22

Oct

Bihar Polls: Citizens’ Manifesto For Inclusive Growth and Justice

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Syed Khaleeq Ahmed

New Delhi | Wednesday | 22 October 2025

In a powerful assertion of people-driven politics, the Bihar Democratic Forum (BDF) has unveiled its Citizens’ Manifesto for the 2025 Assembly Elections, laying out an ambitious blueprint to transform Bihar into a state of equity, opportunity, and transparent governance.

The manifesto, released at a modest ceremony in Patna, is being hailed as one of the most comprehensive alternative policy documents to emerge ahead of the elections. It covers ten key sectors — from education, employment, and women’s rights to health, agriculture, and governance — all anchored in a vision of social justice and sustainable development.

The BDF, a collective of civil society groups, academics, and activists, says the manifesto reflects citizens’ aspirations rather than political rhetoric. It attempts to give voice to Bihar’s marginalized — Dalits, minorities, women, youth, and migrant workers — who, it argues, have long been left out of the state’s growth story.

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Economic Empowerment and Jobs First

The manifesto opens with a sharp focus on livelihoods and inclusion. It calls for reviving the Alpasankhyak Rojgar Rin Yojana, an interest-free microfinance programme through the Bihar State Minorities Finance Corporation, with an annual budget of ₹500 crore to promote entrepreneurship among minorities and informal workers.

To tackle chronic unemployment, the BDF proposes an Apprenticeship and Skill Voucher Scheme tied to MSMEs, offering training and job placement for young workers. For gig and informal labourers — particularly women — it demands legal protection covering working hours, safety, and fair wages.

“These measures,” the BDF notes, “aim to build a safety net for the millions who keep Bihar’s economy running without recognition or rights.”

 

Article at a Glance
The Bihar Democratic Forum (BDF) has released its Citizens’ Manifesto 2025, presenting a people-centric roadmap for transforming Bihar through equity, opportunity, and transparent governance. Covering ten major sectors — education, jobs, women’s rights, health, and governance — the manifesto prioritizes economic empowerment, proposing schemes like an interest-free ₹500 crore microfinance program and an Apprenticeship & Skill Voucher Scheme for youth.
It ensures free schooling up to Class 12, 2.5 lakh teacher appointments, free coaching, and scholarships for girls. The Mahila Swabhiman Yojana offers ₹1,000 monthly aid to poor women, alongside 50% job reservation and 100 fast-track courts for gender justice. Emphasizing social justice, it demands a caste census, a Nyay Budget for marginalized groups, and land reforms.
It also promises clean governance, rural housing, universal drinking water by 2028, and healthcare as a right with free medicines and diagnostics. Celebrating Bihar’s diversity, the BDF envisions a “New Bihar” rooted in justice, dignity, and citizen partnership.
 

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Education and Youth at the Core

Education and youth empowerment form the backbone of the manifesto. The proposed Shiksha Adhikar Guarantee pledges free and compulsory schooling up to Class 12, with improved infrastructure and quality teaching.

The BDF promises to fill 2.5 lakh vacant teacher posts within a year and set up one English-medium model school in every block. Residential schools for SC, ST, and minority students, modernization of madrasas, and separate hostels for boys and girls in minority areas are part of its inclusion strategy.

To prepare young people for higher education and jobs, the manifesto offers free coaching for UPSC, BPSC, JEE, and NEET aspirants from disadvantaged communities. Class 12 graduates would receive free laptops and internet access, while girls pursuing higher studies would get ₹1 lakh scholarships.

A revamped Student Credit Card Scheme with a ₹6 lakh limit, and libraries in every panchayat and ward, aim to build what the BDF calls a “knowledge ecosystem for social mobility.”

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Women at the Centre of Change

Positioning women as central to Bihar’s transformation, the Citizens’ Manifesto proposes the Mahila Swabhiman Yojana — ₹1,000 monthly support for women heads of Below Poverty Line households. It also seeks 50% reservation for women in all government jobs and local governance bodies.

