In a major decision ahead of the 2025 Bihar assembly elections, chief minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday announced a Rs 700 increase in social security pensions.
Sharing the announcement on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, the Bihar chief minister said under the revised scheme, beneficiaries, including senior citizens and persons with disabilities, would now receive Rs 1,100 per month instead of Rs 400 per month. The revised scheme would be implemented from July, he added.
“I am pleased to announce that under the social security pension scheme, widowed women, senior citizens and disabled people will now receive Rs 1,100 per month instead of Rs 400. All beneficiaries will get a pension at the increased rate from the month of July. It will be ensured that this amount is sent to the account of all beneficiaries on the 10th of the month. This will help 1 crore 9 lakh 69 thousand 255 beneficiaries,” Nitish Kumar wrote on X.
Assembly elections in Bihar are scheduled to be held in October-November this year and this decision is seen as a calculated effort to strengthen the chief minister’s support base among rural, elderly, women, and differently-abled voters.
Meanwhile, both the deputy chief ministers in Bihar welcomed the announcement. Deputy chief minister Samrat Choudhary lauded the decision, calling it a “historic day” for women, the elderly, and the differently-abled.
“The government has increased the pension from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100 for widows, the elderly, and differently-abled citizens. I thank chief minister Nitish Kumar for this step,” Choudhary said.
Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha also praised the move, saying the decision reflected the government’s commitment to fulfilling public demands, particularly those voiced during recent women-centric outreach events.
“This is a historic decision. The government has responded to the voices of the people, especially women, who raised this demand during public dialogues,” Sinha said.