The Bihar government has paved the way for hosting international cricket in the state with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Cabinet approving the transfer of management of the newly built Rajgir International Cricket Stadium to the Bihar Cricket Association (BCA).
Arvind Kumar Chaudhary, Additional Chief Secretary of the Cabinet Secretariat Department, said the cabinet granted “in-principle approval” for handing over the Rajgir State Sports Academy-cum-International Stadium to the BCA, which is affiliated with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“With this, both national and international cricket matches can now be held in Bihar,” Chaudhary said.
In another major decision, the Cabinet sanctioned ₹574.34 crore for acquiring 101 acres of land at Dumri in Punpun for a state-of-the-art sports complex aimed at hosting large-scale events and offering advanced training infrastructure to athletes.
Chaudhary noted that Bihar has made “significant progress in sports,” and the new facilities will create better opportunities for youth to train and compete.
The government also cleared a new recruitment policy under the Bihar Exceptional Players Direct Recruitment Rules, 2023, which will see 10 outstanding sportspersons — five men and five women, directly recruited into government jobs.
Welcoming the move, the Bihar Cricket Association said the decision would “give Bihar cricket a new identity” by providing international-standard infrastructure and nurturing fresh talent.