In a significant move ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday morning announced a substantial hike in the incentive amounts given to ASHA and Mamta workers across the state. These frontline healthcare workers, who play a crucial role in delivering health services in rural Bihar, will now receive increased financial support in recognition of their service. ASHA workers will be given an incentive amount of ₹3,000, a threefold increase from the earlier ₹1,000. Mamta workers, who assist in deliveries and maternal care, will now receive ₹600 per delivery instead of the earlier ₹300.
The Chief Minister made this announcement through a post on social media platform X, stating that the decision is aimed at boosting the morale of healthcare workers and strengthening rural health services. He also emphasized that since the formation of his government in 2005, a strong focus has been placed on improving the state’s healthcare infrastructure, with ASHA and Mamta workers being instrumental in this progress.
This announcement is the latest in a series of welfare measures rolled out by the Bihar government in recent days, which are widely viewed as part of a pre-election push. On July 26, Nitish Kumar had announced a hike in the monthly pension for journalists under the Bihar Patrakaar Samman Pension Scheme.
The pension has been increased from ₹6,000 to ₹15,000 per month. In addition, in the event of a journalist’s death, their widow will now receive a lifetime pension of ₹10,000 per month, compared to the earlier ₹3,000. The Chief Minister also announced an increase in monthly pensions for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and widows. These beneficiaries will now receive ₹1,100 per month, a significant jump from the previous ₹400.
Further expanding on welfare initiatives, Nitish Kumar declared that from August 1, 2025, electricity consumers in the state will receive up to 125 units of power free of cost. The scheme will be applicable from the July billing cycle, ensuring that households begin receiving the benefit immediately. The Bihar government has also made an ambitious promise of providing one crore government jobs and employment opportunities over the next five years, targeting youth and job-seekers across urban and rural areas.
Additionally, the state government has announced the creation of a 'Safai Karmachari Commission', which will work towards the protection, rehabilitation, welfare, and social upliftment of sanitation workers in Bihar. This move is being viewed as a step towards institutional support for a community that often works in challenging conditions with limited recognition.
These sweeping announcements come as Bihar gears up for its next Legislative Assembly election, scheduled for October or November 2025. The election will cover all 243 assembly constituencies in the state. The last assembly election was held in October–November 2020, following which the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) formed the government with Nitish Kumar as Chief Minister. However, Bihar’s political landscape has seen significant shifts since then. In August 2022, Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) severed ties with the NDA and joined hands with the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan to form a new government. But in a dramatic turn of events in January 2024, Nitish Kumar once again exited the Mahagathbandhan and returned to the NDA fold, re-forming the government with the BJP-led alliance. As the state approaches yet another election season, the recent slew of announcements suggests that Nitish Kumar is preparing to consolidate his position among key voter bases, especially women, health workers, the elderly, and rural populations.
