Samastipur: Women associated with the Jivika programme in Samastipur will be able to access low-interest loans of up to Rs 2 lakh under the newly introduced Jivika Nidhi initiative, which aims to expand self-employment opportunities and reduce reliance on private microfinance companies.
According to Jivika officials, the scheme is designed to provide affordable and accessible credit for women seeking to start or expand income-generating activities in agriculture, livestock, food processing and other small businesses.
Loans To Be Disbursed In Three Stages
Under the scheme, loans will be offered in three categories based on the scale of the proposed enterprise.
Eligible beneficiaries can receive an initial loan of Rs 15,000, followed by a second-tier loan of Rs 75,000. A third category provides loans of up to Rs 2 lakh for larger business requirements.
Officials said the funds would support women in establishing or expanding enterprises while improving access to formal financial services.
Focus On Rural Entrepreneurship
The scheme allows beneficiaries to invest in agriculture and allied sectors, including dairy farming, goat rearing, poultry, fisheries and modern farming practices.
Loans can also be used for cottage industries such as food processing, papad and pickle production, spice manufacturing and incense stick making. Other eligible activities include tailoring, embroidery, beauty parlours, handicrafts, readymade garment manufacturing, grocery shops and other retail businesses.
Cooperative Structure And Digital Banking
Jivika Nidhi has been constituted under the Cooperative Act, 1996, and will function as a federation of women’s cluster organisations.
According to the programme framework, the Board of Directors will oversee policy decisions, while the Chief Executive Officer of Jivika will serve as the Managing Director. Officials said the initiative also aims to promote digital transactions and improve women’s access to formal banking services.
More Than 30,000 Applications Received
Jivika officials said more than 30,000 women have registered online for loans across all 20 blocks of Samastipur district.
The district currently has 3,303 active Village Organisations, bringing together more than 500,000 women associated with the Jivika programme.
Verification And Direct Benefit Transfer
Santosh Kumar, Information Manager at Jivika, said applications submitted online are being scrutinised before physical verification is carried out within two to three days.
Eligible beneficiaries will receive the approved loan amount directly into their bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), he said.
Officials added that district- and block-level teams have been deployed to oversee the verification and disbursement process. The initiative is expected to provide women with an affordable alternative to high-interest loans offered by private microfinance companies.
