Bihar Elections 2025: How NDA, Mahagathbandhan manifestos compare on jobs, women, infra and more
The NDA and Mahagathbandhan have presented their manifestos for the upcoming Bihar elections, each highlighting a core focus on employment, welfare, and governance reforms. Both manifestos aim to address key issues facing the state as the election date approaches.
The NDA's manifesto lists commitments to create jobs, foster industrial growth, and upgrade state infrastructure. These initiatives are positioned as central to their plans for Bihar’s development during the next government term.
The Mahagathbandhan’s manifesto, in contrast, places a strong emphasis on employment generation, welfare programmes, and governance improvement. Its roadmap sets out priorities to address unemployment and enhance public welfare systems in the state.
Bihar elections 2025: Key points to know about NDA, Mahagathbandhan manifestos
Key issues
NDA
Mahagathbandhan
Youth and jobs
Create over 1 crore government jobs through government and private opportunities, skill census, and mega centres in every district.
Developing mega skill centres in every district into global skilling centres to create a Global Skill Hub in Bihar.
A law to be passed within 20 days of forming the government, guaranteeing at least one government job for one member of every family in the state
Job distribution process to begin within 20 months
The Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for government employees would be restored
Abolition of examination and form fees for competitive tests
Provision of free travel for candidates to and frome exam centres
Preference for Bihar residents in employment through a domicile policy
Regularising contractual and outsourced employees
Women empowerment
Providing financial assistance of up to ₹2 lakh to women under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana for starting their businesses.
Creating over 1 crore Lakhpati Didis (women earning over ₹1 lakh per annum).
Launch Mission Crorepati to help successful women entrepreneurs scale their ventures.
Under the Mai-Bahin Maan Yojana, women would receive a financial aid of ₹2,500 per month for 5 years
Under the Jeevika Didis scheme, all Jeevika community mobilisers would be made permanent government employees with a monthly salary of ₹30,000. They would also get debt relief, a monthly allowance for additional work, and interest-free loans for 2 years.
Establishing a women's college in every sub-division and new degree colleges in 136 blocks that currently lack one.
Agriculture
Introducing the Karpoori Thakur Kisan Samman Nidhi to provide farmers with an annual benefit of ₹9,000 (₹3,000 per crop season)
Ensure minimum support price (MSP) for all key crops and open procurement centres at every panchayat level
The manifesto pledges ₹1 lakh crore investment in agricultural infrastructure, including irrigation, warehouses, and food processing units
Aim to double agricultural exports through the Made in Bihar scheme
Launch the Bihar Milk Mission and Fisheries Mission to boost the rural economy
Raising the daily wage under MGNREGA from ₹255 to ₹300 and doubling the total days of employment promised from 100 to 200
Reviving the local market/mandi system and restoring the APMC Act
Guaranteeing the procurement of all crops at the Minimum Support Price (MSP)
Focus on EBCs
Provide up to ₹10 lakh assistance for EBC category students for higher education
Provide ₹10 lakh financial assistance to professional groups belonging to the extremely backward classes (EBCs) category
Form a high-level committee, headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, to assess the socio-economic conditions of EBCs and recommend empowerment strategies
Increase the reservation for EBCs in panchayats and urban bodies from 20 per cent to 30 per cent
Increase in reservation for SC/STs from 16 per cent to 20 per cent
Bring in the 'Most Backward Classes Atrocity Prevention Act'
A scholarship scheme to fund 200 SC/ST students for higher studies abroad every year
Gig workers
Financial help and skill development for gig workers and auto drivers
Labour census to help workers with financial help and skill training
Industrial development
Set up 10 new industrial parks and a modern manufacturing unit/factory in every district
Establish 100 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) parks and support more than 50,000 cottage industries
The manifesto also laid out plans to set up chipset, semiconductor, and manufacturing parks, along with a defense corridor
Attract investments of ₹50 lakh crore in 5 years to build Bihar into a global backend and tech hub
₹5 lakh interest-free assistance for 5 years for traditional occupational groups such as barbers, potters, carpenters, gardeners, blacksmiths, and cobblers
Proposal for IT parks and Special Economic Zones
Development of dairy-based, agro-based, food processing and tourism ventures
Infra push
Implement the Bihar Gati Shakti Master Plan with 7 new expressways, 3,600 km modern rail tracks, as well as Amrit Bharat and NaMo Rapid Rail services
Introducing metro train services in 4 more cities
Build a new greenfield airport near Patna and upgrade existing airports like Darbhanga, Bhagalpur, and Purnea to international standards
Building an Educational City spanning 2,000 acres
Constructing 5 new expressways
New industry clusters were also proposed
Education
Ensure free education from KG to PG for children from poor families
Set up 'Education Cities' with AI training and digital labs
Financial aid of ₹2,000 per month for SC/ST students pursuing higher education
Set up residential schools for SC/ST students in every division
Abolishing exam fees for competitive tests and providing free travel to and from exam centres
Opening women's colleges in every sub-division and new degree colleges in 136 blocks
Healthcare
Provide free treatment up to ₹5 lakh (as part of the 'Panchamrit guarantees for the poor)
Establishing a world-class medicity
Set up one medical college in each district
Free health insurance of up to ₹10 lakh for every individual under the Jan Swasthya Suraksha Yojana
