GG News Bureau
Patna, 21st June: In a major pre-poll announcement, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday declared an increase in monthly pensions for the elderly, disabled persons, and widowed women from ₹400 to ₹1,100 under the Social Security Pension Scheme. The revised amount will be disbursed starting July 10, benefiting over 1.09 crore beneficiaries across the state.
“I am happy to inform you that under the Social Security Pension Scheme, all the elderly, disabled and widowed women will now get a pension of ₹1,100 instead of ₹400 every month. The increased amount will be transferred directly to their accounts,” Mr Kumar said in his address, adding, “The elderly are a precious part of society, and ensuring their dignified living is our top priority.”
The move, expected to boost JD(U)’s electoral fortunes, comes just months ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections later this year. Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United), along with the NDA alliance, is positioning itself against the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)-Congress opposition front.
More Powers and Perks for Local Leaders
In a parallel development, the Bihar government has doubled the financial sanctioning powers of village heads (mukhiyas) under the MGNREGA, allowing them to independently approve projects up to ₹10 lakh, up from the earlier ₹5 lakh limit.
Additionally, the state has increased monthly allowances for elected representatives in the Panchayati Raj system:
- Zilla Parishad President: ₹30,000 (up from ₹20,000)
- Zilla Parishad Vice President: ₹20,000 (up from ₹10,000)
- Mukhiyas: ₹7,500 (up from ₹5,000)
These revisions aim to strengthen grassroots governance and enhance local development efforts.
PM Modi in Bihar: “Bihar Engine to Drive India’s Growth”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on his fifth visit to Bihar in 2025, addressed a massive rally in Siwan, where he endorsed Nitish Kumar’s development push and took aim at the opposition alliance.
“India is on the path to becoming the third-largest economy, and Bihar will play a big role in this,” PM Modi said, while launching projects worth ₹5,736 crore. These include:
- 22 urban infrastructure projects
- 6 new road projects
- 1 rail initiative
- 2 new trains, including a Vande Bharat Express
A key highlight was the export of the first locomotive built at Bihar’s Madhura rail factory. “The engine made in Bihar will now run trains in Africa… this is the new identity of Bihar,” said the Prime Minister, underlining Bihar’s emergence as a hub of industrial innovation.
As Bihar gears up for elections, the twin pitch of welfare expansion and infrastructure development appears central to the NDA’s campaign narrative.
