PATNA: Bihar government on Tuesday increased the dearness allowance (DA) of state government employees and pensioners ahead of the Chhath festival.
The decision was approved at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary. The cabinet cleared a total of 31 proposals from various departments at its meeting.
Government employees drawing salaries under the Seventh Pay Commission will now receive DA at 63 per cent, up from the existing 60 per cent. The hike will be effective from July 1, 2026, meaning employees will also receive arrears for the intervening months.
The cabinet also approved an increase in DA for employees drawing salaries under the Fifth and Sixth Pay Commissions. For those covered by the Fifth Pay Commission, DA has been raised from 483 per cent to 497 per cent, while for employees under the Sixth Pay Commission, it has been increased from 262 per cent to 269 per cent. Eligible family pensioners will also benefit from the revision.
The cabinet approved the Bihar Building Byelaws, 2026, aimed at simplifying the process of obtaining approval for the construction of houses, shops, commercial complexes and other buildings across the state.
The existing 2014 rules will be replaced. The new regulations provide for a base floor area ratio (FAR) of 3.0 and allow permits for low-rise buildings through self-declaration.
Under the new provisions, construction plans will be deemed approved if no decision is taken within 30 days.
The cabinet approved an advance allocation of Rs 1,399.6028 crore from the Bihar Contingency Fund for the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G). The amount includes Rs 450.1554 crore as the Centre's share and Rs 949.4474 crore as the state's contribution.
The allocation is expected to accelerate the construction of houses sanctioned under the scheme in rural areas.
The state government will launch the 'Bihar Ki Beti Startup Challenge' to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and startup culture among female students pursuing higher education.
The scheme will run for four financial years, from 2026-27 to 2029-30, and benefit up to 2,100 students. The cabinet granted administrative approval of Rs 88.20 crore for its implementation.
Advanced training centres to come up in five districts, including Patna.
Under the Prime Minister's Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme, Centres for Invention, Innovation, Incubation and Training (CIIITs) will be established at government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in Rohtas, Munger, Patna, Purnia and Madhubani in collaboration with Tata Technologies Ltd.
The cabinet approved an expenditure of Rs 1,174.81 crore for the project.
The centres will provide young people with training in modern technologies and skills aligned with the requirements of industries.
Revised cost of Bakhtiyarpur-Tajpur bridge project approved
The cabinet granted its third administrative approval to the revised project cost of Rs 4,572.53 crore for the under-construction four-lane bridge over the Ganga, connecting Bakhtiyarpur in Patna and Tajpur in Samastipur, along with its approach roads.
The state government also approved the release of Rs 1,834.305 crore to ensure the physical completion of the project. Once completed, the project is expected to improve connectivity between north and south Bihar.
