Patna, July 25: The government today sanctioned Rs 341 crore for the education department to spend on developmental schemes and meet basic literacy needs of around 12 lakh Mahadalit, Dalit, minority and Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) women.

The decision was taken at a two-hour-long cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Nitish Kumar.

"The funds have been sanctioned under Akshar Aanchal Yojana and will target 8 lakh Mahadalit, Dalit and EBC women and 4 lakh minority community women in the age group of 15 to 35 years," principal secretary, cabinet secretariat, Brajesh Mehrotra said.

Brajesh said the fund will also help bring children belonging to these castes and communities into the school education fold.

The money is meant for use during the 2016-17 financial year. Altogether Rs 100 crore of the amount will be made available for immediate withdrawal and expenditure.

The cabinet dismissed sub-divisional education officer Vinod Kumar Vimal after he was found guilty of dereliction of duty and other conduct unbecoming of an officer, in departmental proceedings. He was previously posted at Dalsinghsarai in Samastipur district.

It also put its seal on the dismissal proposal of Shakuntala, a former education and programme officer of Mohania in Kaimur district.

In another decision, the government decided to hand over control of hostels built at industrial training institutes (ITI) under the labour resources department to the Bihar Kaushal Vikas Mission. Hostels built in the future will also be handed over to the mission.

The cabinet approved a proposal to spend Rs 31 crore during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 financial years under Hariyali Mission of the state's agriculture road map. The mission envisages plantation of trees along roads in the Purnea forest division.

It also okayed allocation of Rs 104 crore for various establishment-related works for water management schemes of the Sone, Gandak, Kosi, Kiul, Uttar Koel and several other rivers.

The cabinet also increased the deputation tenure of police personnel in the special task force from the existing four to seven years. The tenure would go up to 10 years for those police officers who are trained in intelligence gathering, training and driving among other such things.