RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav announced a monthly salary of Rs 30,000 for Jeevika Community Mobiliser Didis, along with a waiver of interest on their existing loans.
The announcement comes ahead of the Bihar elections on November 6 and 11, with results to be declared on November 14.
Ahead of Bihar elections, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday announced a monthly salary of Rs 30,000 for Jeevika CM (Community Mobilisers) Didis, adding that the interest on the loans taken by Jeevika Didis will also be waived off.
Yadav also mentioned that for the next two years, Jeevika Didis will be given interest-free credit. Jeevika Didis will also be given an additional Rs 2,000 allowance. “All Jeevika Didis will get insurance worth Rs 5 lakh..." he said.
"They distributed Rs 10,000 under the Mai Bahin Maan Yojana for the women of Bihar, which is a bribe. This is a loan, Amit Shah himself said it. This means that they will recover this money. Today, we are going to make another historic announcement,” he said.
The program for Jeevika Didis was introduced in 2007 under the World Bank supported Bihar Rural Livelihoods Project (BRLP) in six districts of the state, and presently operates in 34,043 villages across 534 blocks and 38 districts of Bihar.
"The program involves mobilization of women into affinity-based Self-Help Groups, commodity specific producer groups and higher federations. These community institutions enable collective capacity building, improved access to finance and public services and direct linkage to markets," as per the Bihar government's statement.
Yadav mentioned that any work that happens in villages or cities is not possible without Jeevika Didis. "However, they don't get anything. This is why it is our responsibility since this government doesn't cater to them. The suffering of people doesn't affect the corrupt officials and government."
He stated that the Jeevika Didis will be provided with an additional allowance of Rs 2,000, and the government will ensure insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh for all their cadres.
The announcement was made before Bihar polls, which are scheduled to be held on November 6 and 11. The results will be declared on November 14.
(with inputs from The Economic Times)
