Bihar Hikes DA To 63% Ahead Of Chhath Puja, Cabinet Clears AI Mission & Schemes For Women

Patna: The Bihar government has approved a hike in dearness allowance (DA) for state employees and dearness relief (DR) for pensioners, raising the rate from 60 percent to 63percent under the Seventh Pay Commission structure.

The decision, taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary ahead of Chhath Puja, will take effect retrospectively from July 1, 2026, according to PTI.

Higher DA Benefits

Employees and pensioners covered under the Sixth Pay Commission will receive an increase from 262percent to 269percent, while those under the Fifth Pay Commission will get 497percent, against the existing 483percent.

The revised rates will benefit serving government employees, pensioners and family pensioners covered under the respective pay structures.

The Cabinet also approved the Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme for regular employees of urban local bodies.

The scheme aims to provide financial advancement to employees who remain in the same position for years without promotion opportunities.

Women-Focused Schemes

The Cabinet cleared the Bihar Ki Beti Startup Challenge Scheme to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation among female students pursuing higher education.

The programme will benefit up to 2,100 students over four financial years, from 2026-27 to 2029-30, with an approved allocation of Rs 88.20 crore.

Another initiative, the Mukhyamantri Balika PhD Fellowship Scheme, seeks to encourage women to pursue advanced education and research.

The four-year programme aims to improve female participation in higher education and expand research opportunities.

AI Mission Approved

The Cabinet approved the Bihar Artificial Intelligence Mission to strengthen the state's technology ecosystem and promote innovation.

Under the initiative, 7,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students will receive advanced AI training over five years.

Singapore-based Global Finance and Technology Network will support the programme alongside the National University of Singapore-Asian Institute of Digital Finance and Lynx Foundation.

A five-month AI certification course will be introduced for participating students.

The government will also establish the Aryabhata Technology Observatory, an AI and quantum-enabled digital testing platform.

The initiative will provide digital infrastructure and technology tools to startups, researchers, entrepreneurs and government officials, while showcasing Bihar's emerging technology ecosystem through international platforms.

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