Just like he had announced the Rs 2.7-lakh-crore ''Saat Nischay'' scheme days ahead of the elections in 2015 and emerged victorious, JD(U) leader and chief minister Nitish Kumar also outlined the second phase of ''saat nischay'' in the party's manifesto in 2020.
Apart from other incentives, the JD-U in its 2020 manifesto vision document announced a number of sops for women. The party promised Rs 5 lakh grant and interest-free loan of the same amount to women starting a new venture.
The manifesto also encouraged higher education, saying unmarried women who cross the “inter” stage will get Rs 25,000 and those who graduate higher education will receive Rs 50,000. These incentives are for all women across all castes and communities.
This document aimed to use better technology so that the quality of training imparted to youth through industrial training institutes (ITIs) and polytechnic to make them employable.
ITI, polytechnic centres and mega skill centres were also promised at district and sub-divisional level.
Nitish Kumar also speaking during his rallies, talked prohibition, how he took the step taking the advice of women, and encouraged women to vote.
Bihar voter turnout higher than 2015
And, Nitish Kumar's promises seem to have worked and translated into votes for the party as the state recorded 57.05 per cent turnout in the assembly elections this time, than that of 2015 despite the COVID-19 pandemic, as per official data.
The voter turnout in the elections held in 2015 was 56.66 per cent, the Election Commission data showed.
Female voter turnout this year was 59.69 per cent, higher than that of the male voters -- 54.68 per cent.
This year's turnout was pushed up by relatively aggressive polling in the third phase in which 78 seats in the 15 districts of Kosi-Seemanchal, Mithilanchal and Tirhut voted.
The turnout in the third phase of the elections, held on November 7, is almost 60 per cent compared to 55.68 per cent in the first phase and 55.70 per cent in the second.
In last year's Lok Sabha elections, 57.33 per cent turnout was recorded.
