In a major pre-poll announcement, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday hiked the pension of retired journalists by ₹9,000 per month under the 'Bihar Patrakar Samman' scheme.
The revised pension will now be ₹15,000 per month, up from the previous ₹6,000, and will apply to all eligible journalists registered with the state government. The announcement comes just months ahead of the crucial Bihar assembly elections.
Taking to X, Kumar stated, “Instructions have been given to provide ₹15,000 monthly pension to all eligible retired journalists.” He also announced a substantial increase in the family pension: in case of a journalist’s death, their spouse or dependent will now receive ₹10,000 per month, up from ₹3,000.
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Emphasizing the importance of journalism, Kumar said, “Journalists are the fourth pillar of democracy. We’ve always prioritized their welfare so they can work impartially and live with dignity after retirement.”
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