Patna: More than 1,50,000 women in Bihar will soon receive Rs 300 on days when temperatures soar above 40°C, under a pioneering climate resilience initiative launched across eight districts in the state.
The programme, spearheaded by the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), aims to provide financial relief to women daily wage workers in unorganised sector exposed to extreme heat. Operating initially as a pilot in Patna, Gaya, Munger, Bhagalpur, Banka, Katihar, Purnia and Siwan, the scheme is a first of its kind in Bihar.
Women must become SEWA members and pay a one-time fee of Rs 300 for enrolling in heatwave insurance scheme— refunded later as Rs 400 with an added Rs 100 incentive. Once enrolled, they will receive Rs 300 directly into their accounts on every day the mercury crosses the critical 40°C threshold, without having to file individual claims or complete further documentation.
The compensation will be automatically calculated by SEWA using meteorological data. Estimates suggest that heat levels exceed 40°C on more than 10 days a year in many districts in Bihar, meaning eligible women could receive over Rs 3,000 annually in additional income.
The insurance scheme is part of a broader push by SEWA, with support from the international non-profit Climate Resilience for All (CRA), to combat the disproportionate economic burden climate change places on women in the informal sector. Many women lose income during extreme heat events due to illness or inability to work — a challenge this scheme seeks to mitigate.
The concept was tested in 2024 in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, benefiting 50,000 women with payouts ranging from Rs 1,600 to Rs 2,000. This year, the scheme has expanded to Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Jammu & Kashmir, with district-specific heat thresholds tailored to local climate patterns.
SEWA, founded in 1972 by Gandhian activist Ela Bhatt, now represents over 3 million women across India and continues to innovate on the frontlines of social protection for informal workers.
