Patna, Sep 23 The Bihar Cabinet on Wednesday approved one-time special remission for eligible convicted prisoners, allowing their release on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti on October 2, officials said.
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.
According to the Law Department proposal approved by the Cabinet, the remission will be granted under Rule 430 of the Bihar Jail Manual, 2012, read with provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
“Prisoners belonging to identified categories will be considered for release subject to the prescribed eligibility and ineligibility criteria,” the proposal said.
Officials said the government may remit the whole or part of a sentence under relevant provisions of law on October 2.
The authorities will now finalise the list of convicted prisoners eligible for the one-time special remission, they said.
The Cabinet also approved a Higher Education Department proposal for establishing Mata Sita Mahila University in Patna.
“Using the powers conferred under Section 3, sub-section (1) of the Bihar Special Universities Act, 2026, administrative approval may be granted for expenditure of Rs 15 crore towards the salaries, etc. of officers/employees pertaining to the establishment of Mata Sita Mahila University in Patna,” said the approved proposal.
“Its territorial jurisdiction will extend to all constituent and affiliated women’s colleges situated in Patna district, excluding the colleges of Patna University,” it said.
Similarly, the Cabinet approved the establishment of Ramdhari Singh Dinkar University in Begusarai.
Reacting to this, Choudhary wrote on X, “On the birth anniversary of national poet Ramdhari Singh ‘Dinkar’ Ji, the Council of Ministers has approved the establishment of Ramdhari Singh Dinkar University. In establishing the university, administrative approval of Rs 15 crore was also given for the salaries and other expenses of the officials and employees”.
The Cabinet also approved the purchase of 50 drones at an estimated cost of Rs 24.50 crore under the Assistance Scheme for Modernisation of Police (ASUMP) for states and Union territories, sponsored by the Centre.
The drones will be used for crowd control and management, riverine and anti-Naxal operations, disaster management and other purposes, officials said.
Under the Chief Minister’s Cattle Development Loan Scheme, the Cabinet approved a 100 per cent interest subsidy on bank loans for livestock farmers, who will have to repay only the principal amount.
Loan instalments will be automatically deducted from milk sales, with COMFED acting as guarantor. The scheme aims to boost milk production through three improved cows or two buffaloes, create rural jobs and directly benefit at least 50 per cent women livestock farmers.
The Cabinet granted administrative approval for an estimated expenditure of Rs 160 crore for the scheme for three years, from 2026-27 to 2028-29, according to the department’s proposal.
(PTI News)
