PATNA: Bihar government cabinet on Wednesday sanctioned Rs 680 crore to develop Baba Hariharnath temple in Sonepur along the lines of the renowned Kashi Vishwanath corridor.
Earlier a proposal to develop areas surrounding Baba Hariharnath Temple at Sonepur in Saran district was moved by state tourism department, which was approved by state cabinet on Wednesday. As many as 22 proposals were approved in the first meeting of the state cabinet held on Wednesday.
The proposal to develop the Baba Hariharnath temple gains added momentum, following the launch of an ambitious Rs 800-crore project to redevelop the Sita temple at Purnaura Dham in Sitamarhi district.
Punaura Dham is considered to be the birthplace of Goddess Sita, where a temple is being developed. The cabinet also banned the sale of land and construction of houses and other structures in and around Punaura Dham.
The cabinet also approved the state urban development department’s proposal for the establishment of 11 new 'greenfield satellite townships'. Sale of land and construction of houses and other structures have been restricted till March 31, 2027.
To strengthen women's safety and security, the BJP government has decided to give scooters to 1,500 female police personnel and motorbikes to 3,200 police personnel in the state. A total of Rs 66.75 crore has been allocated for this scheme.
The government has also decided to develop religious and tourism infrastructure in Tarapur, located in the Munger district. To facilitate it, 15 acres of land currently held by the agriculture department will be transferred free of cost to the tourism department, thus giving a new impetus to tourism in the region.
The cabinet also gave its nod to the new 'Registration Rules 2026' in the meeting. Under these regulations, senior citizens aged 80 years or older will be accorded special privileges during property registration processes, sparing them the hassle of making repeated visits to government offices.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Setu Yojana, 75 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across Bihar will be upgraded into modern training hubs at a total cost of Rs 3,615 crore, supported by substantial funding from the state government.