Patna, July 8 (IANS) In a significant move towards women’s empowerment, the Bihar government on Tuesday approved 35 per cent reservation exclusively for native women candidates in all categories of direct recruitment across all levels of government services in the state.

The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, which lasted for about an hour and cleared a total of 43 important proposals.

Under the approved proposal, only women who are natives of Bihar will be eligible for the 35 per cent reservation in government jobs.

Women from other states will not be entitled to this reservation in the state government services.

The government clarified that this decision aims to provide greater opportunities and representation to native women in government jobs, further strengthening the state’s commitment to women’s empowerment and inclusive governance.

The move is being seen as a major pre-election initiative by the Nitish Kumar government to enhance women’s participation in the state’s administrative structure while ensuring that the benefits of reservation directly reach women belonging to Bihar.

The Nitish Kumar-led government has also approved the formation of the Bihar Youth Commission, aiming to provide maximum employment opportunities and skill development for the state’s youth.

The approval of women’s reservation and the youth commission can be considered a masterstroke of the Nitish Kumar government ahead of the Bihar Assembly election, as both the NDA and the Grand Alliance are trying to impress these two communities.

With women’s reservation and youth commissions being the major decisions, the Nitish Kumar cabinet has approved a total of 43 proposals. Among them, a maximum of 14 proposals are in the road construction department.

Apart from that six proposals are in the agriculture departments, four in the finance department, three in the revenue and land reforms department, two each in law, health, SC & ST and General Administration, and one each in food and consumer affairs, cabinet secretariat, environment, forest and climate change, education, energy, rural development, rural work, Panchayati Raj, social welfare and animal husbandry and fisheries ministry.

–IANS

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