Nitish Kumar reverses 34 Manjhi cabinet decisions but spares Paswans’ inclusion in Mahadalits

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Some of the important Manjhi decisions reversed were – setting up a three-member committee to study possibilities of giving reservation to economically-backward, giving an additional month’s salary to policemen (from constables to police inspectors), increasing homeguards’ retirement age from 58 to 60 years, proposal to amend provisions for recognising unaided schools and colleges, decision to appoint arts and music teachers in schools, provision of increasing CM Local Area Development Fund for an Assembly from Rs 2 to Rs 3 Cr every year, decision to appoint sweepers in 46,000 revenue villages for Rs 5000 each honorarium and reserving 35 per cent seats to women in government jobs.

Some other decisions reversed included decision of giving subsidiary grant of Rs 1.5 Cr to Sunni Waqf Board, Rs 80 lakh to Shia Waqf Board and Rs 75 lakh to Haj Committee every year and fixing service tenure of vikas mitras and tola sevaks at 25 years.

Nitish cabinet, however, did not touch Manjhi cabinet decisions taken before February when the JD (U) government’s full cabinet had been in place. Some other “Dalit-centric” decisions such as giving scholarship to second division holders in matriculation and waiving fees of SC/ST students till their post graduation courses may not be reversed.

Bihar cabinet secretary B Pradhan said most decisions reversed had not followed due procedures such as proposal from departments concerned and there had been no budgetary provisions for some of them.

Sources, however, said some of the reversed decisions might be presented before cabinet in amended form after budget. The government is set to announce a host of new schemes in the upcoming budget session.