PATNA, Aug. 20 -- The Bihar cabinet, chaired by chief minister Nitish Kumar, on Tuesday approved a series of proposals, including a uniform application fee (Rs.100) for recruitment exams, infrastructure developments in tourism hot spots, and enhancements to teacher recognition programs. The meeting cleared as many as 16 agendas, focusing on easing financial burdens for job aspirants and boosting the state's educational and hospitality sectors. The cabinet gave its go ahead to a proposal from the general administration department (GAD) to standardise the fee for preliminary examinations across all state recruitment drives at just Rs.100. Notably, candidates who qualify for the main examinations will not be required to pay any additional fees. This decision applies to exams conducted by key bodies such as the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC), Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC), Bihar Technical Service Commission (BTSC), Bihar Police Subordinate Service Commission (BPSSC) and the Central Constable Selection Board. The move comes on the heels of chief minister Nitish Kumar's announcement last week on social media, signalling the government's intent to make recruitment processes more accessible. With assembly polls slated for later this year, the policy is seen as a strategic effort to appeal to the state's youth and job seekers. In the realm of infrastructure and tourism, the cabinet approved the construction of two five-star hotels in Rajgir town, Nalanda district and a five-star resort in Vaishali, all under the public-private-partnership (PPP) model. Additional chief secretary (cabinet) S Siddharth said that the state government will provide the necessary land for these projects. Additionally, road upgrades were sanctioned to improve connectivity: the Salepur-Narsanda-Talmer-Karauta path from Patna to Rajgir will be expanded to four lanes, as will the route leading to the Rajgir International Cricket Stadium up to Kubri-Jaitipur-Fatehpur-Indo Hook Hotel. Education initiatives also received a boost, with the cabinet endorsing a proposal from the education department to double the cash prize for the state teachers' award from Rs.15,000 to Rs.30,000. This enhancement applies to recipients of what is also referred to as the National Teachers' Award in the state context. Last year, 42 educators were honored for their exemplary service. Further decisions included the announcement of government holidays for the year 2026 and the establishment of a headquarters for the Bihar Special Armed Police's unit headquarter in Katoria circle of Banka district. For this, 46 acres of land will be provided free of cost to the home department....