Bihar NDA Unveils Sankalp Patra: ₹10 Lakh EBC Aid, 10 Million Jobs
Bihar NDA Unveils Sankalp Patra: ₹10 Lakh EBC Aid, 10 Million Jobs
NDA's Bihar manifesto promises bold bets on jobs, education, healthcare, and entrepreneurship for EBCs, plus gig-worker support and educational stipends.
The National Democratic Alliance released its Sankalp Patra, a manifesto for the Bihar assembly election, outlining a multi-pronged plan focused on creating 10 million jobs, boosting education and healthcare, building infrastructure, and empowering women. The document was unveiled in a event led by chief minister Nitish Kumar, with BJP president J.P. Nadda and other alliance leaders present.
A centerpiece of the manifesto is a ₹10 lakh financial assistance package for members of the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) to help them start and grow businesses and entrepreneurship ventures. It also proposes the setting up of a high-power commission to study the socio-economic conditions of the EBCs to better empower this 36% segment of the population. In education, the plan pledges ₹2,000 monthly support for Scheduled Caste students enrolled in higher education and a venture fund to foster entrepreneurship among young learners.
For workers in the gig economy and drivers, the NDA promises collateral-free loans with minimum interest rates and a ₹4 lakh insurance cover, along with collateral-free vehicle loans for auto-rickshaw and e-rickshaw drivers. There are also plans to facilitate collateral-free loans for green homestays, aligning with broader tourism and environmental goals. The manifesto highlights a push to guarantee a minimum price for crops through MSP guarantees to farmers, along with efforts to double agricultural exports and promote self-reliance in pulses. It also calls for a significant investment in agriculture infrastructure (₹1 lakh crore) and a ₹1 lakh crore allocation for the Developed Bihar Industrial Mission, signaling a major push in industrial growth.
The NDA’s launch comes as a point-by-point contrast to the opposition’s manifesto released days earlier, which framed a different approach—promising government jobs for at least one member per household, a monthly allowance for women, MSP for all crops, pension restoration for government employees, and 200 units of free power. The flood management portion of the NDA plan includes a five-year goal to make Bihar flood-free via inter-linking rivers and the creation of a Flood Management Board, a flagship infrastructure vision tied to long-term resilience.
Together, the pledges paint a picture of a Bihar aiming for rapid job creation, stronger social support for backward sections, and a robust push in education, healthcare, and infrastructure, even as voters weigh the credibility and feasibility of these ambitious promises.
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