Bihar Cabinet Clears 4,799 Govt Posts, Slashes ATF VAT Ahead of Assembly Elections
By AMIT KUMAR
PATNA, June 3, 2025 – In a major pre-poll push, the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government on Tuesday approved the creation of 4,799 posts across various departments in a Cabinet meeting that saw 47 significant decisions, reflecting a development-oriented pitch ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.
The highest number of posts—2,361—will be created in the Education Department, followed by 1,350 in the Urban Development and Housing Department. The move aims to bolster administrative capacity and improve public service delivery across sectors.
Additional Chief Secretary S Siddharth, briefing the media post-meeting, said the Cabinet cleared the Education Department’s proposal to create 1,503 posts under the Bihar Education Administrative Cadre Rules 2025. These include 568 Education Development Officers and 935 Assistant Education Development Officers, tasked with micro-monitoring schools at block and panchayat levels across the state.
“This move is aimed at ensuring quality education by introducing a structured monitoring mechanism across Bihar’s 8053 panchayats and 534 blocks,” Siddharth said.
The Cabinet also sanctioned 818 posts for the Bihar State Educational Infrastructure Development Corporation and created additional administrative positions in estate management and other support roles.
A notable decision came in the form of tax relief for the aviation sector, with the Cabinet slashing Value Added Tax (VAT) on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) from 29% to 4%. Officials said the move is expected to increase aircraft refueling at Patna and enhance air connectivity, bringing Bihar in line with neighbouring states.
Furthering its pro-welfare stance, the Cabinet approved the creation of 653 posts for the Bihar State Jeevika Fund Credit Cooperative Federation and 390 posts under the Women and Child Development Corporation. These include protection officers at multiple levels to enforce the Domestic Violence Act more effectively.
In a bid to strengthen infrastructure, 28 new posts were approved for the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), and 15 for the General Administration Department. Urban governance received a boost with the decision to expand the municipal limits of Phulwarisharif, Danapur Nizamat, and Khagaul, facilitating better urban services.
In a people-centric move, the Cabinet approved a plan to distribute two sets of uniforms annually to children aged 3-6 at Anganwadi Kendras, replacing the current system of crediting Rs 400 to parents’ bank accounts. The uniforms will be prepared by Jeevika, Bihar, with a provision for a 5% annual cost escalation.
Infrastructure saw a major focus, with approvals including:
- Temporary lease of 5 acres of land in Patna to the Inland Waterways Authority of India for a dry dock project.
- Allocation of 25 acres in Banka district for a new government medical college and hospital.
- Rs 37.83 crore for upgrading the Sujata Bypass in Gaya.
- Construction of two 560-bed minority residential schools in Buxar and Rohtas.
- Rs 5 crore for an upcoming Artificial Intelligence Centre in collaboration with Hyderabad-based institutions.
- Rs 38.47 crore for the five-year upkeep of the Kanwariya Path in Banka district.
The Cabinet also approved new rules—Bihar State Bridge Management and Monitoring Rules 2025—for systematic maintenance of the state’s bridge infrastructure.
The slew of announcements comes as the state heads toward the Assembly elections, and is being seen as a broad-spectrum bid by the Nitish Kumar government to address employment, infrastructure, women and child welfare, and urban development simultaneously.
Follow The Raisina Hills on WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn
