Tejashwi Yadav announces new poll sops: Pension for panchayat heads, Rs 50 lakh insurance coverage

Tejashwi Yadav

With parties engaging in competitive welfarism leading upto the Bihar assembly polls, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday promised regular pension for panchayat heads  and assured increase in margin money in Pubic Distribution Scheme (PDS).

Addressing the press in Patna, the chief ministerial nominee of the Mahagathbandhan said the latest promise should be seen as a continuum to his previous announcements -- a government job for a member in every household without a job and offering a status of permanent employee to the beneficiaries of Jeevika scheme.

"Representatives of panchayats and Gram Kachahari (village courts) had been demanding pension benefits. We have decided that they will receive a pension. They would also enjoy a Rs 50 lakh insurance coverage. We will also hike the margin of those working as part of the public distribution network," Yadav announced.

Speaking about the prospects of the Grand alliance in the upcoming polls, the RJD leader said: ... People of Bihar gave them (BJP) 20 years; we are only asking for 20 months, and I have full faith in people that this time there will be a change and the government will also change. Mahagathbandhan together will work to make a new Bihar... The allowance of Panchayat representatives and other village representatives will be doubled... The process of giving pension amounts to former Panchayat and Gram Kachari representatives will be started..."

He also promised that those in trades such as pottery, blacksmithing and carpentry will receive an interest-free loan of Rs 5 lakh to expand their work. The RJD leader said Bihar is eager for change. "People are fed up with the incumbent government. Bihar's people will bring change. People gave them (NDA) 20 years. We just want 20 months. We will work towards making Bihar the Number 1 state."

“We will bring the BETI and MAA Yojana. B for Benefit, E for Education, T for Training and I for Income. This means that from the moment our daughters are born, a separate programme will be run for them until they earn income. We will also implement the MAA Yojana. M for Makaan, A for ‘Ann’ (food) and A for ‘Aamdani’ income. What Bihar needs now is economic justice,” Yadav reiterated, while addressing the media in Patna.

Reiterating his previous promise, Yadav assured that all contractual workers engaged in various state departments will get permanent government jobs if RJD is voted to power. "All contractual workers in the state will be made permanent Bihar government employees. We will work to give them the status of permanent government staffers," Yadav quipped. The RJD leader claimed that contract workers are undergoing physical, mental, and economic exploitation through various agencies and vowed to end it after forming government in the state.

Meanwhile, just days before the poll dates were announced, on October 3 in Patna, chief minister Nitish Kumar announced another tranche: Rs 2,500 crore deposited into the accounts of 25 lakh women beneficiaries under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, with each recipient receiving Rs 10,000.