On safety and justice, the BDF calls for 100 fast-track courts headed by women judges to expedite gender-based violence cases. It proposes expanding Self-Help Groups (SHGs) by five lakh, providing them direct access to state funding.

Additional measures include hostels, scholarships, and housing support for widows, single, and abandoned women, as well as legal and financial aid for victims of domestic or communal violence.

“The manifesto treats women not as beneficiaries,” says a BDF spokesperson, “but as decision-makers and drivers of Bihar’s growth.”

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Social Justice and Equity Framework

Caste and community inclusion remain at the heart of the manifesto’s political vision. The BDF calls for an updated caste census to guide policy planning and welfare distribution. A Nyay Budget Framework would earmark funds specifically for Dalits, Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), and Pasmanda Muslims.

For minorities, the manifesto proposes designating Minority Concentrated Districts to ensure fair resource distribution, establishing SITs with minority representation to investigate mob lynching, and opposing the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025.

It also emphasizes protection of burial grounds and heritage sites, promotion of Urdu, modernization of madrasas, and support for traditional artisans.

A proposed Land Redistribution Commission would identify and distribute surplus land to landless Dalits, Adivasis, and Muslims — reviving Bihar’s long-stalled land reform agenda.

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Clean Governance and Smart Infrastructure

The manifesto takes direct aim at corruption and inefficiency. It calls for all government tenders above ₹10 lakh to be made public online and monitored by an independent Anti-Corruption Construction Watchdog with citizen oversight.

A third-party audit of rural infrastructure projects from the last decade is proposed to ensure accountability. Urban development will focus on Smart Villages — with digital connectivity, waste management, and piped water.

Under an expanded Gramin Awas Yojana Plus, the BDF promises 10 lakh new rural homes for Dalit, Muslim, and EBC families. It also pledges clean drinking water for every household by 2028 — an ambitious but measurable target.

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Health and Rural Welfare

Declaring healthcare a basic right, the BDF promises free medicines and diagnostics in all government hospitals and a complete revamp of Primary and Community Health Centres within three years.

Every panchayat would get at least one ambulance, and urban slums would see new health clinics. A Women’s Health Fund would support menstrual hygiene, maternal care, and mobile health vans to reach remote villages.

In the rural sector, the manifesto advocates a Minimum Support Price (MSP) Guarantee for major crops, loan waivers for small farmers, and legal recognition for sharecroppers. Free electricity for irrigation and dairies, support for agro-based industries, and subsidies for dairy farmers form part of its rural development push.

A Migrant Worker Welfare Fund would provide ₹5,000 monthly during off-seasons, while 50 Kisan Urban Markets with cold storage facilities would link farmers directly to consumers.

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Democracy, Culture, and Identity

On governance, the BDF urges stronger panchayati raj institutions, expanded use of the Right to Information (RTI), and reforms in police and judiciary to eliminate custodial torture. Journalists, including freelancers, would receive official ID cards and legal protection.

The manifesto also seeks to celebrate Bihar’s cultural diversity — promoting Bhojpuri, Maithili, Magahi, Angika, and Urdu in schools and administration. It proposes cultural centres, youth art fellowships, and heritage-based tourism development, particularly highlighting sites linked to Dalit, Adivasi, and minority histories.

Sports development, too, gets a nod, with youth hostels and sports complexes for hockey, football, and wrestling in every district, and fellowships for SC/ST, minority, and women athletes.

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A People’s Charter for a New Bihar

More than a political document, the Citizens’ Manifesto positions itself as a people’s charter for justice, dignity, and opportunity. It reflects the growing demand for accountable governance and equitable growth in one of India’s most politically dynamic states.

By combining economic inclusion with social reform and civic accountability, the manifesto envisions a Bihar that can reclaim its historic legacy as a centre of learning, labour, and cultural pride.

“Bihar doesn’t just need promises,” a BDF statement reads, “it needs a partnership between citizens and the state — built on trust, justice, and opportunity for all.”( A senior journalist and a minority rights campaigner , Syed Khaleeq Ahmed is Editor of India Tomorrow)

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