Patna: The Bihar government has announced that canteens under the Jeevika Didi’s Kitchen scheme will be set up at 19 major bus depots across the state, in a move aimed at providing clean, affordable and nutritious food to passengers, drivers and depot staff.
The decision follows inspections by the state’s transport and rural development minister, Shrawon Kumar, who recently visited several bus depots and expressed dissatisfaction with the poor quality and lack of food and beverage facilities. Officials said the minister noted that inadequate food arrangements during long journeys caused significant inconvenience to passengers and transport workers alike.
Kumar subsequently directed the transport department to introduce Jeevika Didi’s Kitchens at bus depots at the earliest. The initiative, he said, would improve basic amenities at depots while also enhancing their overall image.
According to transport department officials, the scheme will be rolled out in phases, with the first phase covering depots at Bankipur, Phulwari Sharif, Muzaffarpur, Ara, Bihar Sharif, Sitamarhi, Motihari, Chhapra, Siwan, Darbhanga, Gaya, Aurangabad, Jehanabad, Nawada, Bhagalpur, Jamui, Munger, Purnea and Saharsa. The government has indicated that the programme could be expanded to additional locations in the future.
Jeevika Didi’s Kitchens, run by women’s self-help groups under the state’s rural livelihoods mission, are already operating in hospitals, government offices and other public institutions, where they provide meals at subsidised rates. The expansion to bus depots is expected to extend similar benefits to daily commuters and long-distance travellers.
Officials said the move would also support driver welfare and promote women’s economic empowerment through self-employment. In addition, Jeevika Didi’s Kitchens have been established at the police lines currently under construction in Patna, where police personnel will have access to fresh and hygienic food.
