Patna, Oct. 18: The state government today approved a proposal for selecting agencies for issuing high security number plates for vehicles through competitive bidding. The government also decided to observe November 26 as an annual dry day from this year.

According to the decision, only one agency, selected through competitive bidding, would be given the task of issuing high security number plates.

“The tendering process will start soon,” said cabinet co-ordination department principal secretary Ravi Kant in a post-cabinet news briefing.

The dry day proposal says that a high-level committee, headed by the chief secretary and which would have secretaries of departments concerned, would suggest steps needed to be taken for generating awareness about the ill-effects of liquor consumption.

Thye meet approved a proposal, which spoke of simplifying the audit rules for businessmen who pay VAT.

“Unlike existing practice according requires businessmen to get their account books audited two to three times, the revised rules require the audit to be done once only,” said Kant.

It was decided that Gardiner Road Hospital, Patna, would be turned into a special centre for endocrinology, nephrology and haemophilia. The state government has sanctioned 27 new posts for the hospital. Thirty-eight new posts have been sanctioned for Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital so as to fulfil the criteria of taking admission of 150 students in MBBS course in the place of the existing 100 MBBS seats. A decision was taken to set up a separate nursing directorate that would be responsible to assess the requirement of nursing staff in government hospitals and healthcare centres.

The meet approved a proposal to amend the Bihar Planning Service Rules (2009), according to which those holding graduation or equivalent degree can sit for the competitive exam. Earlier, postgraduation was the minimum qualification for taking the exam.

An amended rule would take care of injured migrant labourers, whereas the earlier rule has provision of giving aid to the family members of dead migrant labourers only.

A total of 36 decisions were taken in Tuesday’s cabinet meet, including adoption of a new animal breeding policy, creation of a special post of financial advisor (budget) for a period of two years and approval of a proposal of upward revision of government employees and pensioners from 51 per cent to 58 per cent.