Patna, July 17 (APAC Media): The Bihar Cabinet on Thursday approved 25 major proposals covering rural governance, urban infrastructure and public services across the state.
The decisions include fresh Panchayat delimitation, ₹829 crore worth of drinking water and sewerage projects, new tax rules for rural areas, a salary hike for jail employees, scooters for women police personnel and temple development initiatives.
The proposals were cleared at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.
Panchayat Boundaries to Be Redrawn in Bihar
One of the Cabinet’s biggest decisions is the delimitation of Gram Panchayats based on the 2011 Census.
The exercise is expected to bring Panchayat boundaries in line with population changes, ensuring better representation and smoother implementation of government schemes.
Officials believe the move will also improve access to public services in rural areas.
Gram Panchayats to Get Their Own Revenue
To strengthen local bodies financially, the Cabinet approved the Gram Panchayat Tax Rate and Fee Rules, 2026.
Under the new rules, taxes will be levied on rural holdings, while shops, businesses and commercial establishments operating within Panchayat limits will pay prescribed fees.
The aim is to help Panchayats generate more revenue instead of relying entirely on government grants.
The Cabinet also revised several tax rates. The one-time tax on two-wheelers has been increased by 1 per cent, the tax on three-wheelers by ₹1,000, while business tax rates have also been revised.
Relief for Jail Employees
Contractual former soldiers and warders working in Bihar’s prisons have received a significant pay hike. Their monthly salary has been increased from ₹19,800 to ₹30,000.
The Cabinet also approved a compensation policy for the families and legal heirs of prisoners who die while serving their sentence.
Scooters for Women Police in Bihar
To improve policing around schools, colleges and coaching institutes, the government has approved the purchase of 1,500 scooters for women police personnel.
The fleet will include 1,000 petrol scooters and 500 electric scooters, allowing women police teams to respond more quickly and patrol larger areas.
₹829 Crore for Water Supply and Sewerage
Urban infrastructure received one of the biggest financial allocations in the meeting.
Projects worth around ₹829 crore have been sanctioned under the AMRUT 2.0 Mission for Samastipur, Sitamarhi, Khagaria and Hajipur.
The projects include new water treatment plants, overhead tanks, pipelines, pump houses and sewerage networks that will improve drinking water supply and sanitation.
Among the four cities, Hajipur received the largest project at ₹232.90 crore for a sewerage network and sewage treatment plant.
Samastipur will get ₹228.45 crore, Sitamarhi ₹197.12 crore, and Khagaria ₹170.86 crore for drinking water projects that will together benefit tens of thousands of households.
Bihar Temple Development Gets a Push
The Cabinet also approved the formation of the Bhavani Temple Nyas Committee to manage and develop the Mundeshwari Bhawani Temple in Kaimur district.
In another decision, it cleared land-related proposals for the development of Punaura Dham Temple in Sitamarhi, a move expected to strengthen religious tourism in the state.
The latest Cabinet decisions span governance, taxation, employee welfare, policing, urban infrastructure and tourism.
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