The PM said a brother finds true happiness when his sister is healthy, prosperous, and her family is economically strong and does whatever he can to ensure this wellbeing. Today two brothers—himself and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar—are working together for the service, prosperity, and dignity of the women of Bihar, he said, calling the programme a testament to this commitment
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana in Bihar, transferring Rs 10,000 directly to 75 lakh women across the state—a massive Rs 7,500 crore disbursement aimed at promoting women’s self-employment and economic independence. Additionally, the grant could be topped up to Rs 2 lakh per woman per household if the recipients demonstrate success in enterprise using the seed money.
Addressing the launch, the Prime Minister emphasised that a brother finds true happiness when his sister is healthy, prosperous and her family economically strong and does whatever he can to ensure her wellbeing and today, two brothers—himself and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar—are working together for the service, prosperity, and dignity of Bihar’s women, calling the programme a testament to this commitment.
The scheme, implemented by the Bihar government, builds upon reforms like Jan Dhan Yojana, Aadhaar, and mobile connectivity, which have enabled seamless and direct fund transfers. Modi also praised Bihar’s extensive network of 11 lakh self-help groups and linked the initiative to the Centre’s broader Lakhpati Didi campaign, which targets 3 crore women across India.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh joined the launch event, which was witnessed by over one crore women in the state, according to official statements. The initiative combines financial aid, training, and market development support to boost women-led microenterprises in sectors such as livestock, handicrafts, and retail.
Cash incentives for women have previously helped the BJP secure decisive victories in states like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, and Delhi—successes the party hopes to replicate in poll-bound Bihar.
Analysts, however, view this massive disbursal of freebies as a sign of potential challenges facing the BJP-JD (U) alliance ahead of the elections. Bihar’s complex caste dynamics—featuring OBCs, EBCs, SCs, and STs—appear to be leaning towards regional parties like the RJD and the Congress-led Mahagathbandhan, according to ground reports
The NDA alliance in Bihar is facing multiple electoral hurdles, including growing anti-incumbency sentiments, leadership issues within the alliance, and tensions between supporters of Nitish Kumar and Chirag Paswan. Recent controversies over voter list updates have sparked allegations of bias, with the opposition claiming many legitimate voters’ names have been unfairly removed. Alongside health concerns faced by Nitish Kumar, the Mahagathbandhan and leader Tejashwi Yadav have launched a vigorous campaign focusing on unemployment, inflation, and social welfare—issues that challenge the NDA’s appeal, especially among youth and lower-income voters.
Adding to the political drama, Jan Suraaj Party founder and former political strategist Prashant Kishor has recently accused senior BJP and JD(U) leaders within the NDA of being “more corrupt than Lalu Prasad,” stirring further debate ahead of Bihar’s crucial elections.
