Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, transferred ₹1,205 crore directly into the bank accounts of 1.09 crore social security pension beneficiaries across the state, ahead of the Chhath festival. Each beneficiary received ₹1,100 as monthly pension assistance under the disbursement, which was executed during a formal programme at the Chief Minister's official residence, Lok Sevak Awas, in Patna.

Who Benefits and What They Receive

The social security pension scheme extends financial support to elderly persons, widows, and persons with disabilities — sections of society with limited or no regular income. The ₹1,100 monthly pension is credited directly to individual bank accounts, allowing beneficiaries to manage daily expenses without administrative intermediaries.

Notably, the monthly pension amount was raised from ₹400 to ₹1,100 during the run-up to the Bihar Assembly Election 2025 by the then government led by Nitish Kumar, significantly expanding the financial relief extended to millions of vulnerable households.

What Samrat Choudhary Directed Officials

During the disbursement event, Chief Minister Choudhary instructed officials to ensure complete coverage — directing the administration to identify eligible individuals who have not yet been enrolled and to launch a special enrolment campaign. He emphasised that no deserving beneficiary should be left out and that financial assistance must reach vulnerable sections without unnecessary delays or administrative hurdles.

Officials have also been directed to monitor the enrolment process actively, with a mandate to ensure that every eligible person across Bihar is brought under the pension scheme's coverage.

Significance Ahead of Chhath

The timing of the disbursement — just before Chhath Puja, one of Bihar's most significant festivals — is widely seen as providing material relief to low-income households ahead of a period of heightened expenditure. This comes amid the government's stated focus on expanding social security coverage as a governance priority in the state.

Broader Policy Context

Bihar's direct benefit transfer model for pension disbursement has steadily scaled in coverage. The push to identify unenrolled eligible persons signals an intent to close gaps between official beneficiary rolls and the actual eligible population — a challenge that has historically limited the reach of such welfare programmes across Indian states. The government's directive to launch a targeted identification campaign could further swell the beneficiary count in future disbursement cycles.