Great News for Farmers! Govt Hikes Diesel Subsidy to Rs 75/liter for Kharif Crops

Due to the lack of rain in many areas of the state before the sowing of the paddy crop, the Bihar cabinet on Friday decided to increase the diesel subsidy from the previously approved Rs 60 to Rs 75/liter for irrigation of crops this Kharif season, according to the additional chief secretary (cabinet) S Sidharth.

This was among 23 proposals discussed and approved at the cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Nitish Kumar.

According to Sidharth, for each irrigation season, the farmers would receive a subsidy of Rs 750 for 10 acres of land. The farmers will receive up to Rs. 1500 this season for double irrigation of paddy and jute. They will receive three times the subsidy for irrigation of specific crops, for which a budgetary provision of Rs 29.95 crore was allocated this fiscal year.

A total of 1,208 new positions were also approved for creation by the cabinet, including those in the departments of traffic, cybercrime, police, Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (Buidco), excise, prohibition and registration, and disaster management.

In the cities of Gaya, Rohtas, Muzaffarpur, West Champaran, Saran, Saharsa, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, and Purnia, the position of rural SP (superintendent of police) has been created. However, state police officers will be assigned to these posts.

There have been up to 181 new police department posts created. The traffic and cybercrime wings will be under the direction of the newly formed posts of the deputy inspector general (DIG). This will be manned by the Indian Police Service (IPS) officers.

In addition, the cabinet approved the establishment of sub-registrar offices in 11 towns spread across various districts, including Patna, Buxar, West Champaran, Samastipur, Katihar, Vaishali, and Purnia.

The request by the home (prisons) department to release some prisoners on August 15 under specific conditions was also approved by the cabinet.