Patna: More than 7,000 women in Bihar have been employed in sanitation services across government institutions under an expanding community employment model, which has now been extended to offices of the state’s electricity distribution companies.
Following a memorandum of understanding between the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society (Jeevika) and the South Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited (SBPDCL), women known locally as “Jeevika Didis” have taken on cleaning and sanitation responsibilities in 65 electricity department offices.
Officials said the initiative is part of a wider effort to outsource facility management to women’s self-help groups, while also generating stable employment for rural households.
The programme has already been operating across other public institutions in the state. Under a separate agreement with the health department, Jeevika Didis are engaged in sanitation work in medical colleges, district hospitals and sub-divisional hospitals. Their responsibilities also extend to residential schools.
According to officials, the women are working in government-run schools for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, Extremely Backward Classes and minority communities, where authorities say cleanliness and day-to-day management have improved since the initiative began.
The model has now been replicated in the North Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited (NBPDCL) as well, expanding its footprint across the state’s power sector offices.
Departmental officials said the involvement of women’s groups has led to “noticeable improvement” in service standards and workplace maintenance.
At present, Jeevika Didis are providing sanitation services in more than 700 government units across Bihar.
The programme has generated employment for over 7,000 women, with monthly incomes reportedly ranging between Rs 8,000 and Rs 12,000. Officials said the government is considering extending the model to additional departments in the future as part of a broader livelihood and empowerment strategy.
