This is in contrary to the earlier announcement of RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav to pay Rs 1500 as pension to old-aged people, physically challenged individuals and widowed women if RJD was voted to power.He had said that the amount paid by the State government was too meagre to meet the day-to-day expenses and had promised to increase it from the existing Rs 400 to Rs 1500 per month.Tejashwi’s announcement was seen as a major poll plank to woo voters.Reacting to Nitish’s announcement to hike the monthly pension, Tejashwi said that the RJD forced the government to increase the amount.“The Bihar government led by Nitish Kumar is merely coping our poll promises,” he asserted.To drive home his point, he said that he had promised to give 5 lakh government jobs during his tenure as deputy chief minister and he fulfilled the promise made to people.Later, Nitish Kumar tried to claim credit for the appointment and said that the appointments were made on his initiative. “The fact is that Nitish used to mock us earlier by asking where the funds would come to pay the salaries if five lakh vacant posts were filled. But we proved during the 17-month grand alliance government that it was possible to accomplish the task,” he remarked.In March this year, Tejashwi, who has been appointed as the convenor of the coordination committee of the Opposition INDIA bloc ahead of the much hyped Bihar assembly elections, had also announced to pay Rs 2,500 to people under the Mai-Bahin Samman Yojna.In addition, the RJD leader had promised to provide an LPG cylinder for Rs.. 500 and 200 units of electricity free.While Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) is a part of the BJP-led NDA, RJD and Congress are part of the Opposition INDIA bloc.With elections barely four to five months away, every political party in the State is making promises to woo the voters.
Source link
