Patna, Sept. 6: The state government today paved the way for running government school in the Rukunpura house of suspended IAS officer S.S. Verma. A proposal in this connection got approval in the cabinet meeting today.

According to the proposal, the eight-decimal plot and the building would be transferred to the human resource development department free of cost and the department would use it for running one of the schools in Patna urban, which does not have its own building.

“Preferably a school of the nearby locality, which does not have a building would be shifted in this building,” cabinet co-ordination department principal secretary Ravi Kant told reporters in post-cabinet press briefing.

The state government in accordance with the provisions of Special Courts Act, 2009, confiscated the house of the IAS officer, who is facing corruption charges.

Meanwhile, a police official said: “Verma has gone into hiding fearing action.”

Another major decision taken in today’s meet pertained to the government’s in principal approval to a proposal which said the state government would play the role of a guarantor for Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB), which has to mobilise Rs 2,898 crore through loan for undertaking the expansion work of Barauni thermal power plant.

According to the expansion plan, two units of 250MW each would be added to the existing thermal power plant. When the plan was conceived, around two years back, the estimated cost of the project was Rs 3,133 crore and 30 per cent of project cost was to be provided by the BSEB and the remaining 70 per cent through loan.

“As it would have been difficult for BSEB to mobilise 80 per cent of the project cost through loan on its own, the state decided to play the role of guarantor for making the proposition more attractive for institutions which would be approached for loan and BSEB would also get better deal as far as terms of the loan would be concerned,” Ravi Kant said.

Today’s meet also approved a proposal that talked of releasing Rs 325 crore to districts under the chief minister area development scheme.

Total 25 decisions were taken in today’s meet, including sanctioning of Rs 369.57 crore for diesel subsidy to be given to farmers, giving benefits of Sixth Pay Commission to teachers of those 108 government recognised schools and opening of a polytechnic institute at Bhelari in Rohtas.