Patna: The Bihar Cabinet meeting chaired by Samrat Choudhary on Wednesday cleared 27 major agenda items, covering wide-ranging reforms in land administration, healthcare, education, infrastructure, irrigation, and governance.
The decisions aim to accelerate development, improve transparency in land records, strengthen public health systems, and boost infrastructure across the state.
Major Overview of the Cabinet Decisions
The meeting approved key policy changes and financial allocations, including:
- Reform of land survey and settlement rules
- Cashless healthcare for government officials and pensioners
- New rules for small and medium hospitals
- Expansion of medical education staffing
- Major infrastructure investments in highways and irrigation
- Formation of new departments and creation of multiple posts
- Administrative approvals for transport, mining, and public services
Land Survey Reform: Faster and More Transparent Records
The cabinet approved the Bihar Special Survey and Settlement (Amendment) Rules 2026, modifying the earlier 2012 rules.
Key objectives include:
- Making ongoing land survey and settlement work more transparent, accurate, and faster
- Preparing updated khatiyan (land records) and geo-maps for rural and urban land
- Removing outdated provisions and adding new legal frameworks
- Clearly defining technical terms used in land survey operations to avoid confusion
The reform is aimed at improving reliability of land records across Bihar.
Cashless Healthcare for Government Employees and Officials
A major relief decision was taken for:
- Current and former members of the Bihar Legislative Assembly
- All India Services officers
- Government employees
- Pensioners and their dependents
They will now receive cashless treatment under the Bihar Government Health Scheme for inpatient care, reducing financial burden during hospitalization.
Strengthening Medical Education in Bihar
To address shortages in medical teaching staff, the cabinet approved:
- Senior Resident and Tutor recruitment rules
- Bihar Medical Education Service Recruitment, Appointment & Promotion (2nd Amendment) Rules 2026
This aims to:
- Fill vacancies in government medical colleges
- Improve quality of medical education
- Strengthen teaching and academic systems
Additionally, 39 new posts were sanctioned for establishing an independent Spine Sub-Specialty Unit at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH).
New Rules for Small and Medium Hospitals (1–40 Beds)
The cabinet approved the Bihar Small and Medium Healthcare Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Rules 2026.
Key highlights:
- Applicable to hospitals, clinics, dispensaries, and diagnostic centres with 1–40 beds
- Earlier, regulations applied mainly to hospitals with more than 40 beds
- Creation of state and district-level registration authorities
- Penalty provisions for rule violations
This move aims to regulate private healthcare more effectively.
Major Infrastructure Push: Highways, Irrigation & Flood Protection
Highways Development
- Approval of 5 state highway projects worth ₹3,744 crore
Irrigation Projects
- ₹606 crore approved for modernization of Western Kosi Irrigation Scheme
- Covers modernization and restoration of 36 km canal system
- ₹218 crore approved for restoration of Jhanjharpur branch canal
Flood Protection Project
- World Bank-supported Bihar Water Security and Irrigation Modernization Project approved
- Total allocation: ₹102.98 crore (out of ₹258 crore total project cost)
- Benefit: Flood protection for 21,300 hectares in Madhubani and Supaul districts
Administrative and Governance Reforms
New Department Formation
A new Youth Employment and Skill Development Department has been created. Changes include:
- Replacement of Labour Resources Department in certain agencies
- Focus on employment generation, training, and self-employment support
New Posts Sanctioned
- 57 posts created under special employment directorate
- 55 posts created for Youth and Student Welfare Directorate
These aim to improve skill development and job opportunities for youth, including special programs for persons with disabilities.
Mining and Land Administration Changes
- Bihar State Mining Corporation Limited declared as the agency for sand ghat settlement
- Transfer of 21 acres of land in Begusarai to Home Department for construction of a jail
Judiciary and Transport Approvals
- Approval for purchase of 10 new vehicles for judges of Patna High Court
- Total cost: ₹3.70 crore
- Extension of contractual service for a Senior Police Superintendent (Traffic) until May 31, 2026 for one year
Agriculture and Rural Infrastructure
- Approval of proposals under Minor Water Resources Department
- Transfer of all government tube wells to panchayats for operation and maintenance by the department
Other Key Decisions
- Bihar Special Survey Amendment Rules 2026 officially approved (₹3.70 crore allocation mentioned in related administrative approval context)
- Changes in Bihar vocational training councils and overseas employment bureau governance structure
- Approval of geological cadre recruitment rules in Minor Water Resources Department
- Continued reforms to improve employment, training, and skill development ecosystem
Previous Cabinet Meeting Highlights
In the earlier cabinet meeting, 13 agenda items were approved, including:
- Launch of direct IndiGo flights from Gaya International Airport to Bangkok
- Selection approval for airline operations to boost international tourism
The Bihar Cabinet’s approval of 27 major proposals reflects a strong push toward governance reforms, infrastructure expansion, healthcare modernization, and employment generation. The decisions collectively aim to accelerate Bihar’s development trajectory while improving public service delivery and administrative efficiency.
