Bihar Government Increases DA by 3% for Employees and Pensioners Ahead of Chhath Festival

Patna, November 10 (Daily Kiran) : The Bihar government, led by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, has announced a significant increase in the dearness allowance (DA) for state employees and pensioners just ahead of the Chhath festival. During a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the government approved a 3% hike in DA, effective from July 1, 2026. This adjustment will also apply to arrears from previous months.

Under the new provisions, employees receiving salaries under the seventh central pay commission will see their DA rise from 60% to 63%. For those under the sixth pay commission, the DA will increase from 262% to 269%, and for fifth pay commission employees, it will go from 483% to 497%. This decision is expected to provide financial relief to millions of employees and pensioners across the state.

The cabinet meeting also approved a total of 31 proposals from various departments, including education, employment, infrastructure, health, disaster management, and technology. Notably, a new initiative called the “Bihar Ki Beti Startup Challenge Scheme” was launched to encourage female students. This program aims to benefit up to 2,100 girls and will be implemented over four years, costing approximately ₹88.20 crores.

Additionally, the Chief Minister’s Girl’s PhD Fellowship Scheme was approved to enhance female participation in higher education and research, with an estimated expenditure of ₹126 crores. To foster innovation and skills development in artificial intelligence, the Aryabhata Drishti project will be implemented in collaboration with Singapore’s Global Finance and Technology Network, with an administrative approval of ₹190.32 crores.

To promote employment and technical training, new CIIIT centers will be established in five districts—Rohtas, Munger, Patna, Purnia, and Madhubani—through Tata Technologies Limited, with an investment of ₹1,174.81 crores. Furthermore, ₹254.57 crores were approved for flood control and drainage work in the Mokama Tal area, and the revised cost for the Bakhtiyarpur-Tajpur Ganga bridge project was set at ₹4,572.53 crores.

The cabinet also approved the Bihar Building Regulations, 2026, and the Bihar Inland Vessel Rules, 2026. Additionally, plans were made to install 159 prison calling kiosks in the state’s 59 jails, with an estimated cost of ₹8.85 crores over five years.