Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced a substantial top-up of up to Rs 2 lakh for select women under the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, a scheme aimed at promoting women’s self-employment in the state.
Under the scheme, every eligible woman receives an initial financial aid of Rs 10,000, which she can use to start self-employment initiatives. The newly announced top-up, however, will be granted only after a six-month performance assessment of how the initial amount was utilized. “Action has been initiated to provide additional financial assistance of up to Rs 2 lakh to selected beneficiaries. The amount will be given in phases, provided that the previously given funds have been properly utilized for employment purposes,” Nitish Kumar stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The Chief Minister also highlighted that women whose initiatives perform well could receive the top-up as a lump sum, depending on their requirements. To be eligible, the self-employment ventures must align with government programs such as the Sudha Sales Centres and Didi Ki Rasoi Yojana.
So far, 1.56 crore women have received the initial Rs 10,000 aid directly through the DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) route. This scheme has been part of Nitish Kumar’s broader agenda to empower women, especially in the context of prohibition introduced in the state, which was seen as beneficial to female beneficiaries.
The Rs 10,000 aid had earlier sparked criticism from rival parties during the November 2025 Bihar elections, with allegations of attempts to influence voters. Despite the controversy, JD(U) secured a sweeping victory, winning 85 seats, 42 more than in the 2015 assembly elections.
The new top-up is expected to further encourage women entrepreneurs, support self-employment, and strengthen Bihar’s focus on women-led economic initiatives.
