Patna, June 14 : The Bihar government on Thursday raised the scheme sanctioning limit for village heads and announced significant hikes in allowances and welfare benefits for functionaries of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI), ahead of the upcoming state elections.
Under the new policy, village heads (mukhiyas) can now approve projects worth up to ₹1 million under the rural employment guarantee scheme MGNREGA without needing prior administrative approval, doubling the previous limit of ₹500,000. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, as part of broader reforms aimed at strengthening grassroots governance in the state.
The government also announced enhanced monthly allowances for PRI officials. The Zilla Parishad president’s allowance has been increased to ₹30,000 from ₹20,000, while the vice president will receive ₹20,000, up from ₹10,000. The monthly remuneration for mukhiyas has been raised to ₹7,500 from ₹5,000.
Additional welfare measures were unveiled to support PRI representatives and their families. The existing grant of ₹500,000—previously only available in the event of accidental death—will now be extended to cover natural deaths occurring during the representative’s term. Those suffering from major illnesses will also be eligible for medical treatment under the Chief Minister’s Medical Assistance Fund.
“The government is committed to empowering local governance and ensuring dignity and security for elected representatives,” said Manoj Kumar, Secretary of the Panchayati Raj Department.
Chief Minister Kumar also reviewed the status of rural infrastructure and directed officials to ensure the completion of Panchayat Sarkar Bhavans in every gram panchayat before the state assembly elections scheduled for later this year. The state government has sanctioned the construction of 1,069 additional buildings to meet this target, the Chief Minister’s Office said in a statement.
The announcements are seen as a strategic move by the ruling NDA government to consolidate rural support as it seeks a fresh mandate in the upcoming elections.
