With only four days left before the first phase of voting in the Bihar Assembly elections, political parties have already unveiled their manifestos. The opposition Grand Alliance, led by Tejashwi Yadav, released its manifesto titled “Tejashwi Pranab” four days ago. Yesterday, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) followed suit, launching its “Sankalp Patra” in Patna.
Manifestos play a vital role in a democracy as they lay out a party’s policies and vision. However, over the past fifteen years or so, the nature of these documents has shifted noticeably — from policy-based frameworks to populist packages filled with promises. Today’s manifestos often appear to compete in offering the most extravagant commitments, with parties pledging to deliver what might once have seemed impossible.
In principle, democracy ensures that whatever benefits citizens receive are their lawful rights. Yet, in recent years, the growing practice of distributing “rewadis” — or freebies — has taken hold across India. This trend, which first gained traction in North India through the Aam Aadmi Party’s initiatives in Delhi, had long been seen in South India and has since spread across political lines.
In theory, the habit of doling out free benefits discourages productivity and weakens individual initiative. The old saying from rural India, “Muft ki cheez, be-dil dil,” — meaning “free goods, heartless hearts” — still holds true. A nation progresses only when its citizens contribute meaningfully to its economy. True democracy evolves into a welfare state only when it empowers citizens to work and earn according to their ability. When political parties prioritize handouts over empowerment, it fosters dependency rather than self-reliance.
In a genuine welfare state, it is indeed the duty of political leaders to extend financial support to the underprivileged, but this assistance should uplift them — not turn into charity. Support must be structured as a right that enables the poor to become productive members of society.
The NDA’s Sankalp Patra contains several such structured welfare measures. It proposes loans of up to ₹2 lakh for women from economically weaker backgrounds to help them start small businesses, with disbursement planned in installments. On the other hand, the opposition alliance has promised to ensure at least one government job per family — a significant pledge considering Bihar has around 27.6 million families, of which roughly 2.5 million already have employed members.
As the state heads into elections under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the NDA has also pledged to create one crore new jobs. Another flagship announcement promises to turn at least one crore women in Bihar into “Lakhpati Didis” — women earning over one lakh rupees annually. Recognizing that the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) make up about 36 percent of Bihar’s population, the NDA has promised to provide loans of up to ₹10 lakh to help people from this group become entrepreneurs.
Education is another major focus of the manifesto. The NDA has vowed to provide free education to every student from primary school to postgraduate level, along with monthly scholarships of ₹2,000 for Dalit students pursuing higher studies.
For farmers, the NDA plans to extend ₹3,000 per year for three years under the Karpoori Thakur Kisan Samman Nidhi to boost rural income. Every poor family will receive 125 units of free electricity, while medical coverage worth ₹5 lakh will be made available to all. Autorickshaw and taxi drivers are to be insured up to ₹4 lakh.
In terms of infrastructure, the manifesto outlines ambitious development goals. The government plans to grant “greenfield city” status to new Patna and its suburban areas, construct seven new expressways, and modernize 3,600 kilometers of railway lines. Four international airports are also planned — in Patna, Darbhanga, Purnia, and Bhagalpur — reflecting a vision for long-term economic growth and connectivity.
The Nitish Kumar government is promising to establish a manufacturing unit or factory in every district of Bihar and develop ten new industrial parks. Nitish Kumar’s government is also promising to bring in new investments worth ₹50 lakh crore to the state. A new spiritual city, Sitapuram, will be developed in Mithila region of Bihar. Bihar is rich in Jain and Buddhist sites, so corridors will be built to connect them and promote religious tourism. Furthermore, the Ganga and Ramayana circuits will also be developed. Broadly speaking, the NDA is promising to make Bihar unique. However, Bihar is a poor state with an annual budget of just over ₹3 lakh crore. Therefore, the government will also need to find ways to generate additional revenue. The NDA is also promising to build a film city in the state. To promote tourism, 100,000 homestays will be built, for which the government will provide risk-free loans. Overall, the NDA has attempted to improve its manifesto from Tejashwi’s promise. But it did not tell how many promises of the old manifesto it fulfilled in the last five years.
