Bihar: Social welfare schemes

Bihar's welfare schemes are run mainly by three departments: Social Welfare, Backward Classes and Extremely Backward Classes (BC & EBC) Welfare, and Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (SC & ST) Welfare. All three got their present roles in 2007. The state also runs the Mukhyamantri Vridhjan Pension Yojana, which pays ₹1100 a month to senior citizens.

Social Welfare Department

• Works for the upliftment of women, children, Divyangjan, old people and other deprived sections.
• Constituted as an independent department under govt. order no. 602 dated 20-03-2007.
• After reorganisation it has four directorates, including the Directorate of Integrated Child Development Services and the Directorate of Divyangjan Empowerment.
• Its vision: by 2030, ensure that women are respected and their dignity restored in all walks of life, with gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls.

Schemes of the Social Welfare Department

• Mukhyamantri Divyangjan Shashaktikaran Chatra Yojna.
• Mukhyamantri Bal Sanrakshan Chatra Yojna.
• Mukhyamantri Vrihad Sahayata Chatra Yojna.
• Scheme documents also list the Kinnar Kalyan Yojna, Old Age Home (SAHARA), Mukhyamantri Bhikhchavriti Nivanran Yojana and Bihar Samekit Samajik Suraksha Sudridhikaran Yojna.

Mukhyamantri Vridhjan Pension Yojana

• Aim: to give all senior citizens of the state a life of dignity.
• In force since: April 2019.
• Eligibility: age 60 years or above; open to all income groups.
• The applicant must not draw any salary, pension, family pension or other social security pension from the Central or State Government.
• Benefit: ₹1100 per month from June 2025.
• Beneficiaries: 18,16,727 in 2019-20; 28,10,502 in 2020-21; 33,90,132 in 2021-22.
• 39,15,975 in 2022-23; 42,65,591 in 2023-24; 48,67,069 in 2024-25.
• 57,92,174 in 2025-26 (till January 2026).

BC & EBC Welfare Department

• Made the nodal department by amending the Bihar Executive Rules, 1979, by notification dated 20.03.07.
• Subjects: stipends, book grants, loans, hostels and co-operative societies for Backward Classes and Extremely Backward Classes.
• It also oversees the Bihar State Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation and special home-building schemes.
• Scholarships: Other Backward Classes Pre-Matric (School) Scholarship and Other Backward Classes Post-Matric Scholarship.
• Merit schemes: Mukhmantri Pichhada Varg Medhavriti Yojana and Mukhmantri Atyant Pichhada Varg Medhavriti Yojana.
• Hostels: Other Backward Class Welfare Hostel Scheme and the Jannayak Karpuri Thakur Extremely Backward Classes Welfare Hostel Scheme; also an Other Backward Classes Girls Residential +2 High School.
• Others: Pre-Examination Training Centres, a Kaushal Vikas (skill) scheme, the Mukhmantri Atyant Pichhada Varg Civil Seva Protsahan Yojana and food grains for hostels.
• Delivery is through the Regional Deputy Director (Welfare), District Welfare Officer and Block Welfare Officer.

SC & ST Welfare Department

• Made the nodal department by the same Cabinet Secretariat notification dated 20.03.2007.
• For Scheduled Tribes: hostels, scholarships and book grants, loans, home-building and the Integrated Tribal Development Programme.
• ST schemes include the Chief Minister Scheduled Tribes Civil Services Incentive Scheme and the Chief Minister Scheduled Tribe Grants Scheme.
• For Scheduled Castes: scholarships, book grants, loans, hostels, co-operative societies and a home-building scheme.
• It administers Acts on removing the civil disabilities of Scheduled Castes.
• It monitors the Special Component Plan across departments and controls the Bihar State Scheduled Caste Cooperative Development Corporation.
• Schemes also run through the Bihar Mahadalit Vikash Mission.