Tejashwi Yadav slams Bihar govt over LPG crisis at Begusarai CHC
Synopsis
A missing gas cylinder at a government health centre in Begusarai has become Bihar's latest political flashpoint. Tejashwi Yadav's X post alleging that new mothers were left eating flattened rice — instead of nutritious meals — cuts through the state government's healthcare reform narrative and lands on its most politically exposed pressure point: maternal welfare.
Key Takeaways
An LPG cylinder shortage at the Jeevika Didi Ki Rasoi kitchen inside a CHC in Bachwara block, Begusarai allegedly left pregnant and postnatal women without cooked meals.
Affected women reportedly had to eat chura (flattened rice) in the absence of hot food.
Tejashwi Yadav (RJD) attacked the Samrat Choudhary -led Bihar government on X , calling it a failure of the 'double-engine government'.
He also raised concerns about anaemia among women in Bihar and the state's silence on maternal nutrition.
The Bihar government has separately announced healthcare reforms including expansion of district hospital services, cashless treatment, and fast-tracking of AIIMS Darbhanga .
An official response from Bihar health authorities on the Begusarai incident is still awaited.
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and Bihar Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Bihar state government after reports surfaced of an LPG cylinder shortage at the Jeevika Didi Ki Rasoi community kitchen inside a Community Health Centre (CHC) in Bachwara block, Begusarai. The alleged shortage reportedly left pregnant women and new mothers at the facility without cooked meals, forcing them to subsist on chura (flattened rice).
What Was Reported at the Bachwara CHC
According to reports, the Jeevika Didi Ki Rasoi — a government-run community kitchen scheme meant to provide nutritious meals to women admitted at public health facilities — was unable to operate due to the non-availability of LPG cylinders at the Bachwara block CHC in Begusarai district. As a result, women who had recently delivered or were admitted for prenatal care were reportedly left without hot, cooked food. An official response from local health authorities on the incident is still awaited.
Tejashwi Yadav's Attack on the Government
Taking to his official account on X, Tejashwi Yadav alleged that the ruling 'double-engine government' had failed its most vulnerable constituents. 'In Bihar, due to the unavailability of gas cylinders at Jeevika Didi Ki Rasoi, women who have recently given birth are not getting proper meals. After elections, both mothers and newborns have been left to fend for themselves,' he wrote. He further raised concerns about anaemia among women in the state, questioning the government's silence on maternal nutrition and post-delivery care.
The Government's Healthcare Record
The controversy comes even as the Bihar government under Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has been publicising a series of healthcare reforms. These include the expansion of specialised services in district hospitals, the rollout of cashless treatment for state employees, and the fast-tracking of construction at AIIMS Darbhanga. Newly appointed Bihar Health Minister Nishant Kumar has also signalled a focus on grassroots healthcare delivery since assuming charge.
Why This Incident Matters
The reported breakdown at the Bachwara CHC highlights what critics describe as a persistent gap between policy announcements and last-mile implementation in Bihar's public health infrastructure. Post-delivery nutrition is a recognised clinical priority — inadequate food intake in the immediate postnatal period carries documented risks for both maternal recovery and infant health. Notably, Bihar continues to record among the highest rates of anaemia among women in India, making the reported disruption to a dedicated maternal nutrition scheme particularly consequential. This is not the first time the state's community health infrastructure has drawn political scrutiny over basic supply-chain failures.
What Comes Next
The Bihar health department has not yet issued a formal statement on the Begusarai incident. Opposition pressure is likely to intensify if an explanation is not forthcoming, especially given the broader political context ahead of the state's electoral cycle. Civil society groups working on maternal health in the region are expected to demand an independent inquiry into supply-chain management at CHCs across the state.
Point of View
And the fact that no official explanation has emerged days after the reports surfaced suggests accountability mechanisms are equally weak. Tejashwi Yadav's intervention is politically calculated, but the underlying concern is legitimate. Bihar's anaemia burden among women is among the worst in the country, and disrupting a dedicated postnatal meal scheme — however briefly — is not a minor administrative lapse. The Samrat Choudhary government's credibility on healthcare reform will be tested not by its AIIMS announcements but by whether a gas cylinder reaches a CHC in Bachwara on time.
NationPress
8 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at the Bachwara CHC in Begusarai?
Reports indicate that the Jeevika Didi Ki Rasoi community kitchen at the Community Health Centre in Bachwara block, Begusarai, was unable to provide cooked meals due to the non-availability of LPG cylinders. Pregnant women and new mothers at the facility were reportedly left to eat chura (flattened rice) instead of nutritious meals.
Why did Tejashwi Yadav criticise the Bihar government?
Tejashwi Yadav, Leader of the Opposition in Bihar and a senior RJD leader, alleged on X that the 'double-engine government' had failed to ensure basic food and healthcare for women who had recently given birth. He also raised concerns about anaemia among women in Bihar and the state's lack of response to the incident.
What is the Jeevika Didi Ki Rasoi scheme?
Jeevika Didi Ki Rasoi is a Bihar government initiative that runs community kitchens inside public health facilities to provide nutritious, cooked meals to pregnant women and new mothers admitted at those centres. The scheme is intended to address post-delivery nutrition and reduce maternal anaemia.
What healthcare reforms has the Bihar government announced recently?
The Bihar government under Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has announced the expansion of specialised services in district hospitals, cashless treatment for state employees, and fast-tracking of AIIMS Darbhanga construction. Newly appointed Health Minister Nishant Kumar has also indicated a focus on grassroots healthcare delivery.
Has the Bihar government responded to the Begusarai LPG shortage?
As of the time of reporting, no official response from Bihar health authorities or local administration regarding the LPG shortage and disrupted meal services at the Bachwara CHC in Begusarai had been issued.
