crore in compensation for a logistics park and cargo hub near Darbhanga airport, Rs 30 crore for the welfare of advocates, the creation of 106 posts for Polytechnic Bagaha, and several measures linked to technical education.
