Bihar Election 2025: NDA vs INDIA bloc — from Mahila Rojgar Yojana to more reservation for EBCs — who's promising what?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched "Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana" on Friday and transfered ₹10,000 each to the bank accounts of 75 lakh women across the state. Earlier this week, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, released a manifesto called 'Most Backward Justice Manifesto' or 'Ati Pichhda Nyay Sankalp' in Patna.

The key announcements came as Bihar stares at a triangular contest in the upcoming Assembly Elections likely to be held in October-November. The polls are predicted to be a tight contest between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the INDIA bloc and Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party.

The ruling NDA, led by the BJP and the JD(U), has not released a manifesto for the Bihar polls, yet Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced around 20 poll promises for women, youth, minorities, teachers and other sections of the society in months leading up to the polls.

The opposition INDIA bloc, led by the Congress and the RJD, has, however, released 'Ati Pichhda Nyay Sankalp' — in an attempt to woo Extremely Backward Class (EBC).

Here's a list of all the promises that Nitish Kumar's NDA and the Congress-RJD-led INDIA bloc has made to Bihar's public ahead of polls so far:

'Ati Pichhda Nyay Sankalp': New laws, higher reservation

The INDIA bloc released a 10-point resolution for the Extremely Backward Class (EBC), promising measures such as a new law against atrocities on their community, higher reservation in local bodies, and special benefits in education, housing, and government contracts if the bloc comes to power in Bihar.

The EBCs, some 36 per cent of the Bihar's population, were once considered Nitish Kumar's 'trump card'. But over the elections, the community has shifted its allegiance.

Why do EBCs matter?

In the 2010 assembly election for example, Lokniti-CSDS data showed 45-50 per cent of EBCs voted for the JD(U)-BJP alliance, helping Nitish win a landslide. And in 2015, when Nitish Kumar joined hands with Lalu Prasad Yadav in the Mahagathbandhan, around 55 per cent of EBCs backed the alliance, helping the Maahagathbandhan won big. In 2020, however, around 45per cent of EBCs are said to have voted for the NDA.

Here's what INDIA bloc promises for EBCs:

1. The 'Extremely Backward Atrocity Prevention Act' will be passed — on the lines of the SC/ST Act

2. The current 20% reservation for the Extremely Backward Class in panchayats and urban local bodies will be increased to 30%.

3. To increase the 50% reservation limit in proportion to the population, the law passed by the legislature will be sent to the central government for inclusion in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.

4. The concept of "Not Found Suitable" (NFS) in the selection process for appointments will be declared illegal.

5. All matters related to under- or over-inclusion in the list of the Extremely Backward Class will be addressed by forming a committee.

6. Land for homeless families from the Extremely Backward, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Backward Classes, more reservations in education and government contracts, and a new authority to regulate caste-based quotas.

7. Under the 'Right to Education Act' (2010), half of the seats reserved for admission in private schools will be designated for children from the Extremely Backward, Backward Castes, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes.

8. A provision of 50% reservation will be made for the Extremely Backward, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Backward Castes in government contracts/supply works up to ₹25 crore.

9. A high-powered Reservation Regulatory Authority will be established to oversee reservations, and any changes to the reservation list of castes will only be possible with the approval of the legislature.

10. Reservation will be implemented for admissions in all private educational institutions in the state under Article 15(5) of the Constitution.

Here's what Nitish Kumar announced so far:

Whether it's children, women or unemployed youth, Nitish Kumar has so far announced something for everyone. These promises are:

1. ₹25,000 for 'Vikas Mitra' workers under the Bihar Mahadalit Development Mission. These workers are responsible for disseminating information about government schemes and services to the public, including people from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories.

"It has been decided to provide a lump sum amount of ₹25,000 to each Vikas Mitra working under the Bihar Mahadalit Development Mission for the purchase of tablets, so that they can have convenience in storing data of beneficiaries of various welfare schemes and other tasksm" Nitish Kumar announced.

2. Increase the transportation allowance of 'Vikas Mitra' workers from ₹1900 per month to ₹2500 per month and the stationery allowance from ₹900 to ₹1500. "This will provide them convenience in area visits as well as in the collection of documents," the CM said.

