PATNA, Aug. 4 -- The Bihar government is working on a proposal to provide financial assistance of up to Rs.12 lakh for liver transplants to residents from low-income groups, said health officials. The move comes under the Chief Minister's Medical Relief Fund (CMMRF), which may soon include liver transplant procedures among its list of covered treatments. "We have finalised a proposal to extend grant up to Rs.12 lakh under the CMMRF for low-income group domiciles of Bihar, having an income of up to Rs.2.5 lakh per annum," said an official. The finance department had already vetted the proposal, and the health department was now at an advanced stage of seeking cabinet approval, the official added. Currently, CMMRF covers 16 critical ailments, including cancer, cardiac diseases, AIDS, spine and brain surgeries, etc. While it offers grants of up to Rs.5 lakh - with potential for higher support in special cases - liver transplant is presently not included. The initiative comes at a time when liver diseases, especially fatty liver and liver cirrhosis, are on the rise in the state. Dr Ramesh Kumar, additional professor and head, department of gastroenterology at AIIMS Patna, said nearly 30% patients attending liver clinics were with fatty liver, and around 20% of those cases were at risk of getting liver cirrhosis. In advanced stages, liver transplantation was the most effective option. On July 23, the health department granted permission to AIIMS Patna and Ruban Memorial Hospital to conduct liver transplants under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA). These join the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) as the three authorised centres in the state....