Bihar: Opposition protests over women’s employment scheme

Patna, Feb 25 (SocialNews.XYZ) Opposition members in the Bihar Legislative Assembly on Wednesday strongly protested over the alleged non-implementation of the Chief Minister’s Women’s Employment Scheme and unfulfilled promises made to 9.4 million poor families identified in the caste survey.​

MLAs from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Left parties held placards and raised slogans for a prolonged period in the Assembly portico, accusing the government of reneging on its assurances.​

The opposition claimed that under the scheme, the government had promised Rs 2 lakh per family to support employment, but the promised funds have not been released.​

The opposition alleged that 9.4 million economically poor families were identified through the caste survey, and that the government had announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh per family.​

However, most beneficiaries have yet to receive any support.​

Opposition MLAs continued sloganeering, accusing the government of betraying poor families and women voters after securing their support during elections.​

RJD MLA Ranvijay Sahu accused the government of hypocrisy on women’s empowerment.​

“The government speaks of empowering women, yet Bihar records the highest number of crimes against women. Women were promised Rs 2 lakh each in employment benefits, but Chief Minister Nitish Kumar continues to betray them. Atrocities against women are rising, and the Chief Minister remains a mute spectator,” Sahu said.​

He added that women were allegedly given Rs 10,000 during elections to secure votes, but the larger promise of Rs 2 lakh has not been fulfilled.​

“We will not let this issue be buried,” he asserted.​

CPI(ML) MLA Sandeep Saurabh said that promises made during the presentation of the caste survey report in the House have not been honoured.​

He claimed that while the government announced Rs 2 lakh assistance for families earning less than Rs 6,000 per month, so far, only about 40,000 families have received Rs 50,000.​

Saurabh also raised the issue of expanding the reservation limit in Bihar.​

“Many states have already increased reservations beyond 50 per cent. If Parliament permits it, Bihar should place it in the Ninth Schedule, as Tamil Nadu has done. But none of these commitments is being fulfilled,” he said.​

The opposition further cited the Comptroller and Auditor General of India's (CAG) findings, which raised serious questions about the Bihar government’s financial management.​

According to the CAG report, utilisation certificates amounting to Rs 70,877.61 crore were not submitted within the stipulated time.​

“If the treasury is empty, someone must be responsible,” Saurabh alleged. “The CAG itself says there is no proper account of Rs 70,000 crore. Money has been looted, and then excuses are being made.”​

The issue is expected to intensify political confrontation inside and outside the Bihar Assembly in the coming days.

Source: IANS