Bihar polls: Tejashwi promises to double allowances of panchayat representatives

Tejashwi Prasad Yadav has also promised to give ₹50 lakh as assistance for specific EBC groups for enhancing their skills and profession

PATNA: Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, the INDIA bloc’s chief ministerial face in Bihar, on Sunday announced that the allowances of panchayat raj representatives, including those elected from gram kutcheries (village courts), would be doubled and former panchayat representatives would get pension, if the alliance comes to power in the state.

Tejashwi Prasad Yadav (File)

“The panchayat raj representatives of three tier panchayat raj institutions ( PRIs) have long demanded a hike in their allowances.We will double their allowances including that of those from gram kutheries. We will also give an insurance coverage of ₹50 lakh to panchayat raj representatives, if voted to power,” said Yadav while addressing a presser with ally VIkasheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief, Mukesh Sahani.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly also announced that caste groups like Lohar, Nai and Kumhar, all from extremely backward caste community (EBC) having specific professions, would get ₹50 lakh as assistance money for enhancing their skills and profession, if the INDIA bloc comes to power.

“This scheme would be exclusively meant for Nai (those in the hair cutting profession), Lohar (iron smiths) and Kumhar (potters) to purchase equipment and also start self employment. They will get ₹50 lakh in five years,” Yadav said.

The opposition leader’s bid to hike the allowances of PRI representatives, who comprise around 2.47 lakh in Bihar, is seen as a strategic move to woo the local self government elected public representatives who have a considerable clout in 8,400 panchayats at the grass root level. “We will implement the resolution passed for panchayat raj representatives during the RJD rule led by former chief minister Rabri Devi. The former panchayat representatives would also get pension, as applicable in other states,” said Yadav.

Poll observes find that the promise of giving ₹50 lakh to Lohar, Nai and Kumhars is aimed at wooing the specific EBC caste groups in the INDIA bloc this time and make a dent in the EBC votebank of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

“The idea of promising financial assistance to specific caste groups of EBCs is to woo them in the INDIA bloc as these caste groups are all silent voters and have a sizeable vote bank in almost all 243 assembly segments. The NDA has received poll dividends with their support and the RJD wants a slice of this vote bank this time,” said R Tiwary, a poll observer in Patna.

Yadav also promised that public distribution shop dealers would also get higher margin money per quintal on foodgrains, as they have long been demanding higher margin money in their business. “The PDS dealers would also get honorarium,”Yadav said.

Yadav also attacked the NDA, especially the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over allegedly failing to set up industries and Special Economic Zones( SEZs) in Bihar and in putting the state in the industrial map of the country. “Union home minister Amit Shah has gone on record as to how there is a problem of land availability to set up big industries in Bihar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government has given industrial push to Gujarat while Bihar has only got hollow promises in the last 20 years,” Yadav said.

He also claimed that the state was already in a mood for change in government, highlighting how he was getting overwhelming support from people at his rallies. “I am telling people that I only need 20 months to bring in new reforms in Bihar. The present dispensation of NDA for the last 20 years has just become like stagnant water, which gives foul odour,” said Yadav.