Patna, Sep 2: The Bihar Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, on Wednesday approved 27 proposals, including widening of a 7.20-km stretch of Nehru Path in Patna, levy of toll tax on commercial vehicles using 55 state highways and 44 major bridges, and restoration of the ₹4 lakh education loan limit under the Bihar Student Credit Card Scheme.
The cabinet gave administrative approval of ₹39.80 crore for widening Nehru Path from Dakbangla Square to Ruknpura. The project will involve removal and shifting of drains and footpaths, relocation of boundary walls, five kilometres of grills, utilities and trees, besides installation of road-safety signs.
The government will also introduce toll collection from commercial vehicles on 55 state highways and 44 major bridges. Around ₹30 crore has been approved for infrastructure and other works related to the toll system.
In an important decision concerning students, the cabinet cancelled its August 19 order that had restricted education loans under the Student Credit Card Scheme to ₹2 lakh. Students will continue to be eligible for loans of up to ₹4 lakh for higher education.
The cabinet also approved a ₹9,169-crore basic and performance grant for all 264 municipal bodies in Bihar for the financial years 2026-27 to 2030-31, in line with the recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission.
Under the revised allocation formula, 90 per cent of the funds will be distributed on the basis of population and 10 per cent on the basis of performance. Earlier, the 10 per cent component was linked to area. Patna Municipal Corporation will additionally receive a special infrastructure component and an urbanisation premium.
The cabinet extended the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Urban Development Scheme for 2026-27 to 2030-31. Projects worth ₹500 crore will be taken up under the scheme for roads, drainage, parking, footpaths, lighting, lakes, parks, ghats and reservoirs. The Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (BUIDCO) will implement the projects.
For Sitamarhi, the cabinet approved a revised cost of around ₹110 crore for construction of an approach road under the road-over-bridge at Level Crossing No. 56 between Parsauni and Sitamarhi railway stations.
The Bihar Museum Committee received administrative approval of ₹40 crore for the operation and maintenance of Bihar Museum and Patna Museum.
Among other decisions, the cabinet approved formation of the State Goat Rearers Cooperative Federation Limited, with an expenditure of ₹14.79 crore over three financial years. It also approved expenditure of ₹68.92 lakh under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission for setting up heifer rearing centres.
Bihar will implement the Centre’s Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, while the Bihar State Fisheries Development Corporation Limited will be dissolved.
The cabinet approved withdrawal of ₹2.75 crore from the Bihar Contingency Fund for implementation of the e-Cabinet system.
Land transfers were also approved for electricity grid substations in Siwan and Muzaffarpur. In Arwal, 25 acres of land will be transferred free of cost to the Health Department for construction of a Government Medical College Hospital.
For expansion of the industrial area at Barauni in Begusarai, the cabinet approved free permanent transfer of 700 acres of non-cultivable khas land in Malhipur to the Industries Department.
The cabinet also decided to organise an annual state function on August 23 in Sitamarhi to commemorate freedom fighter Ramfal Mandal and another in West Champaran to mark the birth anniversary of freedom fighter and Champaran Satyagraha leader Rajkumar Shukla.
Poonam Sinha, Secretary-in-charge of the Bihar Legislative Assembly Secretariat, was appointed Director for a period of one year.
No direct statements or quotes from ministers or officials were provided in the information on the cabinet decisions.
