PATNA, Aug. 27 -- In a bid to enhance Bihar's global air connectivity and stimulate tourism, the state cabinet, chaired by chief minister Nitish Kumar, on Tuesday approved Viability Gap Funding (VGF) to subsidise international flight operations from Patna and Gaya airports. The move is part of 26 key decisions taken during the meeting, which also included hikes in honorariums for farmer advisors, modifications to a luxury hotel project in Vaishali, and increased commissions for public distribution system (PDS) dealers. Talking to news persons post meeting, additional chief secretary (cabinet) S Siddharth said the VGF scheme's role in making international routes economically viable for airlines. "This financial support will encourage direct flights and promote frequent visits by foreign tourists, boosting Bihar's tourism sector," Siddharth said. Under the scheme, airlines operating round-trip flights with a minimum capacity of 150 passengers will receive up to Rs.5 lakh per round trip for Patna to Kathmandu from Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport, whereas the airlines will qualify for incentive up to Rs.10 lakh per round trip each for Gaya to Sharjah, Bangkok, Singapore and Colombo from Gaya International Airport. Siddharth explained that the incentives aim to offset operational costs, with the government also reducing Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) tax to just 1% to further incentivise carriers. "We have urged all airlines to commence services on these routes, ensuring direct connectivity between the cities," he added. The initiative is expected to draw more international visitors, particularly to Bihar's Buddhist heritage sites like Gaya, fostering economic growth through increased tourism. In another significant step for the agriculture sector, the Cabinet gave its nod to a proposal from the agriculture department to raise the monthly honorarium for Kisan Salahkar (farmer advisors) from Rs.13,000 to Rs.21,000, effective April 1. A budget of Rs.67.87 crore was allocated for this purpose. These advisors play a crucial role in implementing departmental schemes at the panchayat level. Currently, 7,047 advisors are active across Bihar's 38 districts, out of a total sanctioned strength of 8,463. The meeting also revisited a tourism infrastructure project in Vaishali district, approving the construction of a five-star hotel/resort on five acres of land under a public-private partnership (PPP) mode. This modifies an earlier decision from August 19, which envisioned a five-star resort on 10 acres. The new facility will be developed at the recently inaugurated Buddha Samyak Darshan Museum-cum-Memorial Stupa, aiming to enhance hospitality options for visitors to this historic site....