Bihar CM Nitish Kumar announces 11% DA hike for govt employees, pensioners

India has so far reported approximately cases of 8,848 mucormycosis or black fungus.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced an 11 percent hike of dearness allowance for state government employees and pensioners with effect from July 1.

Addressing a gathering after hoisting the Tricolour at the Gandhi Maidan here on the occasion of the 75th Independence Day, Kumar made the announcement of raising the DA from 17 percent to 28 percent.

“The finance department will soon issue a notification for the increase in dearness allowance for state government employees and pensioners," Kumar said after hoisting the Tricolour at the Gandhi Maidan here.

The chief minister also said the state government’s incentive scheme for other backward classes (OBC) and economically backward classes (EBC) for examinations of Bihar Public Service Commission and Union Public Service Commission would now be extended to girls of all sections of the society.

Under this scheme, the government provides Rs 50,000 to a candidate who clears preliminary exams of BPSC and Rs one lakh to an aspirant who passes UPSC prelims. Kumar claimed that the state has progressed in all sectors, including education, health, agriculture, tourism, industry and social justice.

Stressing on the need for an efficient and effective leadership to ensure the quality of education in the state, Kumar said the annual income slab of Rs 2.5 lakh for students'' families belonging to SC,ST, OBC and EBC categories to avail the Centre’s post-matric scholarship will be increased to Rs 3 lakh.

“There will be a principal teacher cadre for schools. Principal teachers will now be appointed through competitive examinations," he said. Kumar announced that three colleges will be opened under the Bihar Agriculture University. Emphasising on the agriculture and allied sectors, he said, “There would be storage facilities for fish, fruits and vegetables at Rs 2,700 crore."

All villages in the state would be covered under milk cooperative societies in the coming four years, and 40 percent of these committees will have women as members. Speaking on the current flood situation in the state, the CM said the government is making all efforts to help the affected people.

“Instructions have been given to the authorities concerned to make preparations for handling the situation. More than 34 lakh people have been affected by the deluge in 32 districts in the state. The government is providing aid to them," he added.