Patna, Oct 3 (IANS) Ahead of Diwali and Chhath, the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government on Friday approved 129 proposals during a cabinet meeting held in Patna.

During the meeting, a major relief measure was taken for state employees and pensioners by hiking their dearness allowance (DA) by 3 per cent.

With this decision, DA has been raised from 55 per cent to 58 per cent, effective from July 1, 2025. The move, seen as a festive-season gift ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, will benefit lakhs of government employees, pensioners, and family pensioners.

Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, briefing on the cabinet decision, said, “The state government has approved increasing the dearness allowance from 55 per cent to 58 per cent in line with the Central Government’s decision. This shows our commitment to ensuring that the livelihoods of employees and pensioners are not affected by inflation.”

The hike will put an additional burden of Rs 917.78 crore on the state exchequer in the financial year 2025-26.

Political observers view this announcement as a strategic move by the ruling NDA to consolidate the support of nearly half a million state employees and lakhs of pensioners ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections.

Besides DA, the Bihar government hiked the scholarships for school students.

Nitish Kumar’s cabinet doubled the assistance provided under the Chief Minister’s Boys and Girls Scholarship Scheme, benefitting crores of schoolchildren across the state.

Students in classes 1-4 will now receive Rs 1,200 annually (up from Rs 600), those in classes 5-6 will get Rs 2,400 (up from Rs 1,200), while students in classes 7-10 will receive Rs 3,600 (up from Rs 1,800).

Officials said the move will provide relief to poor and underprivileged students in primary, middle, and secondary schools, and encourage them to continue their education.

With Assembly elections approaching, both measures are seen as strategic populist steps aimed at consolidating the support of state employees and students’ families.

The approval of 129 proposals across departments underscores the government’s bid to push development and welfare initiatives before the elections.

–IANS

ajk/uk