Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday announced a hike in the honorarium for key school staff, including midday meal cooks, night guards, and physical education instructors, a move seen as part of a broader push ahead of the upcoming elections.

Under the new provisions, midday meal cooks will now receive ₹3,300 per month, up from ₹1,650. Night guards (working in secondary and higher secondary schools) will see their honorarium doubled from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000, while physical education and health instructors will earn ₹16,000 per month, up from ₹8,000. Additionally, their annual increment has been raised from ₹200 to ₹400.

“Cooks, night watchmen, and physical education and health instructors have played an important role in strengthening the education system. Keeping this in mind, we have decided to double their honorarium, making a respectable increase in their remuneration,” Kumar said.

The announcement comes days after Kumar declared a substantial increase in the honorarium for ASHA and Mamta workers, recognising their contributions to rural healthcare.

With elections expected in October or November, though the Election Commission has yet to announce official dates, Nitish Kumar has made a string of welfare-focused declarations. These include free electricity up to 125 units per household, one crore new jobs over five years and a monthly pension of ₹15,000 for journalists.