Patna: The state cabinet on Wednesday approved the Civil Aviation Department’s proposal to select Indigo Airlines for biweekly international flight operations between Gaya and Bangkok (Thailand). This service is expected to start soon.The cabinet meeting was held under the chairmanship of CM Samrat Chaudhary. Additional Chief Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat Department, Arvind Chaudhary said that M/s InterGlobe Aviation Limited, the holding company of Indigo Airlines, was selected through the tender process.He said the Cabinet approved a Viability Gap Fund (VGF) of Rs 10.40 crore for the airline operator for one year. Since the company was the only bidder, the selection was done on the basis of nomination.“Initially, the number of passengers may not be up to desirable levels. Therefore, a viability gap fund of Rs 5 lakh is being paid to the firm for each round-trip flight from Gaya to Bangkok and from Bangkok to Gaya, and this will be payable for one year.”He said the Cabinet approved the proposal looking forward to the early start of the international service.“The long-term feasibility of the international flight between Gaya and Bangkok is assured, as a large number of tourists from Thailand come to India every year to visit important Buddhist sites, with Buddhist sites in Bihar such as Bodh Gaya and other places holding special significance,” he said.He further said that this step will increase the number of tourists in the state and strengthen Bihar’s presence on the international tourism map, besides boosting economic activity in sectors like hospitality, hotels, transport and handicrafts.Overall the cabinet approved 13 proposals during the meeting.In another major decision, the Cabinet approved the release of Rs 428 crore to the Water Resources Department (WRD) for supplying water to the upcoming Dobhi Industrial Enclave under the Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC).Officials said the required water supply will be ensured through reservoirs to be constructed by the WRD. According to the master plan, the industrial sector will initially require 8.5 million liters per day (MLD) of water, while the final demand is estimated to be 19 MLD. The annual water requirement has been estimated at 8.5 million cubic meters (MCM).For this, 324 acres of land will be provided by Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA) near Dobhi for the construction of a reservoir with 8.5 MCM storage capacity. Water will be drawn from the rain-fed Leelajan river for 40 days to fill the reservoir and meet the estimated demand of 19 MLD.The Cabinet also approved the release of Rs 747 crore from the State Contingency Fund for central grants to the health sector for the financial year 2026-27 on the recommendation of the 15th Finance Commission.The amount will be used to strengthen health services in block-level primary health centers (PHCs), including opening diagnostic centers and setting up health and wellness centres.Another proposal approved by the Cabinet was to continue the recommendations of the Fifth State Finance Commission for release of grants to urban and rural local bodies during 2026-27, as the recommendations of the Sixth State Finance Commission have not been received yet.The Cabinet also approved the Young Professionals Selection Policy, 2026, which aims to appoint technical and specialized professionals to institutions under the Department of Science, Technology and Technical Education. This policy seeks to improve efficiency in technical institutions by involving young professionals.To strengthen the border security and intelligence network along the “highly sensitive” India-Nepal border, the Cabinet approved the creation of the post of Inspector General of Police (Border) in the Special Branch of the Home Department.