'We gave votes': Big blunder in Bihar welfare scheme, men get Rs 10,000 meant for women and now they defy recovery notices

Officials in Bihar are having a tough time to recover the money days after the state government issued notices to some male villagers in Darbhanga. The Bihar government has asked them to return Rs 10,000 credited to male villagers under a cash-transfer scheme meant exclusively for women due to 'technical problems'. The male villagers are now reluctant to return the money and have said 'first return our votes'.

Nagendra Ram, one of the villagers who received a recovery notice, told TOI that he had never applied for the money. "If the govt says the money was credited to our account by mistake, why didn't it send the notice immediately and why has it come after some three months?" asked Ram, a farm labourer.

The labourer went on to allege that that Bihar government was seeking to recover the money after they came to power with their votes. He said that the notice was served more than a month after the NDA returned to power, according to TOI.


Ram, who is physically disabled and has five children, said he believed the money was financial aid similar to that given to women. He said he spent the amount on clothes and household items during Diwali and Chhath. "No question of returning the money... We are labourers and cannot arrange such a big amount," he said.

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'We gave votes'

"Our votes led to NDA victory, but once in power, the govt is exerting pressure on us to recover the money," Ram said. "We gave votes. The accounts are settled," he told TOI on phone.

Talking to reporters, Nagendra Ram said, "I did not apply for the amount. The government transferred Rs 10,000 to my account. I am a disabled person, so I spent it during Chhath Puja and Diwali."

"Some others purchased goats and ducks. Now, we are getting notices to return the money. Where will I get it from? I request Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and other officials to forgive us and waive the amount," he said.

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Male villagers not returning money

Some of the male villagers who received Rs 10,000 in their bank accounts say they have already spent the money, some during Chhath Puja and Diwali. While some purchased ducks and goats and are now unwilling or unable to return the amount, reported PTI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana on September 26, ahead of the Assembly elections in Bihar, under which Rs 10,000 was transferred to the bank accounts of around 1.40 crore women entrepreneurs. However, officials of Jeevika, a state government initiative for poverty alleviation which is implementing the Yojana, said the amount was mistakenly credited to the accounts of some men due to "technical glitches" at Ahiyari village in the district's Jale Assembly constituency.

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After the money was mistakenly credited to bank accounts of male villagers, notices were issued by the block project director of Jeevika to at least three male villagers, directing them to return Rs 10,000. A Darbhanga Jeevika official told TOI that the notices had been issued to 14 male villagers. Residents of Ahiyari village in Jale block, are now denying to return the money, claiming it was given in exchange for votes and that "the accounts were settled".

Another villager, Baliram Sahani, said he received the money during Diwali and voted for the NDA. “Now that it has won the elections, it is asking for the money back,” alleged Sahani, who is also physically disabled. "The recovery notice came after two-and-a-half months. How can I pay back?" said Sahani, who earns around Rs 300 a day as a construction labourer.

Women villagers also expressed even stronger anger over the move. "If govt wants our money back, it should return our votes too," said Pramila Devi. The Jeevika official said seven villagers had returned the money so far after receiving notices."The money got transferred by mistake," she said.

(With PTI and TOI inputs)