NDA’s Sankalp Patra could cost Bihar Rs 36,892 crore, led by PM-Kisan top-up

NDA promises to cost Rs 37000 crore

The National Democratic Alliance’s Sankalp Patra, its election manifesto for Bihar, could add an estimated Rs 36,892 crore to the state’s fiscal burden, a Moneycontrol analysis shows. The largest share of this expenditure stems from the PM-Kisan top-up, under which the ruling coalition has pledged to raise the annual support to farmers by Rs 3,000.

About 7.3 million farmers in Bihar now receive Rs 6,000 a year under the PM-Kisan scheme, and the proposed top-up would raise the total annual cost to Rs 22,164 crore, making it the single-largest welfare commitment in the Sankalp Patra.

Pensions and electricity among major costs

The second biggest expenditure comes from the state government’s earlier decision to raise old-age pensions from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100 per month. With 1.12 crore beneficiaries, the increase is estimated to cost an additional Rs 9,400 crore annually.

The promise of 125 free electricity units per household adds an additional Rs 3,797 crore, while the free breakfast programme for schoolchildren could cost about Rs 1,225 crore, assuming a per-meal cost lower than the Centre’s mid-day meal scheme.

Fiscal pressure mounting

The NDA’s total estimated outlay of Rs 36,892 crore is lower than the Rs 60,000 crore projected cost of the Mahagathbandhan’s welfare promises, but it still represents a major fiscal strain. Bihar’s fiscal deficit for FY26 is pegged at Rs 32,718 crore (3 percent of GSDP)—less than the the cost of the new commitments.

To put the magnitude in perspective, the state’s capital outlay (Rs 40,532 crore) is only marginally higher than the total expected cost of the NDA’s welfare measures, leaving limited fiscal space for fresh investments or social sector expansion.

The Moneycontrol analysis excludes potential costs associated with job guarantees, scholarships, and loan assistance, which, if implemented, could increase the total commitment even further.

Competing welfare models

While the NDA’s package focuses on farmers and rural households, the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan has trained its sights on women voters through a large-scale cash transfer programme. The alliance’s Mai-Behan Maan Yojana, which promises Rs 2,500 per month to women from low-income households, is projected to cost around Rs 28,000 crore at the most conservative coverage level.

Its second-biggest commitment, the proposed pension hike to Rs 1,500, is expected to cost Rs 14,784 crore, followed by the Jeevika Didis job guarantee, which would add several thousand crore more to the state’s expenditure bill.