In poll-bound Bihar, Nitish Kumar increases pension to ₹1,100 per month from ₹400

Ahead of the Assembly election, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday (June 21, 2025) made a major announcement which would benefit 1,09,69,255 people in the State.

Mr. Kumar has increased the pension under Social Security Scheme for the old age, differently-abled individuals and widows of Bihar. The decision was taken during the review meeting of ‘Mahila Samvad’ programme at CM’s secretariat in Patna.

“I am pleased to inform you that under the Social Security Pension Scheme, all old age people, differently-abled individuals, and widowed women will now receive a pension of ₹1100 per month instead of ₹400,” Mr. Kumar said in the message posted on social media account ‘X’.

He further said, “All beneficiaries will receive the revised pension starting from the month of July, 2025. It will be ensured that this amount is transferred to the accounts of all beneficiaries by the 10th of each month. This will greatly benefit 1 crore 9 lakh 69 thousand 255 beneficiaries.”

The announcement is seen to counter the promises by the Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav.

In December 2024, the former Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Yadav had promised to give ₹2500 under Mai-Bahin Samman Yojna, increasing the amount of old age, disability and widow pension from ₹400 to ₹1500. He had also promised to provide a gas cylinder for ₹500. Along with this, Mr. Yadav has promised to give 200 units of free electricity if he voted power.

Bihar CM also made several other announcements after the review meeting attended by both Deputy Chief Ministers.

Mr. Kumar pointed out that to empower and make women self-reliant, his government initiated the Jeevika Project in 2006 by taking a loan from the World Bank. He added that approximately 1. 4 crore Jeevika Didi in the state have become self-reliant by joining self-help groups (SHGs).

“Under the Jeevika Project, SHGs will now have to pay only 7% interest on bank loans exceeding ₹3 lakh instead of 10%. With the reduced interest rate, the additional amount paid as interest to banks will be borne by the government. This will increase the income of Jivika Didi’s and further improve their standard of living,”Mr. Kumar said.

Apart from this, he also announced to double the honorarium of all nearly 1.4 lakh workers engaged in various administrative, training, and other activities related to SHGs. During the review meeting, a decision was also taken to build a marriage hall for the girls in every Gram Panchayat and it would be managed by Jeevika along with ‘Didi Ki Rasoi’ and would be operated in government institutions up to the block level.

After CM’s announcement, Mr. Yadav addressed the media at his official residence in which he asserted that afraid with the Mahagathbandhan forming the government Nitish Kumar has increased the pension. He also showed video footage of his press conferences in which promised to increase the pension.

“I had promised on December 16, 2024 itself that if our government is formed, the amount of social security pension will be increased from ₹400 to ₹1500 including the amount of old age pension, widow and disability pension,”Mr. Yadav said.

He further said, “A copycat government is running in Bihar, they have neither any thinking nor vision. It has become clear that the government is following Tejashwi. Whatever work we do, the government will start copying us. They have nothing of their own.”

CPI(ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya has said the Modi-Nitish government has increased the old age and disability pension from ₹400 to ₹1100 – that is, from just ₹13 to ₹37 per day!

“Is this the price of the lives of the elderly and the disabled?”Mr. Bhattacharya said.