The ‘Chief Minister’s Women Employment Scheme,’ initiated on September 26, 2025, in Bihar, continues to distribute financial aid to women. The first phase of the scheme saw ₹7,500 crore distributed to 7.5 million women, with each receiving ₹10,000 through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). In a recent update, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar transferred ₹2,500 crore to 2.5 million women at the rate of ₹10,000 per beneficiary via DBT. This brings the total financial allocation to ₹10,000 crore, benefiting a total of 1 crore women.
During the event, Nitish Kumar addressed the recipients, highlighting that the latest disbursement encompasses 2.5 million women, effectively extending the scheme’s reach to 1 crore women. He reiterated the scheme’s goal of supporting every woman in each family across the state. He also revealed the timeline for distributing the ₹10,000 assistance to the remaining women, with the next date scheduled for October 6, 2025.
Furthermore, Kumar mentioned the provision of additional financial support, up to ₹2 lakh, for those women whose businesses are successful. He also reflected on the development trajectory of Bihar since the formation of the NDA government on November 24, 2005, emphasizing the rule of law and progress in sectors like education and health. He reiterated the long-standing focus on women’s empowerment.
He discussed the importance of women’s representation in governance, starting with 50 percent reservation in Panchayati Raj institutions in 2006 and urban local bodies in 2007. He also mentioned the 35 percent reservation for women in the police force since 2013 and in government jobs from 2016. He recalled the limited number of self-help groups in Bihar in the past.
He also referenced the introduction of self-help groups in 2006, supported by the World Bank and known as ‘Jeevika.’ Today, there are approximately 11 lakh self-help groups, with 1 crore 40 lakh Jeevika didis. These groups have also been expanding in urban areas since 2024, reaching 37,000, with around 3 lakh 85 thousand Jeevika didis. This expansion is ongoing.