THE NDA on Friday released its manifesto for the Bihar Assembly polls, promising jobs to one crore youth, making of one crore ‘Lakhpathi Didi’, metro train services in four cities and seven international airports in the state, among others. Seven expressways, 10 industrial parks, free quality education from KG to PG and Rs 2,000 monthly assistance for SC/ST students pursuing higher education are some of the other features of the manifesto. The NDA, if voted to power, will also set up a world-class medicity, one medical college in each district, free ration, free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh and 50 lakh more pucca houses, according to the 69-page manifesto of the ruling alliance. ‘Punaura Dham Janki Mandir’, a Hindu pilgrimage site in Sitamarhi district, which is considered the birthplace of the Goddess Sita, will be named as ‘Sitapuram’.

 

The manifesto was released at a press conference attended by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary, BJP president JP Nadda, Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Jitan Ram Manjhi, Chirag Paswan, and leaders of alliance partners. The NDA, if voted to power, will provide more than 1 crore Government jobs and employment opportunities, conduct a skill census to promote skill-based employment, Choudhary said. The ruling alliance also promised the establishment of mega skill centres in every district, which will be further developed into global skilling facilities. Under the Chief Minister Women Employment Scheme, financial assistance of up to Rs 2 lakh will be provided to women for prosperity and self-reliance, if the five-party alliance is returned to power, he said. “One crore ‘Lakhpathi Didi’ will also be made by the NDA, and through the ‘Mission Crorepati’ initiative, we will work towards making identified women entrepreneurs millionaires,” according to the manifesto.

 

The ‘Lakhpati Didi’ initiative, aimed at training women in self-help groups so that they can earn a sustainable income of at least Rs 1 lakh per annum per household, was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023. For the uplift of extremely backward classes (EBCs), the NDA promised that it would provide Rs 10 lakh financial assistance to various professional groups belonging to the category.

 

The NDA also promised free ration, free treatment worth Rs 5 lakh, 50 lakh more pucca houses for the poor under the ‘Panchamrit’ guarantees. According to the manifesto, the NDA, if voted to power, would increase the financial assistance under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi from Rs 6,000 to Rs 9,000 annually, enhance aid for fishermen from Rs 4,500 to Rs 9,000 annually, and provide a minimum support price for all crops. Bihar Sports City and centres of excellence for sports in every division of the state will be opened, while one factory and 10 new industrial parks in each district will be set up, if the NDA retains power in Bihar, the manifesto said. It also promised 100 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) parks, over 50,000 cottage industries, a defence corridor and the opening of semiconductor manufacturing parks, etc. Besides Patna, the Metro train services were promised in four more cities in Bihar. In the education sector, the NDA Government promised residential schools for SC/ST students in every division, Rs 2,000 per month for SC/ST students studying in higher education institutions, and up to Rs 10 lakh assistance for EBC category students.