NEW DELHI: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday announced government’s decision to provide an additional financial assistance of up to Rs 2 lakh to the women beneficiaries under the “Mukhya Mantri Mahila Rojgar” scheme.In a social media post on X, Nitish said that the amount selected beneficiaries in phases, “provided that the amount previously given has been properly utilised for employment purposes.”“In the first phase of this scheme, an amount of 10 thousand rupees has been provided to one woman from each family. So far, the amount has been transferred to the accounts of 1 crore 56 lakh beneficiaries through DBT. The remaining applicants in rural and urban areas will also soon have the amount sent to their accounts through DBT as per the rules,” Nitish said.“Under this scheme, there is a provision to provide additional financial assistance of up to 2 lakh rupees as per requirement, upon assessment six months after the women start their employment. I am pleased to inform you that action has been initiated to provide additional financial assistance of up to 2 lakh rupees to the selected beneficiaries under the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana. This amount will be given in phases, provided that the amount previously given has been properly utilised for employment purposes. If the employment is running well, a lump sum amount can also be provided as per requirement,” he added.Further, he said that the government will link these beneficiaries to the works of various government departments.“The department has been directed to ensure proper arrangements for the marketing of goods produced by the beneficiaries under the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana. At the same time, these beneficiaries should also be linked to the works of various government departments, such as garment manufacturing, Sudha sales centres, Didi ki Rasoi, etc,” Nitish said.“The implementation of this scheme will not only strengthen the position of women even further but will also provide them with better employment opportunities within the state, and people will no longer have to leave the state out of compulsion for employment,” he added.The Mukhya Mantri Mahila Rojgar scheme was launched just before the assembly elections in Bihar last year. Under this scheme, around 75 lakh women. The scheme was credited as one of the key factors which led to landslide victory of National Democratic alliance in the state.