The Bihar dole for women is totally different from the ‘Ladki Bahin’ scheme in Maharashtra. Nitish Kumar’s scheme highlights economic self-reliance for women while the MahaYuti aid of Rs 1,500 per month focuses only on monetary relief to women. The difference in the two schemes is of a psychological shift. One aims at making women realise their true potential as entrepreneurs while the other sends a feeling of entitlement without accountability. 

 

SOCIAL scientists and pollsters are working overtime to decipher the massive verdict voters in Bihar have delivered in favour of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Every analysis has zeroed in on the women voters who not just turned up to the polling booths but also turned the tide. The female turnout in Bihar Assembly elections has marked a historic moment, setting a narrative for the rest of the country. Women matter! The question is; Will they matter beyond the inked finger? Bihar witnessed an unprecedented female turnout on election day. At many places, women surpassed the male turnout.

 

It was a huge transformation; a confident walk of democracy draped in sarees. Female voters simply reshaped Bihar’s electoral landscape, handing Nitish Kumar their vote of faith and Prime Minister Narendra Modi a new confidence for future electoral battles. The catalyst behind the surge in female votes was the direct benefit scheme that credited Rs 10,000 into the accounts of 75 lakh women across Bihar. The Rs 7,500 crore initiative targeted one woman from each family starting livelihood activities of her choice including agriculture, animal husbandry, handicraft, tailoring. The programme promotes rural marketing infrastructure with expansion of Gramin Haat-Bazaars. It is expected to foster economic independence and social empowerment among women. It proved a decisive factor in turning the mood in the State.

 

The timing of the strategic move by the NDA turned all equations upside down, shredding the Mahagathbandhan’s ‘Vote Chori’ rhetoric into pieces. The timely dole to women was based on Nitish Kumar’s earlier experiences of focusing on women voters as well as the tremendous success of the ‘Ladki Bahin’ scheme which helped BJP wrest Maharashtra with a thumping majority. Nitish Kumar had already established a strong legacy of women’s participation in Panchayati Raj and government jobs. It was a sequel to the bicycle gift to school girls which turned out to be a masterstroke for ‘Sushaasan Babu’ in his early days as Chief Minister. The master of timing once again got the pulse of the State right and turned women into a deciding factor in the final result. They led families to booths, setting the tone for the day with a quiet but confident message — We Matter! In fact, the Bihar election was a show centred around women. From their appeasement, to their empowerment, to rebellion after the poll result, women dominated headlines.

 

For a change, NDA’s central leadership was pushed to the second spot in the poll highlights. In a way, it ensures a level playing field to the State leadership which clearly had its ear to the ground and finger on the voter’s pulse. What is to be seen is how the NDA goes ahead when the headline-grabbing women seek the next part of the promises made in the poll manifesto. The ‘Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana’ has assured further assistance of up to Rs 2 lakh for women who succeed in their businesses after the initial Rs 10,000 aid. It is an ambitious goal, promoting female entrepreneurship and long-term economic self-reliance. The point of interest will be the selection mechanism for successful businesses. Welfare schemes have a nasty habit of petering into a slow-drag after the initial euphoria wears down. Continuing the ambitious scheme with the same zeal will be a task for Nitish Kumar and his team. The JD(U) chief has a positive track record of running schemes for women in Bihar. He had realised the importance of female votes much earlier than all other parties. But this time, the challenge is to maintain fiscal discipline to fund this scheme seeking financial independence for women.

 

The Bihar dole for women is totally different from the ‘Ladki Bahin’ scheme in Maharashtra. Nitish Kumar’s scheme highlights economic self-reliance for women while the MahaYuti aid of Rs 1,500 per month focuses only on monetary relief to women. The difference in the two schemes is of a psychological shift. One aims at making women realise their true potential as entrepreneurs while the other sends a feeling of entitlement without accountability. The long-term effect of the schemes will be known only after analysis of their economics. If successful, the ‘Mahila Rojgar Yojana’ can generate revenue and create job opportunities at the base level. It can invigorate the gig economy as a new economic cycle will begin in towns and villages.

 

The scheme promises perks and incentives to successful businesses which brings into play the spirit of competition. It also makes women active stakeholders instead of being passive recipients of a policy. Simply put, a one-time transfer of Rs 10,000 will crank up energy, enterprise and economic activity among a new class of entrepreneurs. On the other hand, Maharashtra’s direct money transfer to women is a burden on the exchequer. Already, the ‘Ladki Bahin’ scheme has attracted negative attention even in the ruling dispensation. Lack of revenue resources has forced the Devendra Fadnavis Government to delay raising of the dole to Rs 2,100 as promised in the election manifesto. A stricter scrutiny of the beneficiaries is under way to weed out fake recipients. For almost one year, the State handed money to many such accounts which did not fulfill the set criteria. It has clearly strained the exchequer. The two schemes seeking welfare of women have brought to the table two different approaches. Both are different scripts aiming at the same ending --- of making Her Story great. ‘She’ has already turned their story into a blockbuster. The challenge now is making the story run a marathon without the high costs of freebies.