Patna, Aug. 6: The Bihar government has decided to set up 18 new constituent degree colleges across the state to expand the horizon of higher education.

A proposal to this effect was approved at a cabinet meeting today. In the first phase, the colleges would be opened in nine sub-divisions of Saharsa, Begusarai, Darbhanga, West Champaran, Purnea, Nalanda and Katihar.

The proposal submitted by the education department revealed that one college each would be set up in Simri Bakhtiyarpur sub-division in Saharsa, Manihari in Katihar, Balia and Teghra in Begusarai, Benipur in Darbhanga, Bagaha in West Champaran, Bakhri in Begusarai, Bayasi in Purnea and Rajgir in Nalanda districts respectively.

Cabinet co-ordination department secretary Brajesh Mehrotra said Rs 5.46 crore would be spent on each of the nine colleges for which administrative sanction was granted by the cabinet at its meeting today.

He added that the cabinet sanctioned the expenditure of Rs 20 crore during the current financial year.

“The colleges would be set up in those sub-divisions, where no constituent degree colleges function,” Mehrotra said, adding that the money would be spent on developing infrastructure.

The cabinet also approved the art, culture and youth affairs department’s proposal for creation of a museum depicting the life and teachings of Lord Buddha and a memorial stupa at Vaishali on 72.94 acres acquired for the purpose. The proposal aims to develop the spot as a major tourist spot to help attract tourists, particularly Buddhists, from both within the country and abroad.

The cabinet also sanctioned Rs 1,252 crore for payment of salaries and pension to teaching and non-teaching employees of different universities from March, 2013 to February, 2014 and Rs 44 crore for employees of government recognised minority and secondary schools for 2013-14 fiscal. Rs 90 crore was sanctioned for implementation of ongoing schemes under the Command Area Development Agency in Patna, Muzaffarpur, Saharsa and Bhagalpur.

The excise and prohibition department’s proposal for increasing the price of molasses from Rs 150 per quintal to Rs 187 per quintal was also passed. Twenty-eight decisions were taken in Tuesday’s meeting.