- By Akansha Pandey
- Sat, 06 Sep 2025 12:57 PM (IST)
- Source:Jagran News Network
The issues of job creation and employment have become the central battleground for the upcoming Bihar elections, particularly for the state's vast youth demographic. As different sections of society evaluate the government's performance, both the ruling party and the opposition are locked in a contest over competing narratives and statistics regarding their efforts to secure the future of Bihar's youth.
The state government, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is making a concerted effort to highlight its achievements and future plans for employment. The core of their campaign includes:
An Ambitious New Target: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced a goal of creating 10 million government jobs and employment opportunities between 2025 and 2030, a promise that will be heavily scrutinized. This figure includes jobs created in the private sector.
Saat Nischay-2 Goals: Under the ongoing Saat Nischay-2 (Seven Resolves-2) program for 2020-25, the government had revised its initial target. The new goal was to provide 1.2 million government jobs and create 3.8 million employment opportunities. The government now reports it has already provided 1 million jobs and created 3.9 million employment opportunities, aiming to reach a total of 5 million by the end of this year.
Skill Development: To improve employability, the government is establishing the Karpoori Thakur Skill University. This will expand the skill development training currently offered under Saat Nischay-2 for the next five years.
Private Sector Incentives: The government is focusing on job creation in the service, IT, and manufacturing sectors. A new industrial investment package offers special assistance to companies that provide large-scale direct employment to Bihar's youth.
MukhyamantriMahila Rozgar Yojana: A key initiative is the newly approved women's employment scheme. Under this, one woman per family will receive Rs 10,000 in September to start a small business. After six months, based on performance, an additional Rs 200,000 in assistance will be provided. The government aims to empower women financially and will also help market their products.
The Opposition's Counter-Narrative
The opposition, led by the RJD, is challenging the government's claims and presenting its own case:
Claiming Credit: The RJD asserts that the recent surge in government hiring is a direct result of their influence and pressure, rather than the government's own initiative.
The 2020 Promise: They highlight Tejashwi Yadav's 2020 election promise of 1 million government jobs—a pledge the NDA had dismissed as impractical at the time.
Scrutiny of Past Schemes: The opposition plans to question the government's performance under the earlier Saat Nischay-1 (2015-2020) program. This includes scrutinizing the quality and completion rate of promised residential ITIs and polytechnic institutes, as well as the effectiveness of the Student Credit Card scheme.
Domicile Policy: The RJD's manifesto had called for an 85 per cent domicile policy in jobs. However, the government recently made its own decision on this policy, neutralizing a key issue previously championed by the RJD.
Key Facts and Figures
Recent Recruitment: The government recently appointed 21,391 police constables (June 2025) and 51,389 teachers (March 2025).
Future Hiring: The 2025-26 state budget includes provisions for 140,000 new government posts.
Youth Demographics: With 58-60 per cent of its population under the age of 25, Bihar has the largest youth demographic in India.
Unemployment Data: Bihar's recent unemployment rate is 3.4 per cent, slightly above the national average. Youth unemployment is particularly high in urban areas.
Financial Impact: Due to large-scale hiring, the state's revenue expenditure has increased by approximately 13-14 per cent.
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