Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the NDA government's handling of the Jeevika CM (Community Mobilisers) scheme, promising government jobs and a Rs 30,000 monthly salary for women associated with self-help groups if his party comes to power in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.
"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 announced while addressing a press conference in Patna.
Furthermore, he outlined additional measures, pledging that interest on existing loans of Jeevika Didis would be waived, and interest-free credit would be provided 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," Tejashwi Yadav said.
The announcement came as a direct challenge to the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government's Jeevika Didi initiative, signalling a key plank of the RJD's upcoming election campaign in Bihar.
In his second major poll promise of the day, the former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister assured that all contractual workers in the state will get permanent government jobs if RJD is voted to power.
"The second major announcement concerns the contractual workers. All contractual employees working in the state will be made permanent. We will work to give them the status of permanent government staffers," Yadav said.
