In a major pro-journalist move, Bihar Chief Minister Mr. Nitish Kumar on Saturday announced a substantial increase in monthly pensions for senior journalists and their dependent spouses under the Bihar Patrakaar Samman Pension Scheme. The announcement, made through his official handle on social media platform X, reflects the state government‘s recognition of journalists’ contributions to democracy and social development.
Journalists to Receive Rs. 15,000 Monthly Pension
Chief Minister Mr. Kumar stated that the monthly pension for all eligible retired journalists will be increased from the existing Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 15,000. Further, in the event of a journalist’s demise, their dependent spouse will now receive Rs. 10,000 per month for life—up from the earlier amount of Rs. 3,000.
“I am pleased to inform that under the Bihar Patrakaar Samman Pension Scheme, instructions have been given to the department to revise the pension benefits to Rs. 15,000 for eligible journalists and Rs. 10,000 for their dependent spouses,” Mr. Kumar wrote.
Journalism: The Fourth Pillar of Democracy
Reiterating his long-standing support for the media, the Chief Minister described journalists as the “fourth pillar of democracy”, playing an essential role in ensuring transparency, accountability, and public awareness. He added, “We have always ensured that journalists are able to work impartially and live with dignity after retirement.”
Mr. Kumar emphasized that his government has consistently prioritised journalist welfare, ensuring facilities and support systems that allow the media to thrive in a democratic society.
The announcement comes at a politically significant time, just months ahead of the Bihar Legislative Assembly elections, expected in October or November 2025. While the Election Commission is yet to formally announce poll dates, the political landscape in the state is already heating up, with intensified confrontations between the ruling NDA alliance and the opposition Mahagathbandhan.
Controversy Over Electoral Rolls
The backdrop to this announcement also includes a major political row over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar’s electoral rolls. Opposition parties from the INDIA bloc have accused the government of attempting to manipulate the rolls and delete significant voter segments.
However, in a recent statement, the Election Commission of Bihar confirmed that 99.8% of voters in the state have already been covered under the SIR process. The Chief Electoral Officer stated that over 7.23 crore forms have been received and digitised. The Draft Electoral Roll is scheduled to be published on August 1, 2025.
