Latest news with #MukhyaMantriPratigyaYojana
The Hindu
01-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Bihar Cabinet clears internship, artist pension schemes; sanctions ₹882 crore for Punaura Dham
In a key decision aimed at enhancing youth employability and cultural preservation, the Bihar Cabinet on Tuesday (July 1, 2025) approved the Mukhya Mantri Pratigya Yojana, under which financial assistance will be extended to young individuals undertaking internships in various companies. The decision was taken at a meeting of the State Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The State is bound to go for Assembly elections sometime later this year. Under the scheme, youth aged between 18 and 28 who have completed training under skill development programmes, or hold qualifications such as Class 12, ITI, diploma, graduate, or postgraduate degrees, will be eligible for financial assistance during the course of their internships. Cabinet Secretariat Department's Additional Chief Secretary S. Siddharth said at a post-Cabinet briefing that youth with Class 12 qualifications would receive ₹4,000 per month, while those with ITI or diploma qualifications would be entitled to ₹5,000 per month. Graduates and postgraduates will receive ₹6,000 per month. Additionally, those pursuing internships outside their home districts will receive an extra ₹2,000 per month, while those interning outside Bihar will receive ₹5,000 per month as livelihood assistance. This additional support will be limited to a maximum of three months. The financial support will be credited directly into the beneficiaries' bank accounts. A task force committee, headed by the Development Commissioner and including members from industry bodies such as CII and FICCI, has been formed to oversee implementation. Mr. Siddharth added that 5,000 beneficiaries would be supported in the financial year 2025–26, while the scheme aims to benefit one lakh youth over the next five years starting from 2026–27. Pension scheme for artists In another major decision, the Cabinet approved the Mukhya Mantri Kalakar Pension Yojana under which artists engaged in classical, visual, or performing arts for at least 10 years will be given a monthly pension of ₹3,000. Mr. Siddharth said the scheme seeks to preserve Bihar's rich cultural heritage by providing support to eligible artists aged 50 years or older, with an annual income not exceeding ₹1.2 lakh. An initial outlay of ₹1 crore has been sanctioned for the current fiscal year. ₹882 crore for Punaura Dham The Cabinet also cleared ₹882.87 crore for the integrated development of the Maa Janaki temple at Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi district, believed to be the birthplace of Goddess Sita. The temple complex is to be developed on the lines of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Of the total sanctioned amount, ₹137 crore will be utilised for developing the old temple and premises, ₹728 crore for tourism-related infrastructure, and ₹16 crore for a decade-long maintenance plan. The Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation will implement the project. Employment rules amended The Cabinet also approved a proposal by the Labour Resources Department to amend the Bihar Factory Rules, 1950, allowing women — excluding pregnant and lactating women — to work in factories classified as hazardous. Mr. Siddharth said the move would help expand employment opportunities for women in the industrial sector. A total of 24 agendas were passed in the cabinet on Tuesday.
Indian Express
01-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Ahead of polls, Bihar Cabinet nod for internship scheme with stipend, development of temple at Sita's birthplace
Ahead of the coming Assembly elections, the NDA government in Bihar on Tuesday approved proposals for direct cash support to youths and artists, major outlays for religious and rural development, and reforms across the health, agriculture and infrastructure sectors. In a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the 'Mukhya Mantri Pratigya Yojana' was given approval. It is an internship scheme promising a monthly stipend to those in the 18-28 age group, who have completed skill development training or possess educational qualifications ranging from class 12 to postgraduate degrees. Under the scheme, candidates who have passed class 12 will receive Rs 4,000 per month, those who have gone to Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) or diploma holders will get Rs 5,000, and graduates and postgraduates will receive Rs 6,000. Those interning outside their home district will be entitled to an additional Rs 2,000 per month, while those working outside Bihar will get an extra Rs 5,000. Aimed at 5,000 youths this year and one lakh over five years, the scheme will have an outlay of Rs 685.76 crore, with the financial support to be paid directly into the beneficiaries' bank accounts. The internships will range from three to 12 months, with the additional livelihood support capped at three months. The Cabinet also gave the green light to a Rs 882.87-crore plan for the comprehensive development of Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi, believed to be the birthplace of Sita, aiming to transform it into a major religious tourism hub. Meanwhile, over 40 acres of land was handed over to the tourism department for the development of Simaria ghat in Begusarai. The Cabinet also rolled out the 'Mukhya Mantri Kalakar Pension Yojana', offering a monthly pension of Rs 3,000 to artists aged 50 and above who have a decade of experience in traditional, classical, visual, or performing arts, provided their annual income does not exceed Rs 1.2 lakh. Another scheme, called the 'Mukhya Mantri Guru-Shishya Parampara Yojana', aims to preserve and promote rare and endangered art forms with a two-year training programme. Backed by a Rs 1.11 crore allotment for the current year, it will offer incentives of Rs 15,000 to gurus, Rs 7,500 to musicians, and Rs 3,000 to pupils. The health sector saw several key decisions, including the extension of the 'Mukhya Mantri Chikitsa Sahayta Kosh' — financial aid for medical treatments — to cover elected representatives of Panchayati Raj institutions and Gram Kutchery. Further, 20.60 acres of land was transferred to the Health Department for the construction of a government medical college and hospital at Rampur Kodarkatti in Araria district. Judicial reforms were also on the agenda, with the Cabinet approving the 'Retired Chief Justices and Judges Domestic Help(s) Rule and Other Benefits Rules, 2025'. Retired High Court judges or their spouses will receive Rs 55,000 per month for domestic help or drivers, while retired Chief Justices or those elevated to the Supreme Court will receive Rs 60,000. An additional Rs 15,000 per month will be provided for telephone, internet, secretarial, and security services. On the agricultural front, the Cabinet sanctioned Rs 36.35 crore for the National Mission on Natural Farming for 2025-26, Rs 80.99 crore for agricultural extension under the Fourth Agriculture Road Map, Rs 30.49 crore for the establishment and strengthening of soil health and fertiliser quality labs, and Rs 41.02 crore for agricultural training and outreach. Infrastructure development was bolstered with the approval of Rs 37.07 crore for a 12.8-km road and two major bridges in Motihari under the Sulabh Samparkta Yojana, and Rs 32.48 crore for the integrated management of Gokul Reservoir in Bhojpur, a centrally sponsored scheme with a 60:40 funding split up to 2028-29.
