The Jharkhand unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has moved the State Election Commission (SEC), raising objections to the state government’s announcement of a Rs 20,000 loan scheme for women, alleging that it violates the Model Code of Conduct.
The party has accused the JMM-led government of rolling out the “Mukhyamantri Maiyan Udhayam Yojana,” linked to the Maiyan Samman Yojana, with the intention of swaying voters ahead of the forthcoming local body elections.
A three-member BJP team, headed by legal cell chief Sudhir Kumar, submitted a formal complaint to the Commission on Monday. The delegation described the scheme as an attempt to influence the electorate at a time when civic polls have already been notified in the state.
Sudhir Kumar maintained that the Model Code of Conduct came into force immediately after the election schedule was announced. He alleged that the government has refused to acknowledge the enforcement of the Code and deliberately allowed publicity of the scheme during this period.
Also read: Jharkhand BJP alleges ₹10,000 crore missing from exchequer
According to the BJP, projecting the loan scheme as part of the Maiyan Samman Yojana and offering financial incentives to women beneficiaries amounts to inducement aimed at impacting the electoral process.
The delegation urged the Election Commission to probe the role of the officials responsible for releasing the information and to initiate appropriate action against those involved in publicising the scheme during the Code of Conduct period.
BJP leaders also alleged that despite repeated demands, the government failed to ensure that the election process remained free from party-level interference.
Following the submission of the memorandum, the State Election Commission assured the delegation that the matter would be examined. BJP leaders Ashok Bardaiik and Seema Singh were also part of the team.
The Jharkhand government has proposed providing a one-time loan of Rs 20,000 to women beneficiaries of the Maiyan Samman Yojana, aimed at promoting self-employment among women up to the age of 45 years.
The loan is to be repaid in convenient instalments over a five-year period. To facilitate transparency and access, a dedicated ‘Mahila Loan Portal’ is also planned, which will provide details on loan disbursement, repayment status and future enhancements.
The scheme was presented by Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore during a meeting of the State Bankers’ Committee held on Saturday. The meeting was attended by representatives from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), NABARD and various major banks operating across Jharkhand.
Follow us
