The Bihar government has publicly acknowledged a significant administrative mistake in its flagship Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, a scheme that deposits Rs 10,000 into the bank accounts of eligible women. However, state authorities have firmly stated that no coercive action will be taken to recover funds from those who received the money in error.
The Error and the Official Clarification
This clarification was issued after it was discovered that, since the scheme's launch two months prior to the Assembly elections, 470 differently-abled men had erroneously received the Rs 10,000 instalment. The scheme is specifically designed for women who are members of the Bihar government's Jeevika Self-Help Groups. So far, a total of 1.51 crore women have correctly benefited from the financial assistance.
Blaming the lapse on officials, Bihar Jeevika CEO Himanshu Pandey explained the mix-up. He stated that apart from the 11 lakh women's self-help groups, Jeevika also manages about 1,000 groups for divyang (disabled persons). It was within these groups that the error was detected. Pandey emphasized that the department identified the mistake on its own.
"When we run such a large scheme, such errors may happen. We detected it ourselves," Pandey said. He outlined the resolution process, noting that the primary option given to the male beneficiaries is to have the amount adjusted against a fresh application from an eligible woman in their own family.
Beneficiary Reactions and Political Fallout
Some of the men who received the money shared their initial apprehension and subsequent relief. Nagendra Ram from Darbhanga recounted how Jeevika officials approached them, causing initial panic. "But now, we are being told that any woman member can apply to adjust the amount. It is a relief," he said. Another beneficiary, Balram Sahani, mentioned he initially believed the payment was rightful for his self-help group and is now arranging for a female family member to apply.
The issue gained political traction after the Opposition, notably the RJD, alleged that poor people were being pressured to return the money. Following these allegations, Bihar Rural Development Minister Shravan Kumar sought a detailed report from Jeevika. RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari questioned the oversight, suggesting Jeevika might have been under "election pressure" to disburse funds hastily without proper verification of bank accounts.
Scheme's Impact and the Way Forward
The 'Dashazari' scheme, as it was popularly called during the election campaign, is widely considered a key factor in the NDA's massive victory, where the coalition secured 202 seats in the 243-member Assembly. The Opposition RJD and Congress had cited the scheme as a major reason for their electoral defeat.
CEO Pandey assured that apart from the 470 cases involving disabled men, other errors were minimal. He cited only "some stray instances" where money went into joint accounts shared with spouses, which was deemed acceptable. The government's stance remains focused on a non-punitive resolution, prioritizing adjustment over recovery to avoid hardship for the beneficiaries caught in the administrative error.
