‘Tejashwi Pran’: Will Voters Buy Into INDIA Bloc’s Tall Promises For Bihar

One government job per family, ₹2,500 monthly aid for women, universal healthcare, and major education reforms: these are some of the promises made by the INDIA bloc in its 32-page manifesto.

With Bihar’s assembly elections set to take place on November 6 and 11, the INDIA bloc has tried to attract voters by pledging reforms in education and job creation, and promising technological upgrades such as AI-enabled learning. Released on October 28, titled 'Tejashwi Pran' (Tejashwi's Vow), it aimed to tackle some of the biggest problems plaguing the state. 

It was released at a joint press conference by leaders of the Mahagathbandhan parties including the Congress, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation [CPI(ML)], the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) and the Indian Inclusive Party. 

Tejashwi Yadav said, “Not only do we have to form the government in Bihar, we also have to make a new Bihar... The Mahagathbandhan alliance has released the Sankalp Patra for Bihar.” 

“We have a vision for the state and a roadmap for its growth. It (the manifesto) can also be called the ‘Tejashwi Pran Patra’ (Tejashwi’s resolution document),” he told reporters.

Here’s a look at what has been promised in the 17-point document:

Youth and Employment

The INDIA bloc, led by the RJD, has formulated youth employment schemes intending to stop massive labour migration out of the state. It promises swift and sweeping action to tackle unemployment. 

Within 20 days of coming to power, the alliance pledges to ensure one government job for every family in the state, aiming to employ 1.25 crore people over its full term, with preference to Bihar domiciles. Unemployed graduates and postgraduates will receive monthly stipends of ₹2,000 and ₹3,000, while contract workers and those in emergency services will have their jobs regularised.

The manifesto also promises to curb corruption and irregularities in recruitment, vowing strict action against paper leaks, merit list tampering, and bribery. Outsourcing in government departments will be phased out. 

At the same time, new opportunities will be created in education, healthcare, IT, sustainable energy, food processing, logistics, and tourism, with hiring based purely on skill and merit.

To connect youth with these opportunities and make information more accessible, the bloc plans to launch a ‘Bihar Job Connect App’ featuring real-time job listings, skill matching, and internship opportunities with stipends in government organisations. It also promises fee waivers for students appearing in competitive exams and the creation of at least 300 jobs in every panchayat under the MSME scheme. 

Accessible Healthcare

The INDIA bloc has pledged to make healthcare universal and affordable through a new Public Health Security Scheme, offering free insurance coverage of up to ₹25 lakh for poor and middle-class families. Government hospitals will provide free treatment and medicines, with upgraded ICUs, maternity wards, and diagnostic centres. The alliance also plans to set up super-speciality hospitals for cancer, heart, kidney, and neurological diseases, establish emergency ICUs in every district, and expand medical education through new postgraduate and paramedical institutes.

To strengthen access in rural areas, the manifesto promises mobile clinics, panchayat-level health centres, and telemedicine networks, ensuring round-the-clock services even in remote regions. Free ambulances will be deployed in every block, while the “Mukhya Aahar” programme will supply nutritious meals to malnourished women and children. The bloc says no one will be denied treatment due to financial hardship, and if government facilities fall short, private hospital care and transport costs will be fully covered by the state.

Women Schemes

The "Mai-Bahin Maan Yojana", which is part of the manifesto, will give women ₹2,500 a month beginning on December 1, or ₹30,000 a year for five years.

In addition, it offers free health insurance up to ₹25 lakh per person, a pension of ₹1,500 per month for elderly people and widows (with an annual rise of ₹200), and ₹ 3,000 for people with disabilities.

Jeevika Didis will gain government employee status, a ₹30,000 monthly salary, insurance, pension benefits, and interest-free loan waivers.

It also promises free health insurance of up to ₹25 lakh per person, ₹1,500 monthly pension for widows and senior citizens (with a yearly ₹200 increase), and ₹3,000 for persons with disabilities. 

EBCs, Farmers and Other Minorities 

In panchayats and local authorities, the INDIA alliance has pledged to raise the quotas for tribal people, Dalits, and Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs). In addition, the manifesto called for the establishment of five new state motorways, information technology parks, special economic zones, dairy and agro-based enterprises, and an education city.

The Mahagathbandhan said it would guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for all crops, revive local markets and mandis, and ensure effective implementation of welfare schemes for Dalits, backward classes, and minorities.

It vowed to defend the constitutional rights of all minority populations and oppose any "unconstitutional law" imposed by the Centre.  According to the alliance, the Waqf Amendment Bill will be postponed, Waqf property management will be made more beneficial and welfare-oriented through transparency, and the management of Buddhist temples in Bodh Gaya will be turned over to the local Buddhist community.

The INDIA bloc has also promised to lift the ban on toddy in the state, which has had prohibition of alcohol since 2016, in the interest of farmers, and increase MGNREGA wages to ₹300 from ₹255 and the number of workdays to 200 from 100.

Education System

The alliance will review the Central Government’s NEP 2020 and draft an alternative education policy focused on equity and quality. Public schools will be strengthened, smart classrooms and digital boards introduced, and teachers freed from non-academic duties to focus on teaching.

Access to higher education will be expanded through 100 new colleges, model universities in every division, and a dedicated women’s university. Residential schools will be built for orphans and children of migrant labourers, while Navodaya-type schools will open across divisions. 

Scholarships for SC, ST, OBC, and minority students will be increased, and hostels constructed for both boys and girls. The student credit card limit will rise from ₹4 lakh to ₹8 lakh — and up to ₹25 lakh for disadvantaged groups, to support study in India and abroad.

The bloc also promises free uniforms and textbooks for all, strict regulation of private school fees, and legal action against paper leaks and corruption in education. Patna University will be upgraded to a central university, and new institutions in AI, robotics, data science, medicine, agriculture, and renewable energy will be established. 

Non-academic tasks assigned to teachers will be stopped. Along with the recruitment of teachers in madrassas, modern scientific and intellectual education will also be introduced to help integrate students into mainstream education.

People With Disabilities 

The INDIA bloc has pledged a comprehensive “Welfare Programme for People with Disabilities” to ensure a life of dignity, opportunity, and inclusion of PwDs of Bihar. The scheme will introduce special reservations in government jobs, a monthly pension of ₹3,000, and easy-access loans to help individuals start or expand small businesses. Dedicated housing schemes and assistive equipment will also be provided to improve living conditions.

To boost education and skills, the manifesto promises national-level residential coaching centres and specialised training institutions offering technical and professional courses. 

The bloc has further committed to creating a separate Department for People with Disabilities, along with a “Disability Mitra” in every panchayat to assist citizens in accessing welfare benefits. 

Insurance coverage and dedicated sports facilities for Paralympic athletes from Bihar will be introduced, ensuring equal support and recognition across all fields.