Nitish Kumar's "Dashazari" Scheme: Empowerment Or Electoral Gambit?
- Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana (MMRY), or "dashazari," gives women entrepreneurs ₹10,000 initially.
- The question arouses is the ₹2.10 lakh scheme a true empowerment tool or an election-year strategy to consolidate the JD(U)'s women's vote bank?
The Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana (MMRY), a scheme introduced by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar just before the Bihar polls, has quickly become known by its popular moniker, "dashazari," referencing the initial ₹10,000 installment it provides. This employment-focused program, which offers a total of ₹2.10 lakh in installments to women entrepreneurs to start businesses like shops, stitching units, or beauty parlors, is proving highly popular on the ground.
Unlike most pre-poll cash dole schemes in other states, such as those offering unconditional direct benefit transfers (DBTs) for household support, the Bihar initiative is framed by the JD(U) as an "empowerment and cash dole hybrid" designed to promote entrepreneurship among women. A key requirement is that beneficiaries must be enrolled in the state government's JEEViKA self-help scheme.
Sources indicate the scheme was a calculated response to the trend of pre-poll financial incentives, particularly the RJD's promise of a ₹2,500 cash dole. Despite Nitish Kumar's historical aversion to simple cash handouts, the JD(U) functionary explained that the MMRY's productive, employment-oriented design aligns with his long-standing focus on women's empowerment, including measures like quotas in government jobs and education support.
Across multiple districts, beneficiaries are expressing gratitude and a strong intent to support Nitish Kumar, with many already planning how to use the full ₹2.10 lakh for business ventures. Their enthusiasm reflects not just the cash, but a feeling of being valued and empowered. However, the scheme has caused some societal discomfort, with certain men complaining that the increased financial independence has made women "arrogant" and disrupted the traditional "balance in homes." Despite this resistance, JD(U) leaders are confident the "dashazari" scheme will be a "gamechanger," consolidating their women's vote bank and integrating the vast JEEViKA network with the NDA's political base.
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