3. ₹10,000 to Shiksha Sevaks (education workers including Talimi Markaz) to buy phones "for carrying out digital activities". Nitish Kumar said they play "an important role in providing the benefits of education to children of Mahadalit, Dalit, minority, and extremely backward classes and in making women literate under the Akshar Aanchal scheme."

4. It was also decided to increase the amount paid for teaching materials, from ₹3,405 to ₹6,000 per centre per year.

5. The Chief Minister’s Nishchay Self-Help Allowance Scheme will now also benefit unemployed graduates from Arts, Science, and Commerce streams. They will get ₹1000 per month for a maximum of two years. These include graduates in the 20-25 age group who are not pursuing any studies anywhere, are striving for jobs, do not have any self-employment, or government, private, or non-government employment.

6. Education loan provided under the Student Credit Card Scheme will be interest-free for all applicants. The provision for repaying an education loan of up to ₹2 lakh in 60 monthly installments (5 years) extended to a maximum of 84 monthly installments (7 years). For loan amounts above ₹2 lakh, the repayment period extended from 84 monthly installments (7 years) to a maximum of 120 monthly installments (10 years).

7. Honorarium for Anganwadi workers increased from ₹7,000 to ₹9,000. Honorarium for Anganwadi helpers increased from ₹4,000 to ₹4,500.

8. Under the Social Security Pension Scheme, all old age people, differently-abled individuals, and widowed women will now receive a pension of ₹1100 per month instead of ₹400.

9. Nearly free electricity is now being provided to all domestic electricity consumers.

10. Under 'Chief Minister Women Employment Scheme', financial assistance will be provided to one woman from every family in the state to start employment of her choice. The first installment of ₹10,000 will be given as financial assistance. After women start their employment, an assessment will be conducted, and additional financial assistance up to ₹2 lakh will be given to eligible women entrepreneurs. The initial ₹10,000 assistance will not have to be returned.

11. Under New Bihar Industrial Investment Promotion Package 2025 (BIPPP-2025), entrepreneurs will be provided with an interest subvention of up to ₹40 crore. A capital subsidy of up to 30 per cent will be provided for setting up industries.

Under the new Industrial Package 2025, industrial units with an investment of more than 100 crore rupees and generating more than 1,000 direct jobs will be allotted up to 10 acres of land free of cost. Industrial units with an investment of more than 1,000 crore rupees will be allotted up to 25 acres of land free of cost.

12. The remuneration of cooks working under the midday meal scheme in the Education Department has been doubled to ₹3300. Meanwhile, the remuneration of night watchmen working in secondary/higher education schools doubled from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000.

Meanwhile, the remuneration of physical education and health instructors doubled from ₹8,000 to 16,000. Additionally, their annual salary to be increased from ₹200 rupees to ₹400.

13. ASHA workers will now be provided with an incentive amount of ₹3,000.

14. Pension of ₹15,000 rupees per month to all eligible journalists under the Bihar Journalist Honour Pension Scheme. In the event of the death of journalists receiving a pension under the Bihar Journalist Honour Pension Scheme, a pension of ₹10,000 per month will be provided to their spouse for their lifetime.

15. Free electricity up to 125 units. For extremely poor families, the state government will bear the entire cost of installing solar power plants.

16. Under the Good Governance program Saat Nischay-2, Nitish Kumar promised to provide government jobs and employment to 1 crore youth.

17. Chief Minister Artist Pension Scheme has been approved by the Cabinet to provide monthly pensions to senior and economically weaker artists of Bihar. "Outstanding artists who are continuously contributing to the preservation of the state's rich cultural heritage and are struggling with livelihood crises will be provided with a monthly pension amount of 3 thousand rupees," Kumar said.

18. ‘Mukhyamantri-Pratigya’ (CM Promotion of Readiness, Awareness and Technical Insights for Guiding Youth Advancement) scheme: Under this scheme, trained youth who have passed 12th will be provided with R 4000, youth who have passed I.T.I. or diploma will get ₹5000, and youth pursuing internship and have passed graduation or post-graduation will get monthly amount of ₹6000 for skill development training.

19. 'Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivah Mandap Yojana': Approval has been granted fo the construction of marriage halls in panchayats. These marriage halls will be operated by Jivika Didis. The construction of marriage halls at the panchayat level will greatly benefit economically weaker families.