Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi: On the eighth day of the Jharkhand Assembly budget session, BJP MLA Satyendra Nath Tiwari raised concerns over the unequal pay structure for women under different government schemes. He pointed out that working women such as mid-day meal cooks and health workers receive less compensation compared to those who do not work but receive higher financial assistance.
During the question hour, Tiwari stated that the disparity in payments had created disputes among women and accused the government of being unfair in its women empowerment policies.
“The government talks about empowering women, but why are school cooks and health workers, who are also women, being discriminated against?” he questioned.
Rameshwar Oraon Criticizes His Own Government
Surprisingly, Congress MLA and former minister Rameshwar Oraon, who belongs to the ruling party, also joined the debate and questioned his own government. He supported Tiwari’s argument, stating that salary is given for work, while pension is an incentive.
While praising the Maiyya Yojana, Oraon questioned the government’s logic behind paying ₹2,500 to non-working women while giving less to those who are actively working.
“Why are women who are working receiving less money than those who do not work? The government should reconsider this policy,” Oraon urged.
His statement has sparked discussions within the ruling coalition, with many expecting the government to re-evaluate the payment structure for various women-oriented welfare schemes.