The Bihar Cabinet on Wednesday, 2 September approved 27 agenda items at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, including a five-year extension of the Bihar Student Credit Card Scheme through 2030-31, along with decisions spanning urban development, heritage conservation, and welfare measures. The meeting, held in Patna, marked one of the broader single-session policy clearances of the current state administration.

Student Credit Card Scheme Extended

In a significant move for higher education access, the Cabinet extended the Bihar Student Credit Card Scheme from its earlier deadline of 2026-27 to 2030-31 — a five-year continuation. Under the scheme, eligible students can avail education loans of up to ₹4 lakh through the Bihar State Education Finance Corporation. The extension signals the state government's continued commitment to bridging the higher-education financing gap, particularly for students from economically weaker sections.

Urban Development and Heritage Conservation

The Cabinet sanctioned ₹40 crore under the non-salary head for the upkeep of the Bihar Museum and Patna Museum during the 2026-27 financial year. A separate allocation of ₹39.80 crore was approved for widening Nehru Path in Patna, covering the stretch from Dak Bungalow Crossing to Rukunpur. The tenure of the Mukhyamantri Samagra Shahari Vikas Yojana (Chief Minister's Comprehensive Urban Development Scheme) was also extended from 2026-27 to 2030-31, with the aim of strengthening infrastructure in urban areas across the state.

New Posts, Appointments and Administrative Changes

On the administrative front, the Cabinet approved the creation of 14 posts for the Extremely Backward Class (EBC) category in the Home Department, along with 16 Office Attendant posts at the headquarters of the General Administration Department in Patna. The state government also approved the contractual appointment of Poonam Sinha, currently serving as Director-cum-In-Charge Secretary of the Bihar Legislative Assembly Secretariat, as Director for a period of one year after retirement, effective 1 September. Changes were also cleared for the post of Director (Finance and Accounts) at the Bihar Heritage Development Society in Patna, broadening eligibility to serving or retired officers from the Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Bihar Finance Service, or Bihar Financial Administration Service. The Cabinet additionally approved the salary, allowances, and service conditions of Professor Anil Kumar, Executive Director of the Bihar Heritage Development Society.

Commemorations and Welfare Decisions

The Cabinet decided that the martyrdom day of Ramphal Mandal, a freedom fighter of the Quit India Movement, will be observed annually as a state-level function in Sitamarhi district on 23 August. The birth anniversary of Pandit Rajkumar Shukla, a key figure associated with the Champaran Satyagraha, will similarly be commemorated as a state-level function in West Champaran district on the same date each year. These decisions reflect an effort to institutionalise recognition of Bihar's freedom struggle heritage.

Goat Rearing Federation Under Saat Nischay-3

Under the Saat Nischay-3 (Seven Resolves-3) programme, the Cabinet approved the establishment of the Bihar State Goat Rearing Cooperative Federation Limited and sanctioned an expenditure of ₹14.795 crore for the federation covering the period from 2026-27 to 2028-29. The move is intended to boost rural livelihoods and formalise the goat rearing sector under a cooperative structure. With multiple scheme extensions running to 2030-31, the Cabinet's decisions collectively set the policy direction for Bihar's next phase of development spending.