Patna: In a landmark initiative to foster grassroots participation and improve the impact of welfare schemes, the Bihar government is engaging directly with rural women through its flagship Jeevika Mahila Samvad programme.
Run under the aegis of the Rural Development Department, the initiative connects around 90 lakh women across 45,196 village organisations. The programme aims to ensure that the voices, experiences, and aspirations of rural women shape the future of state-run development schemes, particularly within tribal and remote communities.
Uniquely, Mahila Samvad is by women, for women: the organisers, speakers, and beneficiaries are all women. The programme is being executed by Jeevika—a state-supported rural livelihood initiative—through its women-led Mahila Gram Sangathan bodies.
At the heart of each village event is a dialogue where participants share their journeys of empowerment through government schemes, while also offering feedback and fresh ideas. These interactions are facilitated by Community Coordinators, Regional Coordinators, and nodal officers from various departments, ensuring seamless coordination and follow-up.
Each session lasts about two hours and includes:
- Screenings of three short films on women’s empowerment and self-reliance
- Distribution of government leaflets
- A personal message from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar
Women and school students alike are raising issues of education, employment, and migration, with many urging the state to create more local job opportunities to prevent outmigration.
Participants also include women who have become role models in their communities through self-help groups, as well as students who’ve benefited from education and social welfare schemes.
“Earlier, we were confined to our homes. Today, we are leading the transformation of our villages,” said one participant, reflecting the transformative impact of Mahila Samvad.
According to the Rural Development Department, the programme is not only evaluating the efficacy of welfare schemes but is also shaping a new narrative of leadership and unity among rural women in Bihar.
