PATNA, India— On Saturday, July 26, 2025, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced a big raise in the monthly pension for retired journalists under the “Bihar Patrakar Samman” scheme. All retired journalists who are registered with the Bihar government and meet the requirements will now get ₹15,000 a month, which is a big increase from the previous ₹6,000. This choice comes before the assembly elections that will be held in Bihar later this year.
Chief Minister Kumar posted the news on X (previously Twitter), saying, “I am happy to announce that all eligible journalists will now get a monthly pension of ₹15,000 instead of ₹6,000 under the ‘Bihar Patrakar Samman’ pension scheme.”
The Chief Minister also said that if a journalist who was getting a pension under the program dies, their dependant spouse will now get a monthly pension of ₹10,000 for the rest of their life. This is another way to help journalists and their families. This is a big jump from the previous figure of ₹3,000.
Kumar stressed how important journalists are in a democracy. “Journalists are very important to democracy. Journalists serve as the fourth pillar of democracy, significantly contributing to the improvement of society.
The “Bihar Patrakar Samman Yojana” started in 2019. To be eligible for the pension, reporters must have worked in journalism in Bihar for at least 20 years and be members of a recognized media organization. Applicants must also be at least 60 years old and not receiving any other government pension.
The Bihar Assembly elections are probably set for October or November 2025. The current term of the Bihar Assembly ends on November 22, 2025.