Patna, Sept. 4: The state cabinet today approved payment of salaries to elementary schoolteachers on fixed pay through banks to ensure timely disbursement of wages.

“About 2.5 lakh teachers of elementary schools (classes I to VIII) would benefit from the decision,” cabinet co-ordination department principal secretary Ravikant told reporters after the cabinet meeting.

At present, teachers appointed on fixed pay imparting education up to class VIII get their salaries at the interval of two to four months.

The salary disbursement through banks would start from January.

Ravikant added that the teachers would be intimated through text message about the amount been credited to his or her bank account.

“It has been decided that salary payment would be made through only one bank in one district,” he said. “The banks having the highest numbers of branches and ready to provide the service would be given the responsibility. Bank accounts of teachers would be opened in the bank selected for the purpose.”

To ensure timely payment of salary to the teachers at both urban and rural levels, the officer concerned would be directed to submit the absentee list to the district education officer by the fifth of every month so that process for salary payment could be completed by 15th.

The cabinet also decided to construct the barrage on Dardha river near Lavaich Rampur village in Patna district at Rs 25.88 crore. Ravikant said the barrage would help in irrigating 8,000 hectares of land. The barrage would have a width of 64.60m. It would be completed by May 2014.

The cabinet approved the revised estimate of Rs 92.71 crore for construction of buildings, hostels, quarters etc of engineering college at Sitamarhi. principal secretary said. The earlier estimate for constructing Sitamarhi Institute of Technology was Rs 39.83 crore but the work could not be undertaken because of unavailability of land.