PATNA, Sept. 3 -- The state cabinet on Tuesday approved the establishment of seven new government medical colleges and hospitals in Kishanganj, Katihar, Rohtas, Sheohar, Lakhisarai, Arwal and Sheikhpura districts, fulfilling a key promise made by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during his Independence Day address at Gandhi Maidan last month. This initiative aims to ensure every one of Bihar's 38 districts has at least one medical college, addressing gaps in medical education and healthcare access, particularly in rural and remote areas facing doctor shortages. Bihar currently has 13 government medical colleges, including AIIMS Patna, offering around 550 MBBS seats annually. The new institutions are expected to significantly enhance healthcare services in underserved regions. The cabinet, chaired by CM Kumar, approved 48 proposals in total. Among them was the formation of a state-level "Madhyanishadh evam Rajya Swapak Niyantran Bureau" (Prohibition and State Narcotics Control Bureau), modeled after the national Narcotics Control Bureau, to tackle illegal activities involving drugs, narcotics, psychotropic substances and alcohol. Additional chief secretary (cabinet) Arvind Kumar Chaudhary, briefing the media, highlighted rising concerns over substance abuse in Bihar, particularly a shift to synthetic drugs in dry zones following the 2016 alcohol prohibition. While the prohibition has reduced reported alcohol use by up to 69.56% among women, it has also fuelled black markets and impacted adolescent mental health due to illegal access. The new bureau will integrate functions of the Economic Offences Unit and Prohibition Unit, supported by 88 new posts, 12 contractual appointments, and 229 transferred positions for streamlined enforcement. To strengthen rural governance and welfare, the cabinet approved a hike in the monthly honorarium for Gram Kachahari secretaries from Rs.6,000 to Rs.9,000, effective from July 1, 2025. Home Guards also saw their daily duty allowance rise from Rs.774 to Rs.1,121 per working day, with additional increases in training allowances. Internship stipends for students in government medical, dental, Ayurvedic, Unani, Homeopathic, physiotherapy and occupational therapy colleges were raised, with some categories increasing from Rs.20,000 to Rs.27,000 per month and others from Rs.15,000 to Rs.20,000. Additionally, contractual staff under the panchayati raj department and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana received salary hikes ranging from 10% to 25%. Rural housing assistants will now earn Rs.19,675 monthly, block accountants Rs.25,259, housing supervisors Rs.30,502 and program officers Rs.1.16 lakh. To support administrative capacity, 3,233 new posts were created across departments. Infrastructure development received a boost with the approval of a Rs.590-crore, three-lane high-level PSC box cell superstructure bridge over the Gandak River in Muzaffarpur, connecting Fatehabad to Chanchaliya. Spanning 1,730 meters in length and 15.55 meters in width, the bridge incorporates segmental construction techniques to improve connectivity in north Bihar, where riverine challenges have long hindered transportation. Further reforms include elevating revenue employee posts to a state-level cadre, enabling inter-district transfers, raising the minimum qualification to graduation (from intermediate), and increasing the age limit to 21 years (from 18). Amins will now be eligible for promotions to Grade One and Principal Amin roles. All India Services officers posted outside Patna will receive government housing for one year upon transfers to other states or districts....