Tejashwi’s last-minute sops: Rs 30,000 to women, OPS revival, bonus for farmers

Just before the campaign end of the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, INDIA bloc Chief Ministerial candidate Tejashwi Prasad Yadav Tuesday, made several major announcements for women, farmers, and government employees.

Addressing a press conference in Patna, Yadav announced that if elected, his government would transfer a lump sum of Rs 30,000 into the bank accounts of women, reinstate the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), provide an additional bonus on the purchase of paddy and wheat, ensure free electricity for irrigation, and waive interest on loans taken by Jeevika Didis.

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He said that, under the Mai-Bahin Maan Yojana, women would receive a one-time payment of Rs 30,000, equivalent to 12 months of support, directly into their bank accounts on Makar Sankranti (14 January 2026), if the INDIA Alliance forms the government.

Yadav also announced that all Jeevika Didis and members of other women’s groups would receive a monthly allowance of Rs 2,000. All Jeevika Community Mobilisers (CMs) would be granted government employee status with a monthly salary of Rs 30,000.

The interest on their loans would be waived, and they would be provided with interest-free loans for two years. Additionally, the president and treasurer of each Jeevika cadre would receive honorariums, and insurance coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh would be provided for all Didis.

Yadav further stated that the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) would be implemented, and the transfer and posting of government employees would be restricted to a radius of 70 kilometres.

He also announced that farmers would receive an additional bonus on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy and wheat: Rs 300 per quintal on paddy and Rs 400 per quintal on wheat, in addition to the MSP.

Furthermore, free electricity for irrigation would be provided to all farmers. Presidents of all PACS (Primary Agricultural Credit Societies) and trading associations would be given the status of public representatives, and honorariums would be paid to all 8,463 PACS.