Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday launched a scathing critique of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government's management of the Jeevika Community Mobilisers (CM) scheme, while announcing bold commitments for women associated with self-help groups and contractual workers in Bihar.
Speaking at a press conference in Patna, Yadav outlined a series of promises aimed at securing support in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, including government jobs, increased salaries, and additional benefits for Jeevika Didis, as well as permanent employment for contract workers.
Addressing the grievances of Jeevika Didis, Yadav accused the NDA government of failing to deliver justice to these women, who are integral to the state’s rural empowerment initiatives. He promised transformative changes if the RJD is elected to power.
"All of you are aware that injustice was done to the Jeevika Didis under this government. We have decided that all Jeevika CM Didis will be made permanent and accorded the status of government employees. Their salary will also be increased to Rs 30,000 per month. This is not an ordinary announcement -- it has been the long-standing demand of Jeevika Didis," Tejashwi Yadav declared during the press conference.
In addition to permanent employment and a substantial salary hike, Yadav pledged further financial relief for Jeevika Didis, including waiving interest on their existing loans and providing interest-free credit for the next two years.
"Each Jeevika Didi would receive an extra allowance of Rs 2,000 per month and insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh," he added, positioning these measures as a direct challenge to the NDA’s handling of the Jeevika initiative and a cornerstone of the RJD’s election campaign.
Permanent Jobs for Contract Workers
In a second significant announcement, the former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister addressed the plight of contractual workers across various state departments, promising to grant them permanent government jobs if the RJD forms the government.
"The second major announcement concerns the contractual workers. 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 stated.
He highlighted the exploitation faced by contract workers, including physical, mental, and economic hardships imposed by agencies. "Their services are terminated without any explanation, 18 per cent GST is deducted from their salary every month, and female employees are not given two days of leave, and we will be changing all this," he asserted, vowing to end these practices under an RJD-led government.
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A Job for Every Household
Reiterating a previous election promise, Yadav committed to ensuring that every household in Bihar would have at least one member employed in a government job within 20 months of the RJD forming the government.
"We will ensure that every household will have a person with a government job after our government comes to power. We will make a new act for it within 20 days of forming the government, and in 20 months, not a single house will be without a government job," he emphasised, underscoring the party’s focus on employment generation.
Understanding the Jeevika Didi Scheme
The Jeevika Didi scheme, officially known as the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Project (BRLP), is a World Bank-aided initiative launched by the Bihar state government to promote social and economic empowerment among the rural poor. The women associated with this project, referred to as "Jeevika Didis," play a critical role in mobilising communities and fostering self-help groups to drive economic development in rural areas.
Yadav’s promises signal a robust challenge to the NDA’s governance and aim to address long-standing demands of Jeevika Didis and contract workers, positioning the RJD as a champion of economic justice and empowerment in the lead-up to the Bihar Assembly elections.
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