October 3 ahead of Patna, Diwali and Chhath (IANS), Nitish Kumar -led Bihar government on Friday approved 129 proposals during a cabinet meeting held in Patna.
During the meeting, a major relief measures were taken for state employees and pensioners, which was increased by 3 percent to their dearness allowance (DA).
With this decision, DA has been increased from 55 percent to 58 percent effective from July 1, 2025. This step, seen as a festive-weather gift before the upcoming assembly elections, will benefit millions of government employees, pensioners and family pensioners.
Deputy Chief Minister Emperor Chaudhary, while briefing the cabinet decision, said, “The state government has approved to increase the dearness allowance from 55 percent to 58 percent as per the central government’s decision. Our commitment to ensure that our commitment to ensure that the livelihood of employees and pensioners is not affected by inflation.”
Hike will put an additional burden of Rs 917.78 crore on the state’s treasury in the financial year 2025-26.
Political supervisors look at the announcement as a strategic move by the ruling NDA, which is to strengthen the support of about half million state employees and millions of pensioners before the Bihar assembly elections.
Apart from DA, the Bihar government increased the scholarship for school students.
Nitish Kumar’s cabinet doubled the assistance provided by the Chief Minister’s boys and girls under the scholarship scheme, which benefits crores of school children across the state.
In class 1-4, students will now get Rs 1,200 (above Rs 600) annually, they will get those Rs 2,400 (above Rs 1,200) in class 5-6, while students in class 7-10 will get Rs 3,600 (above Rs 1,800).
Officials said the step will provide relief to poor and disadvantaged students in primary, central and secondary schools, and encouraged them to continue their education.
Along with the assembly elections, both measures are seen as strategic populist steps aimed at strengthening the support of state employees and students’ families.
Approval of 129 proposals in departments underlines the government’s dialect to carry forward development and welfare initiative before the elections.
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AJK/UK