By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: For over a decade and a half, Jeevika, officially known as the Bihar Gramin Ajeevika Protsahan Samiti, has garnered significant attention for its impact on the lives of rural women in Bihar. Functioning as a registered organisation under the Rural Development Department, it has played a pivotal role in transforming the economic and social status of women, helping them become self-reliant.
At an event in Saharsa on Friday, Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar distributed cheques to Jeevika members (commonly known as Jeevika Didis) and lauded the organisation for its success. He emphasised how women are progressing and becoming financially independent through Jeevika.
Established in 2006 by the Chief Minister with a loan from the World Bank, Jeevika now boasts 10.51 lakh self-help groups, comprising over 1.31 crore women. Jeevika has accessed a cumulative loan of ₹34,000 crore, and its remarkable success has attracted teams from other states to study its model. Even Jeevika Didis, despite their limited formal education, are being called to train civil service aspirants and are contributing to various entrepreneurial and social endeavours.
Jeevika’s impact extends far beyond economic independence. When American chef and entrepreneur Eitan Bernath visited Bihar in 2023, he learned to cook traditional dishes like Litti Chokha in Jeevika Didi’s Kitchen, later sharing the experience on his popular YouTube channel. This is a testament to the empowerment of rural women, many of whom were once confined to their homes but now travel nationally and internationally to share their knowledge and skills.
Jeevika Didis were instrumental in advocating for the complete prohibition of alcohol in Bihar. During a Jeevika event in Patna, the women urged CM Nitish Kumar to enforce prohibition, a promise he fulfilled after his re-election in 2015, leading to the state’s liquor ban in 2016. Rural Development Minister Shravan Kumar commended Jeevika for transforming the lives of women in villages.
Women like Neetu Devi from Vaishali, now a shareholder in a honey production company, and Rani Devi from Bhabua Kaimur, who opened a shop with the help of Jeevika loans, illustrate the program’s success. Both women have become financially independent and are now supporting their families, while also encouraging others to follow in their footsteps.
Jeevika has also pioneered various banking and agricultural initiatives. Under its alternative banking model, 56 Bank Sakhis have facilitated financial transactions worth ₹10,742.07 crore through rural customer service centres. Additionally, Jeevika supports major initiatives like fish farming and beekeeping, with over 11,789 families involved in honey production.
The Didi’s Kitchen initiative, a community-based canteen model, has established 115 units, entirely owned and operated by women. Jeevika has also linked over 9,000 people to employment through grocery shops, while empowering thousands of women in agriculture, poultry farming, and dairy production.
The success of Didi Ki Rasoi has caught the attention of other state governments, including Punjab, Karnataka, and Gujarat. Jeevika members are now running canteens in hospitals, schools, banks, and offices, and they are training women in other states as well. The initiative has spread across nine states, creating employment for approximately 5 lakh women.
Jeevika is not only transforming lives but also creating a sustainable future for rural women, providing training on health, hygiene, and agricultural practices. The Bihar government has extended its scope to urban areas, aiming to make 1.5 crore women self-reliant through self-help groups.
With over 10.51 lakh self-help groups, Jeevika has grown exponentially. It had secured loans of ₹12,000 crore in 2019-20, a figure that has risen to ₹34,500 crore by 2023-24. This remarkable growth underscores CM Nitish Kumar’s unwavering trust in Jeevika Didis, who have become integral to various state-led initiatives, including the production of masks during the pandemic. From agriculture to banking, there is no sector untouched by the influence of Jeevika Didis.
Jeevika remains one of Nitish Kumar’s most successful projects, a testament to the transformative power of women in Bihar.
