Patna: With a view to increase the air connectivity on international routes, the Bihar cabinet on Tuesday gave its nod for giving “Viability Gap Funding” (VGF) to provide financial support to airlines to promote international flight operations from Patna and Gaya international airports.
With this decision, international flight will be promoted between Patna and Nepal’s capital Kathmandu from Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport, Patna while flight operations will be increased from Gaya International Airport, Gaya for Sharjah, Bangkok, Singapore and Colombo, Cabinet Secretariat Department’s Additional Chief Secretary S Siddharth told reporters here in a post cabinet briefing here.
As per the decision, a maximum of Rs 5 lakh will be given as VGF for a round trip of Patna-Kathmandu international flight whereas a maximum of Rs 10 lakh each will be given as VGF for a round trip between Gaya-Sharjah, Gaya-Bangkok, Gaya-Singapore and Gaya-Colombo, Siddharth said adding that flights with a minimum capacity of flying with 150 passengers will be allowed on these routes only.
VGF is being given to airlines operators to make their operations viable, ACS said adding that the government has requested all the airlines to start international flight operations on these international air routes from Bihar.
It will be a direct flight between the two cities as mentioned above, he said and added that the government has reduced ATF to just one per cent to make the operations more viable for flight operations.
The better international air connectivity will promote tourism in Bihar as foreign tourists will be visiting the state quite frequently and smoothly.
HONORARIUM HIKED FOR KISAN SALAHKAR
In yet another important decision, the cabinet approved agriculture department’s proposal to increase the honorarium for “Kisan Salahkar” (Farmer Advisor) from Rs 13,000 to Rs 21,000 per month, ACS said and added that Rs 67.87 crore was sanctioned for the purpose.
Kisan Salahkar- who plays an important role in implementation of all the schemes of agriculture department at panchayat level- will get a hiked honorarium with effect from April 1, 2025, Siddharth said.
Out of total 8463 Kisan Salahkars in all the 38 districts, 7047 Kisan Salahkars are currently working in the state.
FIVE STAR HOTEL/RESORT AT VAISHALI
The cabinet also approved the construction of a five star hotel/resort on five acres of land under PPP mode in Vaishali district, he said adding that the cabinet has made a slight modification in its earlier decision taken on August 19, 2025 as per which a “five star resort” was to be developed on “10 acres of land”.
Now, a “five star hotel/resort” will be developed on “five acres of land” at recently inaugurated Buddha Samyak Darshan Museum-cum-Memorial Stupa in Vaishali.
COMMISSION FOR PDS DEALER HIKED
It also decided to increase the dealer commission of PDS dealers in the state. Dealers’ commission has been hiked by Rs 47 per quintal. They will now get Rs 258.40 per quintal as commission, Siddharth said.
A total of 26 decisions including the industrial investment promotion package were taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.