Tejashwi Yadav's big push to woo women voters: Govt employee status for 'Jeevika Didis', monthly salary of Rs 30,000

RJD Leader Tejashwi Yadav.

In a significant move to woo women voters ahead of Bihar assembly polls, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday announced that the beneficiaries under the 'Jeevika' scheme will be entitled to permanent employment with a monthly salary of Rs 30,000 if the Mahagathbandhan  comes to power in the upcoming assembly polls.

Tejashwi Yadav's presser assumes great importance with ongoing rumblings within the Grand Alliance over various aspects of seat-sharing.

The Jeevika scheme was designed as “an alternative financial system to reduce dependence on microfinance institutions (MFIs) and ensure the availability of larger loans at lower interest rates.” The scheme is seen as a cooperative initiative aimed at providing affordable credit to rural women entrepreneurs.

Reiterating his earlier commitment, the RJD scion said the Grand Alliance will stick to the promise of providing a government job to every household, which does not have one, within 20 days of forming the government. “In 20 months, there will be no family that will not have a government job,” he reaffirmed.

"... All of you are aware that injustice was done to the Jeevika Didis under this government... We have decided that all the Jeevika CM (Community Mobilisers) Didis will be made permanent and they will be given the status of a government employee. We will also increase their salary to Rs 30,000 per month. This is not an ordinary announcement. This has been the demand of Jeevika Didis, " quipped Yadav speaking to press in Patna.

With no clarity yet on the seat-sharing of the Mahagathbandhan alliance of the opposition parties, the constituents of the Grand Alliance have announced its first list of candidates for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.