PATNA, Sept. 8 -- Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday launched a financial incentive scheme for women, the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana- seen as a potentially game-changing move ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in the state. The state cabinet has already approved the plan, and officials said the first instalment would reach the women - one woman from each interested family - to start an enterprise of their choice this month itself and after that Rs 2-lakh more would be given after assessment of their business model. The Janata Dal-United (JDU) leaders termed the scheme as an extension of programmes for women's empowerment to make them financially independent through entrepreneurship. The chief minister, flanked by deputy chief ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Singh and parliamentary affairs minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, launched the portal for filling application online and flagged off 250 publicity vehicles to take the message to every nook and corner of the state so that all eligible women could avail the benefit of the scheme. For women in rural areas, who may have difficulty in applying online for the scheme, offline applications would also be accepted. The main objective of the scheme, said JDU minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, is to boost the state's rural economy for self-reliance among women. Rashtriya Janata Dal has also promised 'Mai-Bahin Samman Yojana' within a month of the formation of his government, under which women will get Rs.2,500 per month"....