RJD’s final pitch to woo Bihar voters: ₹30,000 for women, higher MSP if voted to power

In a last-ditch effort to woo voters on the final day of campaigning in the phase one of the Bihar Assembly election, Mahagathbandhan's Chief Ministerial candidate and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav declared ₹30,000 would be disbursed among women under the under the proposed ‘Mai Bahin Maan Yojana’ welfare scheme if Mahagathbandhan is voted to power in the state. 

Tejashwi Yadav has also promised a higher MSP – ₹ ₹300 per quintal for paddy and ₹400 per quintal for wheat over the existing Minimum Support Price (MSP) – if the alliance forms the  next government.

Not just ₹30,000 for woman and a higher MSP, Tejashwi Yadav has also promised free electricity for irrigation.

Tejashwi Yadav said, “We will give ₹300 for paddy and ₹400 for wheat in addition to the MSP to farmers. We will provide free electricity to farmers for irrigation.”

According to the reports, if Mahagathbandhan wins the Bihar election, women who are enrolled under the ‘Mai Bahin Maan Yojana’ will receive ₹30,000 in their accounts on January 14 – a date chosen to coincide with Makar Sankranti.

“Multiple women are excited for the Mai Behen Maan Yojana we had announced, saying that they will get economic relief in this time of inflation. So we want to say that on the demands of our mothers and sisters, our government will be formed.”

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“We all know Makar Sankranti is also coming, it is a new year for people. It happens on January 14, we will form the government, and under the Maa Behen Maan yojana, we will deposit ₹30,000 in the accounts of women, covering for the whole year,” The RJD leader said at a press conference.

Tejashwi Yadav also reiterated promises to benefit the state's Jeevika Didis under the World Bank-aided Bihar Rural Livelihoods Project (BRLP), pledging ₹2,000 per month, insurance coverage of ₹5 lakh, and interest waiver on loans taken by women.

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“We had said before too that the Jeevika didi's, who work day and night on the orders of the government, but do not get anything in return, we will work to give them ₹2,000 per month to them. Along with that, we will forgive the interest on loans taken by women. We will also work for giving ₹5lakh insurance to the women,” he added.

He has also promised postings of government employees within only 70 kilometres radius of their home cadre.

Tejashwi Yadav also exuded confidence that the Mahagathbandhan will form the government in Bihar and take oath on November 18. “Hum log jeet rahe hain, Bihar ki janta jita rahi hai [We are winning and it’s the people of Bihar who are making us win] We will take the oath on 18th November,” he told ANI.

The Mahagathbandhan, led by the RJD and Congress, unveiled its manifesto titled ‘Bihar Ka Tejashwi Pran’ on October 28, detailing its key poll promises. The alliance pledged to enact a law within 20 days of assuming power to guarantee a government job for one member of every family in the state.

(With agency inputs)