CHENNAI: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav announced on Wednesday (Oct 22) that if the INDIA bloc wins the upcoming Bihar assembly elections and forms the government, his administration will regularise all contractual and outsourced workers in state government departments and make them permanent employees.
He also promised that around two lakh community mobilisers working under the state’s Jeevika livelihood programme—popularly known as “Jeevika Didis”—would be granted permanent government status, with their monthly pay raised to Rs 30,000.
Talking to reporters, Yadav said that interests on loans which 'Jeevika Didis' have taken will be waived if the INDIA bloc comes to power in the state.
The Bihar government runs the World Bank-supported Bihar Rural Livelihoods Project (BRLP), known as 'Jeevika', aimed at empowering the rural poor socially and economically. Women involved in the project are called 'Jeevika Didis'.
Political context
The announcement comes amid a highly competitive election campaign in Bihar, where job security and welfare for low-paid government workers have emerged as key voter concerns. Tejashwi described his pledge as part of a larger plan to reduce the “mental, physical and financial stress” faced by contractual staff, linking it to his broader promise of providing one government job per family.
The move appears aimed at families struggling with irregular employment and rising living costs. The NDA leadership criticised the pledge as a populist “pre-poll lure,” while RJD supporters defended it as an overdue step to address long-standing employment inequities.
Why RJD is making this promise
Vote mobilisation and deliverable politics: Regularising contractual employees targets a large and clearly defined voter base—the thousands of state workers and their families whose livelihoods depend on temporary contracts. By offering job security, the RJD hopes to convert this economic insecurity into direct political support, especially in semi-urban and rural constituencies where such positions are common.
The announcement also carries gendered significance, as many Jeevika Didis are women working in rural development. By promising permanent status and higher pay for them, Tejashwi is appealing to a key section of female voters and community networks.
Political positioning against the NDA: Through this promise, Tejashwi seeks to contrast his approach with that of the current state government, projecting the RJD as a pro-labour and socially responsible alternative. He has accused the ruling alliance of copying ideas originally put forward by the opposition and framed his proposal not as populism but as “justice” for workers.
Feasibility and fiscal implications
Implementing such large-scale regularisation and salary hikes would have significant financial consequences for the state. Making contractual workers permanent would expand the government’s wage bill, including pensions, provident fund contributions, and other benefits.
Financing this would likely require budget reallocations, additional borrowing, or greater central assistance. Bihar already manages several welfare programmes, and while such measures are politically attractive, they could put pressure on state finances if not rolled out gradually with clear revenue plans.
Legal and administrative hurdles
Beyond the fiscal challenge, the proposal also involves legal and administrative complexities. Courts have in the past questioned blanket regularisations that bypass standard recruitment procedures or reservation rules. Departments would need to review existing contractual positions, verify eligibility, and either create sanctioned permanent posts or conduct special absorption drives—processes that could be time-consuming and prone to legal disputes.
Opposition response and electoral impact
NDA leaders dismissed Tejashwi’s announcement as unrealistic and accused the RJD of misleading voters. However, political observers note that the promise could resonate with a large section of government workers, their families, and the Jeevika community, potentially influencing voter turnout in key constituencies.
Tejashwi Yadav’s pledge to regularise contractual state employees and raise Jeevika workers’ pay represents a bold election promise that directly addresses job insecurity—one of Bihar’s most pressing social issues. The proposal is politically powerful but financially demanding and administratively complex.
If implemented, it would mark a major shift in Bihar’s employment structure, but its success would depend on careful planning, transparent procedures, and fiscal discipline. For now, the promise has added fresh momentum to the RJD’s campaign narrative and sharpened the employment debate ahead of the polls.
The 243-member Bihar Assembly will go to polls on November 6 and 11, and counting of votes will take place on November 14.
