The Bihar Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, approved 17 proposals spanning agriculture, healthcare, education, water resources, taxation, recruitment and infrastructure — with the centrepiece being an administrative sanction of ₹3,516.05 crore for the redevelopment of the Vishnupad Temple precinct in Gaya, modelled on the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi.

Vishnupad Temple Redevelopment: The Flagship Decision

The ₹3,516.05 crore project to transform the Vishnupad Temple precinct in Gaya is the single largest allocation approved at the meeting. Conceived on the lines of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi, the project will include a multi-level car park, an elevated pathway, a ramp connecting the Mansarovar-Manpur bridge, dormitory and canteen facilities, ghat development, and construction of Sita Kund. Gaya is one of Hinduism's most significant pilgrimage destinations, drawing hundreds of thousands of devotees — particularly during the Pitru Paksha season — and the redevelopment aims to substantially upgrade pilgrim facilities and crowd management infrastructure.

Healthcare and Medical Education

The Cabinet approved the contractual appointment of Assistant Professors against 366 vacant posts across five government medical colleges under the Health Department, pending completion of regular recruitment. The institutions covered are Government Medical College, Bettiah; Government Medical College, Purnea; Jannayak Karpoori Thakur Medical College, Madhepura; Government Medical College, Chhapra, Saran; and Ram Janaki Medical College, Samastipur.

Similar contractual appointments were also approved for vacant posts of Professor, Associate Professor, Reader, Lecturer and Assistant Professor in government dental colleges and hospitals. Separately, the Cabinet approved the termination of services of Dr Ravi Shankar Prasad, a General Medical Officer at the Additional Primary Health Centre in Bahadurpur, Alauli, Khagaria, over continuous unauthorised absence from duty since 17 November 2021.

Agriculture and Horticulture Allocations

An allocation of ₹89.79 crore was approved for the Central Sector Makhana Development Scheme for the financial year 2026-27, reflecting the state's priority in promoting its signature crop. The Cabinet also sanctioned ₹2.10 crore for the implementation of the centrally sponsored National Mission on Edible Oils–Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) during 2026-27, aimed at promoting oil palm cultivation and reducing India's dependence on edible oil imports. Additionally, ₹78.34 crore was approved for programmes under the centrally sponsored Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture for 2026-27 and 2027-28.

Water Resources and Infrastructure

The Cabinet approved the construction of an intake well 23 kilometres upstream of the Indrapuri Barrage, designed to transfer water from the Sone River to the North Koel Main Canal through a pipeline. Expenditure of ₹1,000 crore by the Water Resources Department was approved, to be drawn in advance from the Bihar Contingency Fund.

Administrative and Policy Reforms

A One-Time Settlement (OTS) scheme was approved to address outstanding dues of brick kiln operators, with the government citing ₹266 crore currently outstanding. The Cabinet also approved the Bihar State Aviation Cadre Recruitment Rules, 2026 and the Bihar District Mineral Foundation Rules, 2026. Two additional posts were approved for the State Information Commission, and six posts — four instructors and two lower-division clerks — were sanctioned for establishing a school at Bihar Animal Sciences University in Patna, with a budget of ₹45,98,832.

With these decisions, the Bihar government signals an intent to accelerate both heritage-linked tourism infrastructure and essential public service delivery ahead of the next electoral cycle.