Bihar Cabinet makes domicile must for availing 35% reservation for women in govt jobs

Nitish Kumar makes big announcement for women reservation in Bihar

Ahead of Bihar elections, the Nitish Kumar cabinet on Tuesday approved 35% reservation for women who are original residents of Bihar in direct recruitment across all levels and categories of state government jobs. This reservation will not apply to women from outside the state..

In July 2016, the Bihar government approved a 35 per cent reservation for women in all government jobs in the state.

The state is set to go for polls in October-November this year.  As per the State Election Commission, the electoral roll of Bihar stood at 7,64,33,329. The number of male voters is 4,00,29,136 and women voters are 3,64,01,903.

“The second important decision related to general administration is that only women native to the state will be allowed 35% horizontal reservation on all posts in direct appointment in all government service cadres of Bihar state," said Bihar Chief Secretary S Siddharth told ANI.

The cabinet also approved 43 schemes and projects, including the formation of the Bihar Youth Commission, 35 per cent reservation for women native to the State and Rs 100 crore diesel subsidy for farmers.

"Today, 43 agendas have been stamped in the Council of Ministers, in which the most important agenda is the formation of the Youth Commission. This commission is related to the youth of 18-45 years, which will have one chairman, two vice-chairmen and seven members," Bihar Chief Secretary S Siddharth told ANI.

"The beneficiary group related to this includes migrants working and studying outside the State, students pursuing higher secondary education, students pursuing degree courses, unemployed youth, economically weak meritorious students and any other group of youth on which the Youth Commission deems worthy of intervention."

Taking into consideration irregular monsoons and drought, a diesel subsidy of Rs 100 crore has been approved for farmers.

"The subsidy will be applicable for paddy, maize, barley, oilseeds and jute crops, and seasonal vegetable and medicinal plants," he said.

Apart from this, the cabinet approved a Divyangjan Civil Seva Protsahan Scheme, under which differently abled people will be given Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh on passing the prelims of UPSC and BPSC exams.

Under the Road Construction Department, the cabinet has given the nod to Hisua bypass. Worth Rs 35.29 crore, it will be about 2.9 km long and is expected to give relief against traffic jam at Hisua Baazaar.

Earlier today, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced the Bihar Youth Commission stating that move is aimed at providing more employment opportunities to the youth.

Sharing a post on X, Nitish Kumar wrote, "I am pleased to inform that with the aim of providing more and more employment opportunities to the youth of Bihar, training them, and making them empowered and capable, the state government has decided to form the Bihar Youth Commission, and today the cabinet has also approved the formation of the Bihar Youth Commission."

He added that the commission will coordinate with government departments to ensure better education and employment for the youth.

"This commission will play a significant role in advising the government on all matters related to improving and uplifting the condition of youth in society. The commission will also coordinate with government departments to ensure better education and employment for the youth," Kumar wrote in the X post.

"The Bihar Youth Commission will consist of one chairperson, two vice-chairpersons, and seven members, with a maximum age limit of 45 years. This commission will monitor that local youth of the state are given priority in private sector employment within the state, while also protecting the interests of youth studying and working outside the state," the X post read.

The Chief Minister stated that the commission will also prepare programmes to tackle the issues of alcohol and other intoxicants.

"Preparing programs to prevent social evils such as alcohol and other intoxicants and making recommendations to the government in such matters will also be its important task. The objective of this visionary initiative of the state government is to make the youth self-reliant, skilled, and employment-oriented through this commission so that their future is secure," Nitish Kumar said.

With inputs from ANI