With NDA banking on DBTS, Congress focuses on castes and quotas in Bihar

The battle is between direct benefit transfers (DBTs) and 'social justice'.

- ANAND SINGH

Ahead of the Bihar elections, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Congress-led Mahagathbandhan or Grand Alliance are showering, or promising to shower sops galore to win over the voters.

The NDA last week launched the Mukhya-mantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, with Rs 10,000 direct bank transfers (DBTs) into over 75 lakh bank accounts, while the Grand Alliance is promising a 10-point programme focused on education and employment reservation for the economically backward classes (EBCs). The NDA has dubbed the DBT of the Nitish Kumar-led government to over 75 lakh women as the "Brahmastra". The scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy, Samrat Chaudhary joining him.

The Rs 7,500-crore “Mukhya Mantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana” is an initiative of the Bihar government aimed at promoting women's empowerment through self-employment and livelihood opportunities.

The NDA government in Bihar, in the last cabinet meeting ahead of the polls increased the monthly honorarium for contractual Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) workers in urban areas from Rs 11,500 to Rs 15,000. The decision was taken during the meeting chaired by Nitish Kumar on Friday, which saw the approval of 129 proposals in total. The cabinet also doubled the annual scholarship for Class 9 and 10 students belonging to the general category (including minorities) under the Mukhyamantri Balak/ Balika Scholarship scheme.