Bihar News: Nod for ₹316 Cr Dairy Plants, Land for Maa Janki Temple, Journalists’ Pension Hiked

The Bihar cabinet has approved the establishment of five dairy plants, including two milk powder facilities, aimed at improving milk supply and creating local jobs. Additionally, significant funding for tourism development and journalist pensions was sanctioned.

In order to tap the huge dairy potential of the state, the Bihar cabinet on Tuesday approved the setting up of five dairy plants including two milk powder plants at an estimated cost of Rs 316 crore in the state.

Giving nod to Animal and Fish Resources Department’s proposal, the state cabinet approved SIDBI Cluster Development Fund (SCDF) approved loan for setting up a dairy plant each at 2 lakh litre capacity at Darbhanga and Wazirganj (Gaya Ji) while another plant of one lakh litre capacity to be set up at Gopalganj district, Cabinet Secretariat Department’s Additional Chief Secretary S Siddharth told reporters here. The dairy plant at Darbhanga will be set up at a cost of Rs 71.32 crore while other two plants at Gaya Ji and Gopalganj will be set up at cost of Rs 50.27 crore and Rs 54.73 crore respectively. Milk powder plant will be set up at 30 metric tonne each at Dehri-On-Sone (Rohtas) and Sitamarhi district, Siddharth said adding that plant at Rohtas and Sitamarhi will be set up at a cost of Rs 69.66 crore and Rs 70.33 crore respectively.

The decision would not only pave the way for supply of additional quality milk but people would also get it on time besides creating employment opportunities at local level, the ACS said.

In another important decision, the cabinet also gave a revised approval of Rs 165.57 crore for the acquisition of 50 acres of land for tourism related development work and infrastructure facilities at Punauradham temple, believed to be the birthplace of Goddess Sita, in Sitamarhi district, he said adding that earlier Rs 120.58 crore was sanctioned for the purpose. Notably, the cabinet had on July 1 sanctioned Rs 882.87 crore for the integrated development of Maa Janki’s grand temple at Punaura Dham. It will be developed on the lines of grand Ram temple at Ayodhya. The government has already constituted a nine member "trust" christened as "Shree Janki Janm Bhumi Punaura Dham Mandir Nyas Samiti.

CM Nitish Kumar, who unveiled the final design of the temple on June 22 last, on Saturday last inspected the Janki Mandir at Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi district. Giving necessary directions to the officials, Kumar said that "the old structure of the Maa Janki temple will be preserved as it is."

The cabinet also hiked the monthly pension and family pension for journalists who will now get a monthly pension of Rs 15,000 against the existing Rs 6,000 and monthly family pension of Rs 10,000 against the existing Rs 3,000, Siddharth said adding that the cabinet approved the section 4(1) and 5 of Bihar Patrakar Samman Pension Yojana Niyamawali 2019. Journalist’s spouse would get the monthly pension and family pension only if he/she is neither working in any media organisation nor in the government. The government has taken a decision to give monthly pension to journalists to help them financially so that they can lead an honourable life.

NOD FOR SAFAI KARMCHARI AAYOG

It also approved Urban Development and Housing Department’s proposal for constituting "Bihar Rajya Safai Karmchari Aayog" for the overall development and protection of the rights of sanitation workers across the state, the ACS said. The Commission will be headed by a chairman, a vice chairman and five members including one woman/transgender. Its main job will be to bring sanitation workers into the mainstream besides ensuring their economic and social development, welfare, rehabilitation, redressal of their grievances and protecting their rights.

FUND ALLOCATION FOR REPAIRING SCHOOLS

It also sanctioned Rs 270 crore for renovation and repairing of 67,500 classrooms and electrification work in primary schools whereas Rs 276 crore has been sanctioned for carrying out renovation work in secondary/higher secondary schools, ACS said and added that the work would start in the current financial and will be completed by the end of 2026-27.

The cabinet took altogether 41 decisions during the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.