- By Sahelee Rakshit
- Fri, 16 May 2025 07:48 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Gaya Name Change: The name of the holy city of Gaya has been officially changed to 'Gayaji', in recognition of its deep mythological, historical, and religious significance. This decision was approved during a cabinet meeting held on Friday, May 16, under the leadership of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. A total of 69 proposals were cleared during the session.
Following the meeting, Dr S Siddharth, Additional Chief Secretary of the Cabinet, announced that along with the renaming of the city, plans have also been approved to establish a Buddhist Meditation and Experience Centre in Bodh Gaya. The initiative aims to cater to the growing number of tourists and spiritual seekers visiting the area.
The government believes that renaming the city to Gayaji will boost tourism, generate higher revenue, and create new employment opportunities for the local population.
Also, a Buddhist Meditation and Experience Centre will be developed in Bodh Gaya under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme 2.0. For this project, a budget of Rs 165.44 crore has been approved.
The Bihar government has approved a proposal to provide an ex-gratia of Rs 50 lakh to the families of the brave hearts from the Armed Forces and Central Armed Forces under Operation Sindoor. This compensation will be extended to the families of soldiers from Bihar who lost their lives during the tensions between India and Pakistan.
In another major decision, the government has also approved a 2% increase in the dearness allowance (DA) for state government employees and pensioners receiving benefits under the Seventh Pay Commission. Currently set at 53%, the DA will now be revised to 55%, with the increase effective from January 1, 2025.
