Overview
- On October 3, Nitish Kumar transferred Rs 2,500 crore to 25 lakh beneficiaries, taking total payouts to Rs 10,000 crore for one crore women.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the programme on September 26 and initiated transfers to 75 lakh women.
- One eligible woman per family receives an initial Rs 10,000, with potential follow-on support up to Rs 2 lakh for enterprises that show results.
- The rollout comes just before the Bihar Assembly elections, with the chief minister appealing to women voters and opposition parties calling the cash transfers an open bribe.
- Beneficiaries report plans to start or expand small businesses, and the government says weekly transfers will continue until all eligible women are covered.