Nitish Kumar Hikes Journalists' Pension to ₹15,000 Ahead of Bihar Polls; Spouses to Get ₹10,000

With Bihar gearing up for assembly elections, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has made a significant announcement for journalists. Under the Bihar Patrakar Samman Pension Yojana, the monthly pension for eligible retired journalists has been increased from ₹6,000 to ₹15,000.

Announcing the decision on social media platform X, Nitish Kumar also said that in case of a pensioner’s death, their spouse will now receive ₹10,000 per month—up from the previous ₹3,000.

“Journalists are the fourth pillar of democracy and play an important role in social development. We’ve always worked to ensure they can live with dignity after retirement,” Nitish posted.

More Journalists to Benefit

The number of journalists receiving pensions under the scheme has also been increased, though exact figures are yet to be released.

Other Welfare Moves Ahead of Elections

This comes in the backdrop of several populist measures announced by the Nitish government:

• Pension under the social security scheme for the elderly, widows, and the disabled has been raised from ₹400 to ₹1,100 per month

• Up to 125 units of free electricity for domestic users

With these moves, the CM appears to be consolidating support across key voter groups—including the media—just ahead of the crucial polls.