Cash Recovery Notices Under Bihar CM Women’s Employment Scheme Trigger Political Storm

Patna: A political storm has erupted in Bihar after residents in Darbhanga received official notices asking them to return 10,000 rupees that was erroneously credited to their bank accounts under the Chief Minister Women’s Employment Scheme — a controversial cash transfer program rolled out in the run‑up to the 2025 state assembly elections that has come under heavy criticism from opposition parties.

The letters, issued by the Block Project Implementation Unit (BPIU) of the Bihar Rural Livelihood Promotion Society (Jeevika) in Jale block, stated that due to a “technical error” payments intended for female members of self‑help groups were mistakenly credited to male recipients’ accounts. Recipients, including Shri Naulis Kumar of Ahiari village, were asked to deposit the funds back into a designated holding account and provide proof of payment — a demand that has ignited political backlash and public outrage.

Last Saturday, Rashtriya Janata Da (RJD) alleged that the Bihar government wrongly transferred money to the bank accounts of several men under the scheme meant exclusively for women. According to reports by several media, opposition parties have seized on the recovery notices as evidence that the ruling BJP‑led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) used public funds as de facto election inducements.

Pre‑Election Cash Transfers Under Fire

The Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana — launched in late September with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar presiding over the rollout — provided direct transfers of 10,000 rupees each to millions of women to boost self‑employment and entrepreneurship. Large tranches went out in late September and October, including after the Model Code of Conduct was in force, prompting formal complaints from the RJD over potential violations of electoral code of conduct.

Prashant Kishorand his party Jan Suraaj Party also made allegations and described the cash transfers as “state‑sponsored bribery”.

Government Response and Public Reaction

According to a report by Times of India, state officials have defended the program’s intent, calling it a legitimate welfare initiative aimed at women’s economic empowerment. Local authorities said the errors that led to mistaken transfers were technical in nature and that recovery notices were issued as standard procedure.

Several recipients — particularly in Darbhanga’s Jale block — have reportedly refused to return the money, with villagers defiantly saying, “return our votes first."