Patna: In a major push for employment generation and industrial revival, the state cabinet on Wednesday approved recruitment to 22,891 vacant Anganwadi posts and setting up of two cooperative sugar mills in Darbhanga and Madhubani, besides clearing 24 proposals related to infrastructure, agriculture, education, water supply and the judiciary.The state cabinet, chaired by chief minister Samrat Choudhary, on Wednesday approved 24 proposals, including recruitment to 22,891 vacant Sevika and Sahayika posts in Anganwadi centres, establishment of two cooperative sugar mills at Raiyam (Darbhanga) and Sakri (Madhubani), separate sports and cooperative policies, and a series of infrastructure, agriculture, education and judicial initiatives.Cabinet secretariat department additional chief secretary Arvind Kumar Choudhary said the Anganwadi vacancies comprise 8,141 Sevika and 16,750 Sahayika posts.The two sugar mills will be set up on the premises of closed mills and operated by Indian Potash Limited (IPL). Besides sugar, the units will manufacture cane-based byproducts and are expected to generate employment and boost local economies.Among the major infrastructure approvals, the cabinet cleared Rs 57.33 crore for a B+G+5 multi-purpose building on the Patna high court campus and approved the creation of 22 district and additional sessions judge (DASJ) posts in special courts to speed up disposal of corruption-related cases. The posts include one each in 19 districts—West Champaran, Madhubani, Bhojpur, Siwan, Araria, Supaul, Khagaria, Jehanabad, Buxar, Jamui, Kaimur, Katihar, Sitamarhi, Munger, Madhepura, Banka, Sheikhpura, Aurangabad and Lakhisarai—besides two for Patna and one for Muzaffarpur.For technical education, Rs 60.49 crore each was earmarked for 38 state engineering colleges and 46 polytechnic institutes to procure machinery, equipment, computers and accessories.The cabinet also approved separate policies for the sports and cooperative sectors. Choudhary said the sports policy provides a framework for appointments of sportspersons of international, national and state eminence, while the cooperative policy seeks to expand activities in both traditional and non-traditional sectors.To strengthen vegetable production, processing and marketing, Rs 106.39 crore was sanctioned for panchayat-level storage centres, block-level infrastructure, working capital support for growers’ groups and procurement of specialised vehicles.Other decisions included extending the paperless property registration facility at home to senior citizens aged 75 years and above, bringing the state forensic science laboratory and its handwriting wing under the home department, and transferring one acre of land in Dhakanpura, Patna, to the Union home ministry for construction of an NIA office against payment of Rs 57.37 crore.In the urban development sector, Rs 53.71 crore was approved for the Kishanganj water supply project and Rs 150.96 crore for the Lakhisarai water supply project.The cabinet further cleared Rs 93.82 crore for construction of an RCC bridge on the Khaira-Soni road at the 72-km point in Jamui district and Rs 55.96 crore for another RCC bridge over the Suknar river on the same road.
