The Bihar cabinet on November 3 gave its nod for redevelopment of Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) into the world's largest 5462-bed hospital at an estimated cost of Rs 5540.07 crore.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Altogether 34 decisions were taken at the meeting. "The cabinet gave its administrative nod for redeveloping PMCH into a world's largest 5462 bed hospital at an estimated cost of Rs 5540.07 crore. The hospital would be redeveloped by Bihar Medical Services & Infrastructure Corporation Ltd (BMSICL)on a turn key basis," cabinet secretariat department Principal Secretary Sanjay Kumar told reporters here.

The PMCH was established in 1925. The move would help in tiding over the shortage of doctors in the state besides making patients available best medical services, he said. At present, the hospital has the capacity of 1754 bed, he said adding the number of MBBS seats would be increased to 250 against the existing 150.

It would be world's largest hospital having 5462 bed with 36 super speciality departments against the present eight super speciality department, Kumar said adding that the world's largest hospital currently is in Belgrade with 3500 bed.

The hospital would be redeveloped in three phases in seven years, Kumar said while making it clear that the department would expedite the work to complete the project before the scheduled timeframe. It would be a "green building" which will have its connectivity with "Loknayak Ganga Path" commonly known as marine drive currently being built along Ganga river apart from double decker flyover connecting it with Kargil Chowk at Gandhi Maidan in the state capital.

In another important decisions, the state cabinet gave its nod to home department's proposal to increase daily/training allowance for home guard jawans to Rs 774 per working day from existing Rs 400 per working day, the Principal Secretary said.

He added that the cabinet has increased the home guard jawan's allowance on par with one day salary of state government's constable. A total of 25913 home guard jawans would be benefited from the decision which would incur an additional annual burden of Rs 353 crore on state's exchequer, he said.

It also sanctioned Rs 3031.03 crore for carrying out maintenance of 5331.65 km of roads in south Bihar while Rs 3623.27 crore sanctioned for maintenance of 7731.61 km roads in north Bihar, Kumar said while adding that the maintenance would be carried out under "Long Term Output and Performance Based Road Asset Maintenance Contract".

The cabinet also sanctioned Rs 1450 crore from Bihar Contingency Fund (BCF) for providing assistance to the drought hit 275 blocks of 23 districts in the state, he said. It may be noted that the state government had on October 15, 2018 declared 206 blocks of 23 districts as drought hit due to irregular and deficient rainfall in these districts.

The cabinet meeting held on October 23, 2018, took a decision that more blocks would added as drought hit on the basis of report furnished by the agriculture department after reviewing those blocks which have not been declared as drought hit.

It also sanctioned Rs 392 crore for disbursement of loans in 2018-19 under Student Credit Card scheme to be given by Bihar State Educational Finance Corporation Ltd, Kumar said. The meeting okayed Rs 3000 per month for usingt elephone and internet for official purpose for chairman, vice chairman and other persons of various commissions, boards, corporation, committees etc having the status of minister, minister of state and deputy minister.