Mother Of All Freebees: PM Modi Sends Rs 10,000 To 75 Lakh Women Ahead Of Bihar Elections
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday interacted with beneficiaries of Bihar’s Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana through videoconferencing, as his government disbursed the first instalment of Rs 10,000 each to 75 lakh women across the state. The outreach, coming just weeks before the assembly elections, is being viewed as a significant push to consolidate women voters.
During the interaction, several women from self-help groups (SHGs) shared their experiences of how government schemes have transformed their lives. From West Champaran, tribal woman Ranjeeta Kazi expressed gratitude to both Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. She said, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, her once-neglected forested area now had roads, electricity, water, sanitation and schools. Associated with a Jeevika SHG, she said she would use the first Rs 10,000 to buy a pump set for farming and later expand into a flour business promoting indigenous grains.
Ranjeeta credited initiatives such as Ujjwala Yojana for freeing women from smoke-filled kitchens, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana for pucca homes, and Nitish Kumar’s free electricity and higher pensions for boosting confidence. “We celebrate this scheme as a festival alongside Navratri,” she told the Prime Minister.
From Bhojpur, Reeta Devi narrated her journey of empowerment that began with a Rs 5,000 grant in 2015. She bought goats, then hens, and gradually built a poultry business. Today, she identifies herself as both a “Lakhpati Didi” and a “Drone Didi”. With the new support, she plans to expand her poultry farm. She highlighted how housing, sanitation, water, health cards and electricity schemes had collectively changed women’s lives. Modi praised her clarity in listing the benefits and noted that she had now enrolled in a master’s programme in rural development.
In Gaya, Nurjahan Khatoon, president of a self-help group, said she would use the grant to expand her tailoring business, which already employs 10 people. With further assistance, she plans to employ 10 more. She recalled how women once faced restrictions and even domestic violence, but said families now encouraged their work. Modi urged her to inspire others by visiting villages and sharing her story.
From Purnea, Putul Devi said she would use the funds to expand her sweet shop into a larger enterprise. She also hailed the Jeevika Bank for providing loans at low interest. She noted that her mother-in-law’s increased pension and free electricity had helped save money for her child’s education. Modi, responding with humour, remarked on her mention of jalebi, recalling how the sweet once entered political debates.
The Prime Minister repeatedly underlined the government’s aim to turn women into “Lakhpati Didis” by encouraging entrepreneurship. “When women progress, families progress and so does society,” he said.
With Bihar heading to polls, the scheme is expected to play a crucial role in shaping voter sentiment. Critics have called the move a mass bribery. “Dear Election Commission of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s brazen transfer of Rs. 10,000 crore in public funds to 75 lakh women in Bihar on the cusp of the state assembly elections is a flagrant act of mass bribery. This deliberate misuse and abuse of public resources aimed at influencing the electoral outcome undermines the fairness and impartiality of the electoral process, striking at the very foundation of our democracy,” wrote an X user.
