Patna: The Bihar Excise Service will now be called the Bihar Prohibition Service and the Bihar Excise Non-Gazetted Cadre has been named Bihar Prohibition Sub-ordinate Service. Positions in these services will also be reconstituted as per the recommendations of the state pay commission.

The state cabinet took these decisions at a meeting on Tuesday chaired by chief minister Nitish Kumar.

"Proportionate increase in posts as per hierarchy will provide more opportunities for promotion to the officials of the department. It will increase their morale and they will work more dedicatedly to implement the liquor ban," said Amir Subhani, the prohibition, excise and registration principal secretary.

Other cabinet decisions included forumulation of rules for the return of stamp duty paid through e-challan system in cases of work for which duty was paid but could not be executed, constituting 18 posts each, including of principals, for state government medical colleges in Bettiah and Madhepura as well as the Varhman Ayurvigyan Sansthan in Pawapuri, Nalanda.

The cabinet also okayed the setting up of the private Al-Karim University in Katihar, extended the contract of 324 veterinary doctors working under the animal husbandry and fisheries resources department for one year, and approved Rs 377 crore for three projects: the Bateshwarsthan Ganga pump canal project phase II in Bhagalpur (Rs 176 crore), the Muhane river multi-purpose irrigation project (Rs 144 crore) and renovation of the Tiyara pump house and water distribution system (Rs 57 crore).

The cabinet also gave the finance department the power to approve funds for salary and other expenditure for educational institutions that receive government grants. The rail police post at Hajipur will also be upgraded to a full-fledged rail police station.