Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s government has approved the ‘Saat Nishchay‑3’ programme for 2025‑30, pitching it as the next five‑year roadmap to shift Bihar into the league of developed states. The plan focuses on “double employment, double income” along with agriculture, education, healthcare and infrastructure pushes, while prioritising nearly 94 lakh poor families identified in the caste‑based survey for job opportunities and support.
What is Saat Nishchay‑3?
At a Cabinet meeting chaired by Nitish Kumar on December 16, 2025, ministers cleared the third edition of the flagship ‘Saat Nishchay’ initiative, following earlier phases implemented during 2015‑20 and 2020‑25. The CM later posted on X that Saat Nishchay‑3 will run from 2025 to 2030 and is designed as a continuation of the “development with justice” model that guided the previous two versions.
According to the CM’s outline, the new package includes seven broad thrust areas: double employment, double income; prosperous industries and an “empowered Bihar”; agricultural progress; quality education for a bright future; accessible healthcare for a secure life; a strong foundation for modern expansion; and ease of living with dignity for all citizens. These pillars are meant to tie welfare schemes to long‑term economic growth, particularly in rural and semi‑urban regions that have historically lagged behind national averages.
Focus on jobs, incomes and poor households
Addressing reporters, Additional Chief Secretary (Cabinet Secretariat) Arvind Kumar Chaudhary said the Cabinet has explicitly decided to double average per‑capita income in Bihar by boosting both employment and earnings. To achieve this, the government plans to prioritise around 94 lakh poor families identified in the state’s caste‑based survey, treating them as the core target group for new employment and livelihood programmes.
This focus comes on top of existing measures such as the provision of Rs 10,000 to women across the state under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana and an additional Rs 2 lakh promise to strengthen their economic security. Officials argue that, if implemented effectively, the combined push on jobs, women‑centric schemes and rural assets could significantly narrow income gaps and reduce distress migration from Bihar over the next five years.
Education, healthcare and “Centres of Excellence”
In the education sector, the Cabinet has cleared proposals to convert select existing higher‑education institutions into “Centres of Excellence”, along with developing new education cities. These hubs are expected to attract better faculty, research collaboration and private investment, positioning Bihar as a competitive destination for students from within and outside the state.
On healthcare, Saat Nishchay‑3 promises more accessible and reliable services so that residents can “secure life” through timely treatment and preventive care. While specific hospital or clinic projects were not detailed in the initial announcement, officials have indicated that primary health infrastructure, diagnostic facilities and referral systems will receive priority, particularly in underserved districts.
Continuity with earlier ‘Saat Nishchay’ phases
Nitish Kumar stressed that Saat Nishchay‑3 builds on the foundation laid by the first two phases, which focused on piped drinking water, toilets, roads, electricity, youth skills and women’s empowerment. The new phase shifts emphasis towards income enhancement, industrial growth and quality human‑capital development while still foregrounding “development with justice” for marginalised communities. For in-depth report read here.
Policy analysts will closely watch how the government sequences projects, ensures fund flow and monitors outcomes, given the ambitious target of doubling per‑capita income in just five years. For EEAT‑compliant coverage, it is important to anchor all claims in official Cabinet briefings, quotes from the CM and ACS, and historical data on earlier Saat Nishchay schemes, while clearly distinguishing announcements from on‑ground implementation results.
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