Patna, June 30: The government today decided to relax norms to provide benefits to contractors belonging to the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and Extremely Backward Classes in government schemes.

The cabinet at its meeting presided over by chief minister Nitish Kumar decided to provide 50 per cent reservation to contractors of the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes category in government schemes.

The reservation would be applicable to tender bids up to a value of Rs 15 lakh.

Earlier, such contracts were awarded by lottery in case of tie-up of tender bids in terms of value.

Principal secretary, cabinet secretariat, Shishir Sinha said the Dalit community contractors would get preference in award of contracts in case of their bids matching with counterparts from general category.

For the purpose, the government has relaxed the existing rules.

Earlier, the Jitan Ram Manjhi cabinet had made provisions for reservation for contractors of the scheduled caste, scheduled tribes category in award of contract up to Rs 1 crore.

After Nitish Kumar assumed charge in February this year, the government cancelled the proposals passed by the cabinet chaired by Majhi at the fag end of his tenure.

In another decision, the cabinet approved the education department's proposal giving one-time exemption (for 2015-16 financial year) in 75 mandatory attendance for students of primary, middle and secondary schools to make them eligible for benefits like uniform and bicycle schemes.

The provision for mandatory 75 per cent attendance would remain intact.

The Manjhi cabinet had at its meeting on February 10 reduced mandatory attendance for SC/ST students to 55 per cent and 60 per cent for general category students to make them eligible for the benefits of the schemes.

A total of 25 proposals were passed at the cabinet meeting.