PATNA: The state cabinet, led by CM Samrat Choudhary, approved a proposal on Wednesday to acquire land for 11 planned greenfield satellite townships, which will be leased or sold to investors for state-approved projects.
The prohibition on land transactions in the designated satellite township areas has been lifted. Landowners can now sell their land to the government due to family emergencies or significant expenses like weddings. The cabinet has empowered administrative officials to facilitate these acquisitions.
A total of 29 agenda items were ratified during the cabinet meeting. Notably, amendments to the Bihar Outstanding Sportspersons Direct Recruitment Rules will allow for higher-grade job opportunities for athletes excelling in national and international competitions.
The cabinet also approved a proposal to cover either 50% of travel expenses or provide ₹20,000 per pilgrim for participants of the ‘Sindhu Darshan’ pilgrimage in Ladakh under the financial assistance grant scheme for 2026.
Key decisions included establishing a CISF center in Dobhi, Gaya district, introducing state-owned helicopters under the Bihar Heli-Tourism and Air Tourism Service Scheme, aimed at easing travel between tourist spots such as Rajgir, Valmikinagar, and the Maa Mundeshwari temple. Additionally, the cabinet endorsed developing the ‘Buddha Samyak Darshan Museum-cum-Memorial Stupa’ into an international tourist destination and the creation of an OSD post at Patna High Court, along with amendments to the Bihar Higher Judicial Service Rules for 2026.
Land will be acquired in the Chand and Chainpur blocks of Kaimur district for the central government’s proposed Varanasi-Ranchi-Kolkata Expressway, with a budget allocation of ₹230 crore.
A study on sand availability in five rivers—Sone, Kiul, Falgu, Morhar, and Chanan—has been approved with a budget of ₹2.32 crore, to be conducted by the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute.
An Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) will be introduced via PPP to enhance traffic management and reduce accidents, with a budget of ₹622 crore for installation across 500 locations in the state.
The cabinet also extended the tenure of Rajiv Kumar, the director of the Bihar Legislative Assembly Secretariat, for another year after his current term ends on June 30.
