Patna: In a significant move aimed at benefiting state employees, the Bihar Cabinet has approved a 3% increase in the dearness allowance (DA) for 10 lakh government employees. The increase raises the DA from 50% to 53%, positively impacting 5 lakh state employees, 5 lakh teachers, and 4 lakh pensioners who fall under the seventh pay scale. The revised DA, effective from July 1, 2024, will include arrears for the past five months. This move aligns with the central government’s recent DA hike announcement in October.
The Cabinet also approved an advance allocation of Rs 115 crore for the Patna Metro project. The funds will be used for vital infrastructure work, including tracks, lifts, escalators, and train operations. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRC) has been tasked with overseeing this work, with the funds being disbursed on a nomination basis.
In a bid to boost the local economy, the government has approved Rs 236 crore in incentives for Britannia under its capital investment scheme. The funds will support the establishment of Britannia’s new bakery unit in Bihta, which will have a production capacity of 62,500 MTPA and is expected to create 525 jobs for both skilled and unskilled workers.
The government has also introduced the CM Grihasthal Purchase Assistance Scheme 2024, which will provide Rs 1 lakh per family to landless Dalit and Mahadalit families for purchasing land to build homes.
Other major decisions made by the Cabinet include granting Sulabh International the responsibility of constructing and maintaining public toilets at key tourist locations, updating policies on the disposal of EVMs and VVPATs, and allocating Rs 120 crore for the acquisition of 50.50 acres of land around Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi for infrastructure development.
