Patna (ABN) A cabinet meeting was held on Thursday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. After the meeting, Additional Chief Secretary of the Cabinet Department, Arvind Kumar Choudhary, informed journalists that 31 proposals were approved in today's meeting. The cabinet made a significant decision today, approving a proposal to increase the pre-metric scholarship for SC-ST, backward, and extremely backward students. Under this, the SC-ST Welfare Department has approved an amendment to the fixed scholarship rate under the pre-metric scholarship scheme from the financial year 2025-26, with Rs 1200 per annum for classes 1-4, Rs 2400 per annum for classes 5-6, Rs 3600 per annum for classes 7-10, and Rs 6000 per annum for classes 1-10, along with an annual expenditure of Rs 519.64 crore.

The cabinet also approved an amendment to the fixed annual scholarship rate under the Mukhyamantri Pichhda Varg and Ati Pichhda Varg Pre-Metric Scholarship Scheme under the Backward and Extremely Backward Welfare Department from the financial year 2025-26, with Rs 1200 per annum for classes 1-5, Rs 2400 per annum for classes 5-6, Rs 3600 per annum for classes 7-10, and Rs 6000 per annum for classes 1-10, along with a total annual expenditure of Rs 1751.56 crore.

Nitish Kumar's cabinet also approved other decisions, including Rs 78.81 crore for the construction of a music college in Buxar's Dumrau in the name of Shehnai maestro Bismillah Khan, as well as the Disability Empowerment Service Regulation. Additionally, the Bihar Non-Military Service Recruitment Amendment Regulation was also approved. The cabinet approved the Bihar Judicial Officers Conduct Rules. Along with this, a budget of Rs 500 crore was also approved for the under-construction medical colleges and hospitals in the state. The cabinet approved a budget of Rs 6 crore for the promotion of Bihar tourism in another decision. Along with this, the services of the National Cooperative Sugar Factory Union were also approved for preparing a DPR to start sugar mills.

Moreover, the cabinet approved the creation of 99 posts in the Civil Aviation Department.