Bihar govt approves Rs 769 cr for diesel subsidy

The Bihar government today approved Rs 769.06 crore as diesel subsidy for irrigation to meet the challenge of erratic monsoon in the current financial year.
A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of state Cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi here.
The meeting also gave clearance to Rs 16.18 crore for weather based crop insurance on this count during the period 2014-15, Principal Secretary Cabinet Coordination Brajesh Mehrotra told reporters here.
The state is facing monsoon deficit in the current fiscal which stares at loss of agricultural productivity.
In other major decisions, the Bihar cabinet gave green signal to a proposal of Rs 26.06 crore for installation of electronic traffic signal lights in the state capital Patna to get rid of traffic chaos.

Such sophisticated electronic traffic signal lights would be installed at 97 important roads crossings in the capital town, Mehrotra said.
The meeting approved proposal to dismiss five government officials on the charge of taking bribe. Besides, the five, pension of a retired official would be stopped on this count, he added.
The Cabinet cleared 35 proposals brought before it for considerations.