PATNA: The Bihar government, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday approved a new scheme aimed at providing employment opportunities for women.
Under the scheme named ‘Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojna’, one woman from every family in the state will be given financial assistance to start an occupation of her choice.
A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet. As the first instalment of financial support, each selected woman will receive Rs 10,000 to start her chosen employment activity. The process of receiving applications from interested women will begin next month.
The Rural Development Department will be the nodal agency for this scheme, while the Urban Development and Housing Department will also extend support as required.
From next month itself, the transfer of funds into the beneficiary women’s bank accounts will begin. In the next phase, an assessment will be carried out six months after the commencement of employment, and if needed, additional support of up to Rs 2 lakh will be provided to the selected beneficiary.
As part of the scheme, local markets or haat bazaars will be developed across villages and towns for the sale of products made by women.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed confidence that the implementation of this scheme will not only strengthen the status of women but also provide them with better employment opportunities within the state.
He further hoped that the scheme would help curb migration from the state in search of jobs.
Giving details of the scheme, Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena said, “The cabinet today gave its nod to ‘Mukhya Mantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana’ for economic empowerment of the women of the state. Under the scheme, one woman of all the families of the state will be given economic assistance of Rs 10,000 to start business of her own choice in the state.”
The process of releasing the first instalment will begin from the month of September 2025 itself. The first instalment will be directly transferred into the bank accounts of the women entrepreneurs, Meena said and added that the process of accepting applications from women entrepreneurs willing to start their business will begin soon.
Following the evaluation of the performance of a woman’s entrepreneurial venture after six months, an additional Rs 2 lakh will be given as a grant to the women entrepreneurs, the Chief Secretary said. He was accompanied by Development Commissioner Pratyaya Amrit and Rural Development Department’s Secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh during the press conference.
“Haat bazar will be developed in villages and towns to boost the sales of the products made by women,” he said.
Asked who will be eligible to avail the benefits of the scheme, the Chief Secretary said that the Rural Development Department will issue detailed guidelines that would incorporate all the information with regard to the scheme.
In response to a query whether the women entrepreneurs will have to return Rs 10,000 given as grant, Meena made it amply clear that, “They (entrepreneurs) don’t need to return it (to the government) as the amount given to them (entrepreneurs) is a kind of grant or economic assistance. The idea is to promote and help those women who want to become entrepreneurs on their own.”
Urban Development Department’s participation will be ensured for the implementation of the scheme in urban areas, he added.
Recounting the umpteen schemes rolled out by the state government for women’s empowerment, Chief Secretary Meena said that the state government took a major decision to give reservation of 50 per cent in both rural and urban local bodies in the year 2006 and 2007 respectively for women’s “political empowerment”.
As a result, a total of 57 per cent representatives in both rural and urban local bodies are women, he said and added that the government also implemented “Prohibition” in 2016 on women’s demand, which is quite successful in the state besides it helped a lot in improving women’s lot.
Similarly, the government launched a series of schemes and initiatives to “educationally empower” the women, especially the girls, for their better education. The government launched schemes providing school uniform, bicycle to girl students and scholarships at 10th, 12th and graduation level besides opening a +2 high school in all the gram panchayats so that the girl student can pursue education in their own vicinity.
The state government has also made a provision in this year’s budget (2025-26) to open a college in every block to facilitate education for all, especially the women.
In order to provide women economic assistance, the government enhanced the monthly pension from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100 benefiting 1.12 crore women of the state.
For ensuring social empowerment, the state government launched Jeevika scheme with World Bank-assisted loan in 2006. A self-help group (SHG) was formed for the women to empower financially weak. So far 11 lakh SHGs have been formed with 1.40 crore as women members of these groups since its establishment in 2006.
Even National Urban Livelihood Mission is being implemented by Jeevika that has helped their economic empowerment.