Bihar News: Cabinet Approves ‘CM Pratigya Yojana’: ₹4,000–₹6,000 Monthly Stipend for Youth Internships

Bihar News: The Bihar cabinet, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, on Tuesday approved the Mukhya Mantri Pratigya Yojana (CM PRATIGYA)—a new internship scheme aimed at empowering the state’s youth by offering them paid internship opportunities. The scheme was part of a bundle of 24 proposals that received the cabinet's nod following discussions with relevant department ministers.

Under this new youth-focused initiative

Under this new youth-focused initiative—Promotion of Readiness, Awareness, and Technical Insights for Guiding Youth Advancement—students who have cleared Class 12, ITI or Diploma, graduation, or postgraduation will receive monthly stipends ranging from ₹4,000 to ₹6,000 as part of a skill development-based internship programme.

According to Additional Chief Secretary S. Siddharth, the internships will span three months to one year, and the stipend will be disbursed directly into students’ bank accounts via the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.

Class 12 pass-outs: ₹4,000/month

ITI or Diploma holders: ₹5,000/month

Graduates and postgraduates: ₹6,000/month

A taskforce led by the Development Commissioner, along with representatives from industry bodies like Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), will oversee the implementation of the scheme.

Introduced months ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, CM Pratigya Yojana is seen as a political counter to the Congress party’s promise of ₹1 lakh annual stipend for interns made during the Rajasthan elections. Analysts view this as part of NDA’s voter outreach strategy to address youth unemployment and boost electoral prospects.

In addition to CM Pratigya Yojana, the cabinet also approved other welfare schemes such as:

Mukhya Mantri Kalakar Pension Yojana: ₹3,000/month pension for financially struggling artists

Guru Shishya Parampara Yojana: To promote vanishing traditional art, music, and drama

A political science professor from BN College noted that while the scheme has strong electoral messaging, the actual eligibility criteria and implementation guidelines will determine how many students benefit from the initiative.