Why in News ?
In the run-up to the Bihar Assembly elections, direct cash transfer schemes like the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana have targeted women voters. This has revived the debate on whether women are becoming a decisive electoral force, reflecting increasing political focus on gender as an identity in voting behaviour.
Relevance
- GS II – Governance & Social Justice:
- Gender-responsive policy formulation and evaluation.
- Electoral inclusion and institutional mechanisms for women’s political participation.
- Intersectionality in policy design.
- GS II/III – Polity & Economy:
- Welfare schemes and direct benefit transfers as tools of social empowerment.
- Clientelism vs. inclusive policy delivery.
- Socio-economic empowerment of women as a driver of development.
Context and Background
- Bihar CM Nitish Kumar transferred ₹10,000 to 25 lakh women (Oct 3, 2025) under Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana.
- PM Modi announced ₹7,500 crore transfer to 75 lakh women under the same scheme (Sept 26, 2025).
- Women increasingly treated as a “vote bank,” similar to caste or religious groups.
- Share of women voters rising; women voters outnumber men in several constituencies in recent elections.
Key Insights from the Article
- Agency over freebies:
- Women seek empowerment, dignity, and autonomy, not just cash schemes.
- Political parties must internalise women’s aspirations rather than assume them as monolithic beneficiaries (“labharthis”).
- Intersectionality:
- Women’s voting preferences are shaped by caste, class, religion, region, and other social identities.
- Treating women as a homogeneous group risks marginalising their agency and reinforces clientelist politics.
- Electoral Inclusion and Disadvantages:
- Documentation issues in exercises like SIR (Bihar) and NRC (Assam) disproportionately affect women.
- Despite being celebrated as voters, systemic barriers limit women’s political participation.
- Impact of Welfare Schemes:
- Schemes like Ladli Behna, Ladki Bahin, and Mahila Rojgar Yojana provide direct cash transfers.
- Success varies with timing, implementation, conditional clauses (e.g., school education).
- Evidence shows schemes do not automatically translate into votes for any party; women increasingly exercise independent choice.
- Evolution of Political Attention to Women:
- Modern political manifestos include women-centric measures (e.g., free cycles, toilets, cash transfers).
- These initiatives signal recognition of women’s role, but risks of tokenism and essentialisation remain.
Overview
- Women voters are influential but not decisive:
- Their importance lies in parity with other voting blocs rather than a monolithic swing factor.
- Empowerment vs. Clientelism:
- Schemes can empower women financially and socially if implemented effectively.
- Pre-election cash transfers risk being perceived as vote-buying rather than empowerment.
- Policy Design Lessons:
- Gender-responsive policies must consider intersectional identities.
- Effective delivery, awareness, and support for independent use of benefits are critical.
Conclusion
Women’s growing electoral presence highlights their increasing political agency, though they are not a monolithic vote bank. Effective gender-responsive policies and empowerment measures, rather than pre-election cash transfers, can strengthen meaningful participation.
